Xinjiang

Map

Key data

Items shown in Chinese are kept from the original Chinese source; no English name is available yet.

Highlights

Introduction

• Vast and diverse — the Taklamakan, Kanas Lake and Silk Road oases.

History

• History: Xinjiang was known in ancient times as the Western Regions. After Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions in the Western Han dynasty, the central government established the Protectorate of the Western Regions here, opening the Silk Road, and merchants traveled ceaselessly north and south of the Tianshan Mountains. Subsequent central governments all set up administrative offices here: the Tang dynasty established the Anxi and Beiting protectorates, the Yuan dynasty set up provincial organs after unifying the Western Regions, the Qing dynasty appointed the General of Ili to govern north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, and in 1884 Xinjiang was formally made a province. In modern times, transportation and urban construction in Xinjiang have continued to advance, Urumqi has gradually developed into a regional central city, and all ethnic groups have jointly built this vast land.

Culture

• Culture: Xinjiang is home to many ethnic groups, where Chinese coexists with Uyghur, Kazakh, Mongolian, Kyrgyz, Xibe and other languages, and the arts of all ethnic groups blend and thrive together. The Twelve Muqam is inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity; folk customs such as Meshrep and Dolan song and dance are passionate and exuberant, while the Kazakh Aqin singing and the Mongolian Naadam are equally captivating. Signature dishes such as grilled lamb skewers, big-plate chicken, pilaf and naan are renowned at home and abroad, the melons and fruits of Grape Valley are sweet and delicious, and the snow lotus, the regional flower, symbolizes resilience and purity.

Science & Technology

• Science and technology: Xinjiang has higher education institutions such as Xinjiang University, Shihezi University, and Xinjiang Medical University, as well as research institutes such as the Xinjiang Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Focusing on resources and the environment in arid regions, Xinjiang has achieved notable results in water-saving irrigation, cotton breeding, and desertification control; drip irrigation technology has been promoted over large areas, helping to increase agricultural output and efficiency. High-tech industrial development zones in Urumqi, Changji, and other places are being built at an accelerated pace, and the new energy, new materials, and biopharmaceutical industries are thriving, providing scientific and technological support for building the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt.

Economy

• Economy: Xinjiang's 2025 GDP is 2,146.214 billion yuan. It is an important energy base in China, rich in oil, natural gas, and coal reserves, and oil and gas development in the Tarim and Junggar basins continues to support energy supply. Its cotton output ranks first in the country, and specialty agricultural products such as tomatoes, grapes, and red dates are exported at home and abroad. The region has a permanent population of 26.228 million. Leveraging its location, construction of the Urumqi International Land Port Area is accelerating, China-Europe freight trains gather here, and the level of opening-up and economic and trade cooperation continues to rise.