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Qinghai

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) |tib=མཚོ་སྔོན་ |wylie=mtsho sngon |mon=Köke Naγur |mnc=Huhu Noor }} (青海, qīnghǎi) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake. It borders Gansu on the northeast, the Xinjiang Autonomous Region on the northwest, Sichuan on the southeast, and Tibet Autonomous Region on the southwest.

History

Qinghai was only relatively recently made a province of China. The area, historically called Kokonor in English until the early 20th century, lies outside of China proper and has been an ethnic melting pot for centuries, mixing ethnic Chinese, Mongol, Tibetan, and Turkic influences. It was a battleground during the Tang and subsequent Chinese dynasties when they fought against successive Tibetan dynasties.

Prior to 1724, the area that is now Qinghai was under Tibetan control, but in that year it was conquered by the armies of the Qing Dynasty. Following the defeat of the Dzungars by the Qing in the mid 18th century, the area became home to peoples from what is now northern Xinjiang known as the Kokonor Mongols (Kokonor derives from the Mongolian language name of Qinghai). In 1807, there was a rebellion by Tibetan people in the region.

In 1928, Qinghai became a province of the Republic of China. Subsequently it became the primary base for warlord Ma Bufang, before it became a province under the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Geography

Qinghai is located on the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau. The Yellow River (Huang He) originates in the middle of the province, while the Yangtze and Mekong have their sources in the southwestern part.

The average elevation of Qinghai is over 3000 metres above sea level. Mountain ranges include the Tanggula Mountains and Kunlun Mountains. Its average temperature is approximately -5 to 8°C, with January temperatures ranging from -18.2 to -7°C and July temperatures ranging from 5 to 21°C. It is also prone to heavy winds as well as sandstorms from February to April.

By area, Qinghai is the largest province in China - excluding the autonomous regions of Xinjiang, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia, which are technically not provinces.

Qinghai Lake (Koko Nor) is the largest lake in the People's Republic of China.

Administrative divisions

Qinghai is administratively divided into one prefecture-level city, one prefecture, and six autonomous prefectures:

Prefecture-level city

  • Xining (西宁 | Xiníng Shì)

Prefecture

Autonomous prefectures

  • Golog (果洛藏族自治州 | Guǒluò Zàngzú Zìzhìzhōu)
  • Haibei (海北藏族自治州 | Hǎiběi Zàngzú Zìzhìzhōu)
  • Hainan (海南藏族自治州 | Hǎinán Zàngzú Zìzhìzhōu)
  • Haixi (海西蒙古族藏族自治州 | Hǎixī Měnggǔzú Zàngzú Zìzhìzhōu)
  • Huangnan (黄南藏族自治州 | Huángnán Zàngzú Zìzhìzhōu)
  • Yushu (玉树藏族自治州 | Yùshù Zàngzú Zìzhìzhōu)

All of these are in turn divided into four districts, two county-level cities, thirty counties, and seven autonomous counties.

Politics

Secretaries of the CPC Qinghai Committee:　

  1. Zhang Zhongliang (张仲良): 1949-1954
  2. Zhao Shoushan (赵寿山): 1952　
  3. Gao Feng (高峰): 1954-1961　
  4. Wang Zhao (王昭): 1961-1962 　
  5. Yang Zhilin (杨植霖): 1962-1966
  6. Liu Xianquan (刘贤权): 1967-1977 　
  7. Tan Qilong (谭启龙): 1977-1979 　
  8. Liang Buting (梁步庭): 1979-1982 　
  9. Zhao Haifeng (赵海峰): 1982-1985　
  10. Yin Kesheng (尹克升): 1985-1997　
  11. Tian Chengping (田成平): 1997-1999　
  12. Bai Enpei (白恩培): 1999-2001
  13. Su Rong (苏荣): 2001-2003
  14. Zhao Leji (赵乐际): 2003-2007
  15. Qiang Wei (强卫): 2007-incumbent

Governors of Qinghai　

  1. Zhao Shoushan (赵寿山): 1950-1952 　
  2. Zhang Zhongliang (张仲良): 1952-1954 　
  3. Sun Zuobin (孙作宾): 1954-1958　
  4. Sun Junyi (孙君一): 1958
  5. Yuan Renyuan (袁任远): 1958-1962　
  6. Wang Zhao (王昭): 1962-1967　
  7. Liu Xianquan (刘贤权): 1967-1977 　
  8. Tan Qilong (谭启龙): 1977-1979 　
  9. Zhang Guosheng (张国声): 1979-1982　
  10. Huang Jingbo (黄静波): 1982-1985　
  11. Song Ruixiang (宋瑞祥): 1985-1989　
  12. Jin Jipeng (金基鹏): 1989-1992　
  13. Tian Chengping (田成平): 1992-1997
  14. Bai Enpei (白恩培): 1997-1999　
  15. Zhao Leji (赵乐际): 1999-2003
  16. Yang Chuantang (杨传堂): 2003-2004
  17. Song Xiuyan (宋秀岩): 2004-incumbent

Economy

Qinghai's economy is amongst the smallest in all of China. Its nominal GDP for 2006 was just 64.1 billion RMB (8.3 billion USD) and contributes to a little over 0.3% of the entire country's economy. Per capita GDP was 11,753 RMB (1,519 USD).

Its heavy industry includes iron and steel productions, located near its capital city of Xining. Oil and natural gas from the Chaidamu Basin have also been an important contributor to the economy.

Demographics

The population of Qinghai is approximately 5.2 million, among which the Han account for 54.5%. Other groups include the Tibetans 20.87%, Tu, Hui, Salar, and Mongols.

Culture

Qinghai's culture is heavily influenced by China and Tibet, given the close proximities as well as a shared history. Qinghai was also vital to such European eras as the Reformation, and the Renaissance as numerous Chinese inventions like the compass and the printing press all flowed through the Silk Road, which was vital to the economy.

Transportation

The Lanqing Railway, running between Lanzhou, Gansu and Xining, the province's capital, was completed in 1959 and is the major transportation route in and out of the province. A continuation of the line, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway through Golmud, has become one of the most ambitious projects in PRC history. It was completed in October 2005 and now links Tibet with the rest of China through Qinghai.

Six National Highways run through the province. Xining Caojiabu Airport provides service to Beijing, Lanzhou, Golmud and Delingha.

Tourism

Many tourist attractions center on Xining, the provincial seat of Qinghai.

The city itself has such notable stops, including the Great Mosque of Xining (清真大寺, qīngzhēn dà sì) and North Mountain Temple (北山寺, běishān sì).

Outside Xining lie two notable attractions:

  • The Kumbum Monastery (Tibetan: sKu 'bum dKon pa)(塔尔寺, tǎ'ěr sì), one of the most important Yellow Hat Sect monasteries, lies 30 km outside Xining. It also features the Hall of Yak Butter Sculptures.

  • Qinghai Lake (青海湖, qīnghǎi hú) is another tourist attraction, albeit further from Xining than Kumbum. The lake is the largest saltwater lake in China, and is also located on the "Roof of the World," the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. The lake itself lies at 3,600m elevation. The surrounding area is made up of rolling grasslands and populated by ethnic Tibetans. Most pre-arranged tours stop at Bird Island (鸟岛, niǎo dǎo). An international bicycle race takes place annually from Xining to Qinghai Lake.

See also

References

External links



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Last updated on Thursday March 06, 2008 at 18:41:57 PST (GMT -0800)
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