Xinjiang

Prepared by:

Jenny Ann G. Gregana

Sinkiang

is an autonomous region of China in

the northwest of the country. It is the largest

Chinese administrative division, the 8th largest

country subdivision in the world, spanning over

1.6 million km2 and the most populous amongst

the ten largest national subdivisions.

It is also bordered, to the south, by Tibet, easily

its longest border, when including the Eastern

Tibetan disputed territories. It has abundant oil

reserves and is China's largest natural gas-

producing region.

Xinjiang is the largest political subdivision of China—it

accounts for more than one sixth of China's total

territory and a quarter of its boundary length.

Geology

Largest cities and towns of Xinjiang

Most of Xinjiang is young geologically, having been

formed from the collision of the Indian plate with the

Eurasian plate, forming the Tian Shan, Kunlun Shan,

and Pamir mountain ranges. Consequently, Xinjiang is

a major earthquake zone. Older geological formations

occur principally in the far north, where the Junggar

Block is geologically part of Kazakhstan, and in the

east, which is part of the North China Craton.

Rivers and lakes

Due to the hot summer and low precipitation,

most of Xinjiang is endorheic, i.e. its rivers either

disappear in the desert, or terminate in salt lakes

(within Xinjiang itself, or in the neighboring

Kazakhstan), instead of flowing toward an ocean.

The only exception is the northernmost part of the

region, where the Irtysh River, originating in the

Altai Mountains, flows (via Kazakhstan and

Russia) toward the Arctic Ocean. Even then, a

significant part of this river's waters is now

artificially diverted, via the Irtysh–Karamay–

Ürümqi Canal, to the drier areas of southern

Dzungarian Basin.

Time

Officially, Xinjiang is on the same time zone as the rest of

China, Beijing Time (UTC+8). However, being roughly two

time zones west of the capital, some residents, local

organization and local government follow their own

unofficial Xinjiang Time (UTC+6).[298] The division follows

ethnic lines, with Han tending to use Beijing Time and

Uighurs tending to use Xinjiang Time; this is seen as a

form of resistance to the central

government.[299] Regardless of the ethnicity of their

proprietors, most businesses and schools open and close

according to Xinjiang time, i.e. two hours later than their

equivalents in other regions of China.[300]

Climate

Generally, a semi-arid or desert

climate (Köppen BSk or BWk, respectively) prevails in

Xinjiang. The entire region is marked by great

seasonal differences in temperature and cold winters.

During the summer, the Turpan Depression usually

records the hottest temperatures nationwide,[301] with

air temperatures easily exceeding 40 °C (104 °F). In

the far north, and at the highest mountain elevations,

however, winter temperatures regularly drop below

−20 °C (−4 °F).

Economy

Traditionally an agricultural region, Xinjiang also

has large deposits of minerals and oil.

The distribution map of Xinjiang's GDP per

person (2011)

Xinjiang's nominal GDP was approximately 220

billion RMB (US$28 billion) in 2004 and increased

to 657.4 billion RMB (US$104.3 billion) in 2011,

due to exploration of the regions abundant

reserves of coal, crude oil, and natural gas and

the China Western Developmentpolicy introduced

by the State Council to boost economic

development in Western China.

Agriculture and fishing• Xinjiang has long been a major area of irrigated

agriculture. Traditionally, wheat was the main staple crop of the region; maize was grown as well; millet was found in the south, while only a few area (in particular, Aksu) grew rice.[308]

By the late 19th century, cotton became an important crop in several oases, notably Khotan, Yarkand, and Turpan.[308] Sericulture, too, is practiced.[309]

Xinjiang is nationally known for its fruits and produce, including grapes, melons, pears, walnuts. Particularly famous are Hamimelons andTurpan raisins.

Mining

In the late 19th century the region was noted for

producing salt, soda, borax, gold, jade and

coal.[312]

The oil and gas extraction industry

in Aksu and Karamay is booming, with the West–

East Gas Pipeline connecting to Shanghai. The

oil and petrochemical sector account for 60% of

Xinjiang's local economy

Language and demographics The earliest Tarim mummies, dated to 1800 BC, are

of a Caucasoid physical type.[323] East Asian migrants arrived in the eastern portions of the TarimBasin about 3,000 years ago, while the Uighur peoples arrived after the collapse of the Orkon Uighur Kingdom, based in modern-day Mongolia, around the year 842

Muslim Turkic peoples in Xinjiang include Uyghurs, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Tatars and the Kazakhs; Muslim Iranian peoples include Pamiris and the Sarikolis/Wakhis (often conflated as Pamiris); and Muslim Sino-Tibetan peoples such as the Hui. Other PRC ethnic groups in the region include Han,Mongols (Oirats, Dagur, Dongxiang), Russians, Xibes, and Manchus. Around 70,000 Russian immigrants were living in

Religion Xinjiang is home to several distinct ethnic groups of

various religious traditions. A majority of the region's native population adhere to SunniIslam of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence or madhab. A large minority of Shias, almost exclusively of the Ismaili (Seveners) rites are found in the higher mountains of Pamir and Tian Shan. In the western mountains (the Pamirs), almost the entire population of Pamirs, Sarikulis andWakhis are Ismaili Shia. In the north, in the Tian Shan, it is the Kyrgyz and Kazakhs who practice Ismaili Shiism[5]

Afaq Khoja Mausoleum and Id KahMosque in Kashgar are among the most important Islamic sites in Xinjiang. Emin Minaret is a key Islamic site, in Turfan. Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves is a major Buddhist site.