Ürümqi

Ürümqi

Ürümqi is the capital and largest city of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwestern China. It is an important place for the people who live there and for visitors. Many people make Ürümqi their home, and it is one of the biggest cities in China's northwest area.

Ürümqi has grown a lot since the 1990s. It is now a busy place where people travel through, and it helps connect different parts of the region. The city is also a center for culture, government, and business, bringing many people together to share ideas and work together.

Etymology

The name "Ürümqi" comes from old words. It may mean "beautiful pasture" in the Oirat language. Another idea is that it started from an old Uyghur word for "white" or "bright," mixed with a Chinese word for a fortified place.

Long ago, during the Qing dynasty, the city was renamed Dihua, meaning "to enlighten and civilize." Later, in 1954, the name "Ürümqi" was brought back because some people thought "Dihua" was not a good name.

History

Early period

Long ago, people called the Jushi lived near where Ürümqi is today, on the slopes of the Tianshan Mountains. They were likely ancestors of the Tocharian peoples.

The oldest known town near Ürümqi was called Urabo. Later, during the Tang dynasty in 648 CE, a town named Luntai was founded here. It was an important place for collecting taxes from travelers on the Silk Road.

Dzungar period

The Dzungar tribes controlled the area before the Manchus took over. They used the land for their animals and as a path between different regions.

Qing rule

In the 1700s, the Qing dynasty took control of Ürümqi. They built forts and cities, naming one "Dihua." People from all over China moved there, including Hui Muslims. By 1762, over 500 shops had opened in the area.

Republican era

After the Qing dynasty fell, different leaders ruled from Ürümqi. There were battles between local forces during this time.

People's Republic era

In 1954, the city's name was changed back to Ürümqi. It became the main political and economic center of Xinjiang in 1962. The government built railways and developed industries, helping the city grow.

In July 2009, there were large riots between different ethnic groups in Ürümqi. Many people were hurt.

Geography

Ürümqi is the largest city in western China. It is very far from the ocean—about 2,500 kilometres away! This makes it the most remote big city from any sea in the world. The city covers a large area and sits at a height of 800 metres above sea level.

Ürümqi is close to important natural places. Experts say a spot in the city's southwestern suburbs is the "center point of Asia." There is a monument there to show this. Even though Ürümqi is surrounded by deserts, small rivers from the snowy Tian Shan mountains bring water to the area. These mountains help keep the city supplied with water.

The city has big temperature differences between summer and winter. Summers can be very warm, while winters get quite cold. The area gets enough rain each year, and the city enjoys a lot of sunshine, especially in the warmer months.

Cityscape

Urumqi is a big city in the far west of China. Because all of China uses the same time zone, the sun rises and sets much later there than in eastern parts of the country.

In winter, Urumqi sometimes has thick haze that can make travel harder. This air pollution comes mostly from factories and old heating systems that burn coal.

Administrative divisions

Ürümqi has 8 smaller parts. These include 7 districts and 1 county.

Demographics

Ürümqi is a city where many different groups of people live together. Long ago, groups like the Manchus, Han Chinese, Hui, Uyghurs, and others all made their homes there. Over time, more people moved to Ürümqi, especially during a big move to bring in more Han Chinese residents.

By the year 2000, Ürümqi had over 2 million people, and by 2010, the number grew to about 3 million. Some of this growth happened because nearby areas were added to the city. By 2021, Ürümqi was home to around 4.5 million people.

Economy

Ürümqi is a big industrial city in Xinjiang. Together with Karamay and Korla, it makes up over half of the region’s industry. The city is a major shopping place where many people buy things.

As of 2025^[update], Ürümqi’s economy was worth CN¥465.8 billion (US$65.2 billion). The city is very important for the China Western Development project. Each year, the Urumqi Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Fair brings together businesses to help grow trade.

The tallest building in Ürümqi and all of Northwestern China and Central Asia is the China CITIC Bank Mansion, which is 229 metres tall. Zhongshan Road is one of China’s most famous shopping streets and sells many electronic items. The city has grown a lot since the 1990s, with new business areas appearing, especially in the north part. The Ürümqi Economic and Technological Development Zone focuses on making new products like steel, machines, and chemicals.

Main sights

• Grand Bazaar, a bazaar on South Jiefang Road.
• Hong Shan (Red Mountain) is the symbol of Ürümqi, located in Hongshan Park.
• People's Park, south of Hongshan Park.
• People's Square
• Nanhu Square (南湖广场)
• Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum (新疆维吾尔自治区博物馆), which was rebuilt in the early 2000s.
• Heavenly Lake Scenic Area, a popular park with beautiful scenery, over two hours outside Ürümqi.
• Shuimogou Hot Springs (水磨沟温泉) is located 5 km northeast of Ürümqi.
• Xinjiang Silk Road Museum (新疆丝绸之路博物馆) is next to the Grand Bazaar at No. 160 Shengli Road.
• Ürümqi City Museum (乌鲁木齐博物馆) is at South Nanhu Road 123.
• Ürümqi Tatar Mosque (乌鲁木齐塔塔尔寺清真寺) is on Jiefang Road. You need permission to visit.
• The monument at the Geographical Center of Asian Continent, in Yongfeng Township, Ürümqi County
• Ürümqi Silk Road Ski Resort (丝绸之路滑雪场) is in Ürümqi County.
• Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Ürümqi: Diocesan Cathedral of the Diocese of Xinjiang

Education and science

Ürümqi is a city that values learning and science. It is one of the top 500 cities in the world for scientific research, according to the Nature Index. The city is home to Xinjiang University, which is the main university in the area and part of important national education projects.

Other universities in Ürümqi include Xinjiang Normal University, Xinjiang Agricultural University, and Xinjiang Medical University.

Universities

• Xinjiang University (新疆大学)
• Xinjiang Normal University (新疆师范大学)
• Xinjiang Agricultural University (新疆农业大学)
• Xinjiang Arts Institute (新疆艺术学院)
• Xinjiang University of Finance and Economics (新疆财经大学)
• Ürümqi Vocational University (乌鲁木齐职业大学)
• Xinjiang Vocational and Technical Institute (新疆交通职业技术学院)
• Xinjiang Medical University (新疆医科大学)

High schools

• Ürümqi No.1 High School
• Bingtuan No.2 Middle School
• Bayi Senior High School of Ürümqi
• No.70 Senior High School of Ürümqi
• No.8 Senior High School of Ürümqi
• No.6 Senior High School of Ürümqi

Research institutes

• Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory
• The Xingjiang Technical Institute of Physics & Chemistry.CAS
• Xingjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography

Transportation

Ürümqi has many ways to get around, including airports, buses, trains, and roads.

The city’s main airport is Ürümqi Tianshan International Airport. It is the biggest airport in the Xinjiang region and connects to many places. There is also a busy bus system called the Ürümqi Bus Rapid Transit that helps people move quickly around the city.

Ürümqi also has a subway system called the Ürümqi Metro that started in 2018. There are plans for more subway lines in the future. The city is an important spot for trains, with two main stations and many rail lines connecting it to other parts of China and beyond.

Some major roads, like China National Highway 216, China National Highway 312, and China National Highway 314, also help people travel to and from Ürümqi.

Media

The Xinjiang Networking Transmission Limited runs two radio stations: the Ürümqi People's Broadcasting Station and the Xinjiang People Broadcasting Station. These stations broadcast in several languages, including Mandarin, Uyghur, Kazakh, Mongolian, Russian, and Kyrgyz.

There is also a major TV station called the Xinjiang Television Station, based in Ürümqi. It serves the whole Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The city also has its own TV station, called Ürümqi Television Station (UTV).

Ürümqi has a multilingual online service platform. It is a mobile app and website that helps people get government services and important updates in different languages. This helps all the different groups of people living in the city stay connected and informed.

Sport

Ürümqi has some exciting sports teams! The Xinjiang Flying Tigers is a basketball team that plays in the Chinese Basketball Association. They are based in Ürümqi. There is also a football team called the Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard F.C. that plays in the China League One.

China began teaching people about bandy in Ürümqi in 2009. In 2015, a special building for speed skating was built indoors for people to enjoy.

Twin towns and sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in China

Ürümqi is twinned with:

^1Almaty is a state-level city of Kazakhstan

Notable people

Ürümqi is home to many well-known people. Some of them are:

• Dilraba Dilmurat
• Gulnazar
• Yu Menglong
• Rushan Abbas
• Hassan Anvar
• Elnigar Iltebir
• Wúmùtí Tǔěrxùn