Changji Prefecture
( 2005-09-13 )

The Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture of Northwest China'sXinjiangUygur Autonomous Region is located on the northern slope of the Tian Mountains and the southern edge of the Junggar Basin. It covers an area of 93,900 square kilometers, with three cities and five counties under its administration.

The autonomous prefecture was founded on July 8, 1954. It contains 36 ethnic groups in the prefecture, such as Hui, Han, Uygur, and Kazak, with a total population of 1,598,200. Changji City, the seat of the prefecture government, is 35 kilometers away from Urumqi based on highway distance and 18 kilometers by airline.

Located in the mesothermal (mid-thermal) zone, it has a continental arid climate.

Changji is alsorich in natural resources. In its territory, there are 1,319 large glaciers, 57 mountainous inland rivers, and a forest area of 3.7 million mu (55.5 million hectares) and an available pastureland area of 86.7 millionmu.

The rare wild animals aresnow leopard,wild horse, wild donkey, and snow cock, while the medicinal plants are safflower, Saussurea involucrate, Fritillaria thunbergli, and wolfberry.;

The mineral resources are coal, petroleum, shale, iron, chromium, copper, zinc, and gold, numbering 37 kinds. The coal reserve is 163 hundred million tons, limestone, 200 hundred million tons, and copper, 1.74 hundred million tons.

The main tourist attractions include theHeavenly LakeScenic Spot, the ruins of the ancient cities of Changji and Beiting, Bogda Mountain, the Jiangjun Gobi Scenic Area, and the mysterious rhythm of the Colorful Bay.