Zhongwei (simplified Chinese: 中卫; traditional Chinese: 中衛; pinyin: Zhōngwèi; Wade–Giles: Chung-wei; lit. 'middle guard', Xiao'erjing: جْووِ شِ) is a prefecture-level city of Ningxia, People's Republic of China. It has an area of 16,986.1 km2 (6,558.4 sq mi) and a population of 1,174,600 in 2019.[4][5] The city is known for its wolfberry and Gobi watermelon cultivation.[2] One of the world's largest photovoltaic power station, Tengger Desert Solar Park, is located in Zhongwei.[6]
Zhongwei
中卫市 · جْووِ شِ | |
|---|---|
 Wolfberry fields in Zhongning County, Zhongwei City | |
 Zhongwei in Ningxia | |
  Zhongwei Location of the city centre in Ningxia | |
| Coordinates (Zhongwei municipal government): 37°30′01″N 105°11′48″E / 37.5002°N 105.1968°E | |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Autonomous region | Ningxia |
| Municipal seat | Shapotou |
| Area | |
| 16,986.1 km2 (6,558.4 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,225 m (4,019 ft) |
| Population (2019)[2] | |
| 1,174,600 | |
| • Density | 69/km2 (180/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 526,500 |
| GDP[3] | |
| • Prefecture-level city | CN¥ 31.7 billion US$ 5.1 billion |
| • Per capita | CN¥ 27,857 US$ 4,473 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (China Standard) |
| Postal code | 755000 |
| Area code | 0955 |
| ISO 3166 code | CN-NX-05 |
| Website | www |
History
editUnder general Meng Tian, the Qin captured the area of Zhongwei and established the Beidi Commandery. In 205 BC a city built at the current location of Zhongwei urban area, which would grow as irrigation systems were built to allow farming.[7]
In 1226 Genghis Khan captured Zhongwei; and in 1403 the city was named Zhongwei, part of Shaanxi.[7]
In 1920 Zhongwei was struck by the Haiyuan earthquake; and in 1926 the highway from Lanzhou to Zhongwei opened.[7]
Tourism
editZhongwei's main attraction is Gao Miao, a temple that has hosted Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist ceremonies. A bomb shelter was also built beneath the temple during the Cultural Revolution. It has since been converted into a rendition of a Buddhist hell.[8] The prefecture is also the location of the beginning of the northern bend in the Yellow River that produces the Ordos Loop. A drum tower is located in the city center.[9]
Administrative divisions
edit| Map | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Xiao'erjing | Population (2019)[2] |
Area (km2) | Density (/km2) | |
| Shapotou District | 沙坡头区 | Shāpōtóu Qū | شَاپُوَتِوْ ٿِيُوِ | 414,200 | 4,633 | 89 | |
| Zhongning County | 中宁县 | Zhōngníng Xiàn | جْونِئٍ ثِيًا | 351,700 | 2,841 | 124 | |
| Haiyuan County | 海原县 | Hǎiyuán Xiàn | خَيْيُوًا ثِيًا | 403,900 | 6,979 | 58 | |
Geography
editZhongwei is located on the northern banks of the Yellow River and bordered directly by the Tengger Desert in the north.[9] The city has been battling desertification since the 1950s.[10] Using straw checkerboard patterns the advance of sand dunes is stopped.[11][12]
Climate
edit| Climate data for Zhongwei, elevation 1,227 m (4,026 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.0 (57.2) |
22.5 (72.5) |
28.2 (82.8) |
33.6 (92.5) |
36.0 (96.8) |
35.4 (95.7) |
37.6 (99.7) |
36.3 (97.3) |
35.7 (96.3) |
29.6 (85.3) |
22.7 (72.9) |
15.2 (59.4) |
37.6 (99.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 1.1 (34.0) |
6.4 (43.5) |
13.4 (56.1) |
20.5 (68.9) |
24.8 (76.6) |
28.4 (83.1) |
29.9 (85.8) |
28.2 (82.8) |
23.8 (74.8) |
18.0 (64.4) |
9.8 (49.6) |
2.7 (36.9) |
17.3 (63.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −7.0 (19.4) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
5.1 (41.2) |
12.5 (54.5) |
17.5 (63.5) |
21.6 (70.9) |
23.3 (73.9) |
21.5 (70.7) |
16.4 (61.5) |
9.7 (49.5) |
2.2 (36.0) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
9.7 (49.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −13.1 (8.4) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
5.0 (41.0) |
10.2 (50.4) |
14.8 (58.6) |
17.1 (62.8) |
15.7 (60.3) |
10.6 (51.1) |
3.4 (38.1) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−10.2 (13.6) |
3.4 (38.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −29.1 (−20.4) |
−27.1 (−16.8) |
−18.5 (−1.3) |
−8.7 (16.3) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
5.4 (41.7) |
8.1 (46.6) |
7.1 (44.8) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−11.4 (11.5) |
−15.3 (4.5) |
−28.8 (−19.8) |
−29.1 (−20.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 1.9 (0.07) |
1.1 (0.04) |
4.2 (0.17) |
8.9 (0.35) |
17.9 (0.70) |
27.0 (1.06) |
40.5 (1.59) |
43.5 (1.71) |
29.2 (1.15) |
13.2 (0.52) |
2.5 (0.10) |
0.6 (0.02) |
190.5 (7.48) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 1.9 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 4.9 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 7.6 | 7.2 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 47.9 |
| Average snowy days | 2.9 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 11.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 52 | 46 | 42 | 39 | 46 | 54 | 62 | 67 | 68 | 60 | 59 | 55 | 54 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 210.7 | 214.2 | 248.0 | 265.8 | 295.5 | 294.5 | 286.4 | 267.5 | 223.9 | 237.8 | 219.9 | 214.4 | 2,978.6 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 68 | 69 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 64 | 64 | 61 | 69 | 73 | 72 | 67 |
| Source: China Meteorological Administration[13][14] | |||||||||||||
Transportation
edit- Zhongwei Shapotou Airport
- Baotou–Lanzhou railway
- Baoji–Zhongwei railway, to points south (connections to Xi'an, Chengdu)
- Taiyuan-Zhongwei-Yinchuan railway, to the east (connection to Beijing)
- Gantang–Wuwei railway, to western Gansu and westward
- Zhongwei–Lanzhou high-speed railway
- G70 Fuzhou–Yinchuan Expressway
- G2012 Dingbian–Wuwei Expressway
- China National Highway 109
Gallery
edit-
Desert Lake
-
Desert Lake
-
Desert Lake
-
Shapotou scenic area
-
Camels in Shapotou
-
Zhongwei cultural centre
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "中卫概况".
- ^ a b c d China Today. China Welfare Institute. 2008.
- ^ 宁夏统计年鉴2016
- ^ (in Chinese) Profile of Zhongwei, visited on May 31, 2008.
- ^ "2019年中卫市人口发展情况简析". www.nxzw.gov.cn. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
- ^ "10 really cool Solar Power installations in (and above) the world". 29 January 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
- ^ a b c "历史沿革". www.nxzw.gov.cn. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
- ^ Harper, Damian; Fallon, Steve; Gaskell, Katja; Grundvig, Julie; Heller, Carolyn; Huhta, Thomas; Mayhew, Bradley (2005). China (9th ed.). Lonely Planet. p. 980. ISBN 978-1-74059-687-9. OCLC 61143558.
- ^ a b Guides, Rough (2017-06-01). The Rough Guide to China (Travel Guide eBook). Rough Guides UK. ISBN 978-0-241-31490-6.
- ^ "Curbing Desertification in China". World Bank. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
- ^ Heshmati, G. Ali; Squires, Victor R. (2013-07-01). Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East: Proven practices. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-94-007-6652-5.
- ^ National Geographic. National Geographic Society. 1980.
- ^ 中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ 中国气象数据网 (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 26 August 2023.