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Xining is the provincial political, economic, scientific and cultural center of Qinghai Province. It is situated in the eastern part of Qinghai, lying in the Huangshui Valley at the eastern foot of Riyue Mountain on the Qinghai Plateau. Xining has an area of 3.5 thousand square kilometers and a population fewer than 1 million. Xining is a popular summer resort for Chinese tourists because it is usually quite cool in the summer. Xining has many historical sites, including the Great Mosque and the Ta'er Lamasery . Special locally-made products include blankets and carpets.
Geographical Features
Xining is 2,261 meters above sea level. With its high altitude, low pressure, wide range of temperature, little precipitation and long days, the city belongs to the highland continental climate. In one day, the temperature can vary 15 degrees Celsius. The city lies on a vast silt plain, walled in by undulating mountains and numerous lakes and rivers. Geographically, the area is described as a small inland basin.
History
Xining is an ancient city on the highland. For thousands of years, it has been inhabited by the Han majority and other ethnic groups, including the Tibetans, Huis, Mongolians, Manchus, Tus and Salars. These groups have forged a long history and a brilliant culture. Xining in Chinese means "peace in the western lands." As early as 121 BC, the city was called Xipingting, or "peaceful western pavilion." After that, its name changed several times until 1104 AD (Northern Song dynasty) when it became Xining Administrative Prefecture. In the middle of the 1940s, it became Xining City.
