Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture
The Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture (Chinese大理 白族 自治州, Pinyin Dàlǐ Baizu zìzhìzhōu; Bai: Darl • lit Baif • cuf zirl • zirl • zox ) is located in west-central Chinese province of Yunnan. It has an area of 29,459 km ² and approximately 3.37 million inhabitants ( end of 2003). The Autonomous District is the main settlement area of the Bai people. Many Bai are traditionally fishermen and thus suffer under the water by the local mining and industry.
Administrative Divisions
At county level, Dali sets of eight circles, three autonomous counties and one independent city together. These are:
- City of Dali (大理 市) is 1468 km ², 603 500 inhabitants, capital of the Autonomous District, the seat of county government;
- District Xiangyun (祥云县), 2498 km ², 450,000 inhabitants, capital: greater community Xiangcheng (祥 城镇);
- Circle Binchuan (宾川 县), 2627 km ², 330,000 inhabitants, capital: greater community Qingyang (金牛 镇);
- Circle Midu (弥渡 县), 1571 km ², 310,000 inhabitants, capital: greater community Micheng (弥 城镇);
- Circle Yongping (永平 县), 2884 km ², 170,000 inhabitants, capital: greater community Bonan (博南 镇);
- District Yunlong (云龙 县), 4712 km ², 200,000 inhabitants, capital: greater community Nuodeng (诺 邓 镇);
- Circle Eryuan (洱源 县), 2961 km ², 330,000 inhabitants, capital: greater community Zibihu (茈 碧湖 镇);
- Circle Jianchuan (剑川 县), 2318 km ², 170,000 inhabitants, capital: greater community Jinhua (金华 镇);
- Circle Heqing (鹤庆 县), 2395 km ², 260,000 inhabitants, capital: greater community Yunhe (云鹤 镇);
- Autonomous County of Yi Yangbi (漾 濞 彝族 自治县), 1957 km ², 100,000 inhabitants, capital: greater community Cangshanxi (苍 山西 镇);
- Autonomous County of Yi Nanjian (南涧 彝族 自治县), 1802 km ², population 210,000, capital: greater community Nanjian (南涧 镇);
- Weishan Yi Autonomous County of Hui and (巍山 彝族 回族 自治县), 2266 km ², 300,000 inhabitants, capital: greater community of Nanzhao (南诏 镇).
Ethnic structure of the population Dali (2000)
At the census in 2000 Dali had 3,296,552 inhabitants.