Turpan

Turpan ( in other languages ​​also: Turpan, Uighur تۇرپان شەھىرى / Chinese:吐鲁番 市, pinyin: Tǔlǔfān Shì ) is an oasis town on the northern route of the Silk Road in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the west of the People 's Republic of China. As a county-level city, it is also the capital of the district of Turpan. The city has an area 13,650 km ² ( according to own data: 15,738 km ² ) and approximately 255,000 inhabitants ( end of 2003).

Administrative Divisions

At the community level there is an administrative district in two road districts, two large municipalities and seven churches together. These are:

• Road district Laochenglu老城 路 街道
• Road district Gaochenglu高昌 路 街道

• Greater community Qiquanhu七 泉 湖镇
• Greater community Daheyan大河沿 镇

• Community Yarhu ( Ya'er )亚尔 乡
• Community Aydingkol ( Aidinghu )艾丁 湖乡
• Community Putao葡萄 乡
• Community Qatekale ( Qiatekalei )恰特卡勒 乡
• Community Erbao二 堡乡
• Community Sanbao三 堡乡(see also Astana Tombs )
• Community Shengjin胜 金 乡

Geography

The city of Turpan is located on the northern edge of the Turpan Depression. The valley is at its lowest point, the shore of Lake Aydingkol, at 154.5 m below sea level.

Ethnic structure of the population of the city of Turpan (2000)

At the census in the year 2000 251.652 inhabitants were in the city of Turpan counted ( population density 15.99 inhabitants / km ²).

Climate

Continental climate with very hot summers and cold winters, the annual precipitation is only 16 mm. Often a result of the boiler location to blow very strong winds. Turpan is the hottest place in China, the average temperature on the hottest days, at about 36-39 ° C, the temperatures during the day while about 43 degrees Celsius. At night it is in the summer rarely cooler than 25 ° C.

Economy

The oasis is watered by centuries-old underground channels ( qanats ), cause the melting water from the 70 km distant mountains of Tianshan. Crops are melons, and grapes that are dried into raisins. As the population is predominantly Muslim, the grapes are processed only to a small extent into wine.

Attractions

• Picturesque, shaded by vine trellises ways;
• The Emin Minaret, built in 1776 from unbaked clay.
• In August, the wine grape festival is the focus. Wine and seedless grapes are sold and in the purpose-built drying houses outside Turpans grapes are hung up to dry. After 20 days, about 5 tons of raisins are grown in the dry air of 50 tons of grapes.