Ürümqi

Ürümqi (literally "beautiful pasture", from the Dzungar Oirat language) is the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China in Northwest China. Ürümqi was a major hub on the Silk Road during China's Tang dynasty, and developed its reputation as a leading cultural and commercial center during the Qing dynasty.

With a built-up (or metro) population of 2,988,715 as of 2010 census (6 urban and suburban districts but Dabancheng not yet urbanized) and 3.03 million in 7 urban and suburban districts, Ürümqi is the largest city in China's western interior. Since the 1990s Ürümqi has developed economically and serves as a regional transport node, cultural, and commercial centre.

History

Although Ürümqi is situated near the northern route of the Silk Road, it is a relatively young city. It was not called Urumqi until the time of the Dzungar Khanate. According to Chinese scholars, during the 22nd year of Emperor Taizong's reign in the Tang dynasty, AD 648, the Tang government set up the town of Luntai in the ancient town seat of Urabo,10 kilometres (6 miles) from the southern suburb of present-day Ürümqi in the Tang dynasty's Protectorate General to Pacify the West which controlled Xinjiang. Ancient Luntai Town was a seat of local government, and collected taxes from the caravans along the northern route of the Silk Road.