Xīnjiāngpop 22.9 MILLION

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XīnjiāngPOP 22.9 MILLION

Includes  Why Go? Ürümqi ...... 802 China’s largest province, Xīnjiāng (新疆) is the homeland Turpan ...... 808 of the Muslim Uighurs and a fast-changing region where Hāmì ...... 811 ancient and modern grind up against each other in sur- prising ways. High-speed railways crothere ss the Martian Kuqa ...... 812 landscapes linking cities in hours rather than days, and the Kashgar ...... 814 regional capital Ürümqi is a forest of high-rise apartments Karakoram and glass skyscrapers; while in parts of the Silk Road oa- Highway ...... 819 ses of Kashgar, Hotan and Turpan, life goes as it has for Yengisar ...... 823 centuries, based around the mosque, the tea house and the Hotan ...... 824 bazaar. Despite the enormous military and police presence here Yarkand ...... 827 due to several years of ethnic unrest, Xīnjiāng is increas- Karghilik ...... 827 ingly attracting visitors for its extraordinary natural beauty Yīníng ...... 830 and fascinating Central Asian history and culture. In short, a visit to Chinese Turkestan makes for an exploration of China’s past and its unsettled multicultural present, or sim- Best Places to Eat ply a journey into some of the most sublime landscapes on earth. ¨¨Altun Orda (p817) ¨¨Ōu’ěr Dáxīkè Night Market (p817) When to Go Ürümqi ¨¨Miss Chen’s Pizza House °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm (p811) 40/104 12/300 30/86 ¨¨Marco’s Dream Cafe (p826) 20/68 ¨¨Rendezvous (p805) 10/50 8/200 0/32 -10/14 4/100 -20/-4 Best Places to -30/-22 -40/-40 0 Sleep J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨¨Dap Hostel (p808) ¨¨Zabay Guest House (p812) Mar Nauryz (New May Sunny days Sep Sublime Year) festivals are and cool breezes autumnal colours ¨¨Doppa Youth Hostel (p831) held in Kazakh and make this one of at Kanas Lake and ¨¨Turpan Silk Road Lodge Kyrgyz villages. the best times to Hémù. (p808) visit Xīnjiāng. ¨¨K2 Youth Hostel (p822)

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Karghilik (Yèchéng) 219 T Yarkand (Shƒch‰ ) Lake Yengisar Balkash Kashgar (Kƒshí) and may not be correct. and may not be correct. Davakul Lake ) Travelling one of the one of Travelling ) 0 0 Line of Actual Control Khunjerab Pass (4800m) Highway Karakoram (p808) Exploring Turpan The external boundaries of India on The external boundaries of India on this map have not been authenticated this map have not been authenticated KYRGYZSTAN Pass Karakoram Highway KAZAKHSTAN K2 ancient ruins, mountain ancient ruins, and Buddhist landscapes 2 1 Xīnjiāng Highlights world’s most extraordinary extraordinary most world’s journeys. road (p819 INDIA Torugart Lake Tashkurgan (8611m) Karakul Irkeshtam Pass (60km) Sost; Gilgit nese imperial rule waxed and waned over and waned rule waxed nese imperial after shrinking centuries, the collapsethe and reassertingthe itself during of the Han panding Han dynasty had pushed its borders pushed its had dynasty Han panding gar Military Xīnjiāng. now is what into west protectedrisons routes, trade the fledgling returnin empire the of out flowed silk as for to fight horses needed the strong Ferghana nomadic incursions from the north. Chi History 2nd end of the By the centuryex BC, the

HISTORY

Xīnjiāng 800