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Muslim cities: Urumchi

Urumchi is an ancient city located in Sinkiang-Xingjiang-Province of China.Urumchi is also spelt as Urumqi.It is not as popular as some other Muslim cities such as Jakkarta( Indonesia);Kwalalampoor( Malayasia);Jeddah( Saudi Arabia) etc. Nevertheless it is a very ancient city and came under Chinese dynastic rule somewhere in the eighth or ninth century.

East Turkistan borders Kazakhstan,Afganistan etc on the wesern boders,Russia and Mongolia on the east,Tibet to the south and India-pakistan to the southwest.

The literal meaning of the word Urumchi is "A beautiful Pasture land " in the ancient Mongolian language.About 2000 years ago it was an important town on the new northern route of the Silk Route, which made salient contributions in promoting Sino-foreign trade,economic & cultural exchanges.

Urumqi is the capital of the Sinkiang(Xinjiang) Autonomous Region, China's most western province. It has been also reported as the most "inland" city in the world - the most distant from any major body of water - Urumqi is about 3,300 km( 2080 miles) from the Chinese capital city of Beijing.With a population of about one million,consisting of several ethnic groups and thousands of Chinese Muslims,the city lies as a beautiful green-coated oasis amidst Xinjiang's barren and uninhabited deserts,sandy highlands, and snowcapped peaks of the Heavenly Mountains.

Although extremely cold and forbidding in winter, Urumqi's climate is pleasant during the summer, with warm days and cool evenings. An elaborately planned and executed series of tree belts planted around the capital has helped to reduce wind, dust, and cold, a kind of green house effect.

Urumqi is an ancient city where today several thousand Muslims and various other multiethnic groups of people live in a compact scenario of mixed communities.

The city's uniqueness,by way of geo-political and socio-economic characteristics, the strong colorful mult-ethnic life styles and local customs are quite attractive to foreign toursits and visitors.

In this city that is distinct by itself,one can see and feel a strong sense of ethnicity due its various dimensions and levels; from architectural styles to age-old family quadrangles, from domesic furniture to house-hold utensils, from food to clothing, from behaviour patterns of the modern young to age-old customs of the elderly, from wedding customs to funeral processions and rites, at each and every occasion.

































Although extremely cold and forbidding in winter, Urumqi's climate is pleasant during the summer, with warm days and cool evenings. An elaborately planned and executed series of tree belts planted around the capital has helped to reduce wind, dust, and cold, a kind of green house effect.

"Urumqi has one county and seven districts under its jurisdiction. Such as Urumqi county, Tianshan District, Sharyibark District, Toutunhe District, Shuimogou District, Xinshi District, Dongshan District, Nanshan Mine District".

The city is also famous for its exports which include iron steel.It is an area that has petroleum producing oil wells.Coal mining is another important facet of Urumchi.

Historically and as per the persoective of some western historians,Urumchi has been consuidered as basically a Muslim city; even though now a days there are sveral ethnic groups and various Chinese trabal communities are now its inhabitants.

Several American tourists visit Urumchi every year.

Learn more about this author, Madhusoodanan.K.P..
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