City Introduction of Ningxia, China: Yinchuan

Published: 10 Apr 2009 14:05:59 PST

Major Economic Indicators (2007)

Land Area	9,579 km²
Population	1.5 million
GDP	RMB 40.0 billion (US$5.3 billion), 13.8% up
GDP Composition
Primary Industry (Agriculture)	6.2%
Secondary Industry	48.6%
(Industry and Construction)
Tertiary Industry (Service)	45.2%
GDP Per Capita	RMB 27,280 (US$3626.9), 10.6% up
Unemployment Rate	3.6%
Fixed Asset Investment	RMB 29.3 billion, 25.7% up
Utilized FDI	US$45.4 million, 40.4% up
Total Import and Export	US$1.1 billion, 22.0% up
Export	US$750 million, 23.3% up
Import	US$339 million, 19.1% up
Sales of Consumer Goods	RMB 12.8 billion

Source: Yinchuan Economic and Social Development Report 2007

 

Introduction

 

Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, is the center of Ningxia’s politics, economy and culture.

 

Yinchuan lies in the north of Ningxia, to the west of the Yellow River and to the east of Helan Mountain, and enjoys a temperate continental climate, which is mostly windy and dry.

 

Yinchuan is an important transportation hub in Ningxia. The Yinchuan Hedong Airport connects to over twenty cities by either direct or indirect flights, transferring in Xi'an and Beijing if necessary. The Baotou-Lanzhou railway and Baoji-Zhongwei railway run through the Yinchuan Railway Station. In addition, there are approximately thirty long-distance bus routes travelling to every city or county of Ningxia, as well as to some areas of Inner Mongolia and the Shaanxi Province.

 

As at the end of 2007, there were eleven colleges and universities in Yinchuan, with a total student populace of 505,000 persons. During 2007, there were 114,000 fresh graduates supplying the demand for human resources in the city.

 

Economic Features

Yinchuan is the largest economy of Ningxia, with GDP of RMB 40.0 billion in 2007, up 13.8% year-on-year and accounting for approximately 48.0% of Ningxia's total.

 

There are eight major industries in Yinchuan; namely, petroleum coke processing, chemical products-manufacturing, textiles, rubber products-manufacturing, communication equipment-manufacturing, coal-mining and -processing, pharmaceuticals as well as electrical and heating power-supply. Together, they realized total industrial output of RMB 36.8 billion in 2007, accounting for 71.3% of the city's total.

 

Within the same year, the total foreign-trade amounted to US$1.1 billion, adding 22% year-on-year. Its major export goods are ferrosilicon, magnesium, salt, et cetera, while its key import goods are alumina, wool fiber, et cetera. European Union, Japan, the United States and Hong Kong are four major trade-partners of the city.

 

Cultural Highlights

 

Yinchuan has a history stretching back more than thirteen-hundred years, with a multi-ethnic populace, including those of Han, Hui, Manchu, Mongolian, and Chaoxian backgrounds. Among them, the Hui people account for about 26.3% of the total population; they have maintained the traditional folk customs and lifestyle that are unique from other ethnic groups.

 

Tourist Attractions

 

The most attractive scenic spot in Yinchuan is the Sand Lake Scenic Resort. Another beautiful place is the Helan Mountain Scenic Area, in the north-west of Yinchuan Plains. In addition to the natural scenery, historical sites such as the Western Xia Imperial Tombs, the Jade Emperor Pavilion, the Haibao Pagoda, the Chengtiansi Pagoda and the Nanguan Mosque are also worth visiting.

 

Yinchuan, as a major cultural center for the Hui people in China, offers a variety of unique Muslim foods, as well as traditional Chinese cuisine. The dishes that are largely representative of Yinchuan cuisine are steamed lamb, mutton eaten with hands, shredded cake in mutton and beef soup, as well as spiced crispy chicken.

 

Major Development Zones

 

By the end of 2007, Yinchuan had one state-level development zone, namely Yinchuan Economic and Technological Development Zone.

 

State-level Development Zones in Ningxia

Name	Area (km2)	Pillar Industries	GDP in 2007 (RMB billion)
Yinchuan Economic and Technological Development Zone	32	Machinery- and equipment-manufacturing, new materials, fine chemicals	4.1

Source: Yinchuan Economic and Technological Development Zone

 

Honors

 

National Garden City (2008)

--- Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China

 

National Livable City (2008)

---China City International Association (CCIA）

 

National Water-Saving City (2006)

--- Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China