Qinghai
Qinghai (/tʃɪŋˈhaɪ/ ching-HY; Chinese: 青海, IPA: [tɕʰíŋ.xàɪ] ⓘ; alternately romanized as Tsinghai or Chinghai) is a landlocked province in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest province of China (excluding autonomous regions) by area and has the third smallest population. Its capital and largest city is Xining.
Qinghai
青海 | |
|---|---|
| Province of Qinghai | |
| Name transcription(s) | |
| • Chinese | 青海省 (Qīnghǎi Shěng) |
| • Abbreviation | QH / 青 (pinyin: Qīng) |
Clockwise from the top:
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Map showing the location of Qinghai Province | |
| Coordinates: 35°N 96°E | |
| Country | China |
| Named for | Derived from the name of Qinghai Lake ("blue/green lake"). |
| Capital (and largest city) | Xining |
| Divisions - Prefecture-level - County-level - Township- level | 8 prefectures 44 counties 404 towns and subdistricts |
| Government | |
| • Body | Qinghai Provincial People's Congress |
| • CCP Secretary | Chen Gang |
| • Congress Chairman | Chen Gang |
| • Governor | Wu Xiaojun |
| • Provincial CPPCC Chairman | Gönbo Zhaxi |
| • National People's Congress Representation | 24 deputies |
| Area | |
| • Total | 720,000 km2 (280,000 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 4th |
| Highest elevation | 6,860 m (22,510 ft) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 5,923,957 |
| • Rank | 31st |
| • Density | 8.2/km2 (21/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 30th |
| Demographics | |
| • Ethnic composition | Han – 54% Tibetan – 21% Hui – 16% Tu – 4% Mongol – 1.8% Salar – 1.8% |
| • Languages and dialects | Zhongyuan Mandarin Chinese, Amdo Tibetan, Monguor, Oirat Mongolian, Salar and Western Yugur |
| ISO 3166 code | CN-QH |
| GDP | 2022 |
| – Total | ¥361 billion (30th) $53.7 billion (nominal) |
| – Per capita | ¥60,724 (24th) $9,028 (nominal) |
| – Growth | 2.3% |
| HDI (2021) | 0.695 (28th) – medium |
| Website | www |
| Qinghai | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Qinghai" in Chinese characters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 青海 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Postal | Tsinghai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Qinghai (Lake)" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Tibetan name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tibetan | མཚོ་སྔོན་ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Mongolian name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mongolian Cyrillic | Хөхнуур | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mongolian script | ᠬᠥᠬᠡ ᠨᠠᠭᠤᠷ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Manchu name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manchu script | ᡥᡠᡥᡠ ᠨᠣᠣᡵ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Romanization | Huhu Noor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oirat name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oirat | Kokonur | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Qinghai borders Gansu on the northeast, Xinjiang on the northwest, Sichuan on the southeast and the Tibet Autonomous Region on the southwest. Qinghai province was established in 1928 during the period of the Republic of China, and until 1949 was ruled by Chinese Muslim warlords known as the Ma clique. The Chinese name "Qinghai" is after Qinghai Lake, the largest lake in China. The lake is known as Tso ngon in Tibetan, and as Kokonor Lake in English, derived from the Mongol Oirat name for Qinghai Lake. Both Tso ngon and Kokonor are names found in historic documents to describe the region.
Located mostly on the Tibetan Plateau, the province is inhabited by a number of peoples including the Tibetans, Mongols, Han (concentrated in the provincial capital of Xining and nearby Haidong), Hui, Monguors, and Salars. According to the 2021 census reports, Tibetans constitute a fifth of the population of Qinghai and the Hui compose roughly a sixth of the population. There are over 37 recognized ethnic groups among Qinghai's population of 5.6 million, with national minorities making up a total of 49.5% of the population.
The area of Qinghai came under the control of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty around 1724, after their defeat of Khoshut Mongols who previously controlled most of the area. After the Xinhai Revolution and the ensuing fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912, Qinghai came under Chinese Muslim warlord Ma Qi's control until the Northern Expedition by the Republic of China consolidated central control in 1928. In the same year, the province of Qinghai was established by the Nationalist Government, with Xining as its capital.