Baicheng County (Chinese: 拜城县) as the official romanized name, also transliterated from Uyghur as Bay County (pronounced like 'bye', ⓘ, Uyghur: باي ناھىيىسى; Chinese: 拜县), is a county in Aksu Prefecture of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China.

History

In 1882, the county was established.

On 6 November 1997, a member of a Xinjiang separatist group, Muhammat Tursun, fatally shot imam Yunus Sidiq Damolla at his mosque in Baicheng County.

According to a report from Radio Free Asia, on February 17, 2015, seventeen Uyghurs (four policemen, nine attackers and four bystanders) were killed after a stabbing incident 150 m (490 ft) from a police station in the county.

On September 18, 2015, a group of terrorists, suspected to be Uyghurs, attacked workers and security guards at the Sogan Colliery in Terek, leaving at up to 50 dead and 50 wounded. A manhunt for the suspects concluded on November 13, with 28 suspects killed and 1 surrendering. In interview with Radio Free Asia, county police officers confirmed that women and children were among those killed in November.

On December 5, 2019 at around 10:46 a.m., a 4.9 magnitude earthquake struck the county (epicenter: 41°44′N 81°39′E/41.73°N 81.65°E/ 41.73; 81.65).

Geography

The county is located in the northern part of the prefecture, occupying the valley of the Muzart River between the southern slopes of the Tengritagh and the Qoltagh (却勒塔格山; Quèlètǎgé Shān).

Climate

Climate data for Baicheng, elevation 1,229 m (4,032 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1991–present)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)5.6 (42.1)16.8 (62.2)25.3 (77.5)33.6 (92.5)34.2 (93.6)36.2 (97.2)39.0 (102.2)37.7 (99.9)34.2 (93.6)28.3 (82.9)19.2 (66.6)7.3 (45.1)39.0 (102.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)−4.3 (24.3)2.7 (36.9)12.9 (55.2)21.3 (70.3)25.8 (78.4)29.1 (84.4)30.8 (87.4)29.9 (85.8)25.4 (77.7)18.1 (64.6)7.5 (45.5)−2.3 (27.9)16.4 (61.5)
Daily mean °C (°F)−11.3 (11.7)−4.5 (23.9)5.4 (41.7)13.4 (56.1)17.8 (64.0)20.7 (69.3)22.1 (71.8)21.1 (70.0)16.5 (61.7)8.6 (47.5)0.1 (32.2)−8.2 (17.2)8.5 (47.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)−16.6 (2.1)−10.3 (13.5)−1.1 (30.0)6.0 (42.8)10.4 (50.7)13.1 (55.6)14.9 (58.8)14.0 (57.2)9.7 (49.5)1.9 (35.4)−4.7 (23.5)−12.2 (10.0)2.1 (35.8)
Record low °C (°F)−28.7 (−19.7)−28.1 (−18.6)−9.6 (14.7)−5.0 (23.0)−0.2 (31.6)4.9 (40.8)8.3 (46.9)7.3 (45.1)0.8 (33.4)−5.7 (21.7)−18.8 (−1.8)−25.0 (−13.0)−28.7 (−19.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)3.3 (0.13)4.9 (0.19)4.8 (0.19)7.5 (0.30)13.4 (0.53)23.9 (0.94)22.1 (0.87)22.5 (0.89)16.7 (0.66)11.1 (0.44)5.0 (0.20)2.5 (0.10)137.7 (5.44)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)5.33.22.53.05.49.110.49.16.82.82.14.063.7
Average snowy days8.95.51.60.2000000.22.58.127
Average relative humidity (%)76715645485660626668768064
Mean monthly sunshine hours184.4200.5240.1258.9294.1295.7308.2291.5266.3254.3200.4161.02,955.4
Percentage possible sunshine62666464656568697376695767
Source: China Meteorological Administration

Administrative divisions

Baicheng County administered 4 towns and 10 townships

NameSimplified ChineseHanyu PinyinUyghur (UEY)Uyghur Latin (ULY)Administrative division codeNotes
Towns
Bai Town拜城镇Bàichéng Zhènباي بازىرىbay baziri652926100
Tirek Town铁热克镇Tiěrèkè Zhènتېرەك بازىرىtërek baziri652926101
Qarqi Town (Yaqeriq)察尔齐镇Chá'ěrqí Zhènياقىئېرىق بازىرىyaqi'ëriq baziri652926102
Sayram Town赛里木镇Sàilǐmù Zhènسايرام بازىرىsayram baziri652926103birthplace of the historian Musa Sayrami
Townships
Qeyir Township黑英山乡Hēiyīngshān Xiāngقېيىر يېزىسىqëyir yëzisi652926200
Kizil Township克孜尔乡Kèzī'ěr Xiāngقىزىل يېزىسىqizil yëzisi652926201site of a number of Buddhist grotto sites, including Kizil Caves
Toqsun Township托克逊乡Tuōkèxùn Xiāngتوقسۇن يېزىسىtoqsun yëzisi652926203
Yatur Township亚吐尔乡Yàtǔ'ěr Xiāngياتۇر يېزىسىyatur yëzisi652926204
Kanchi Township康其乡Kāngqí Xiāngكانچى يېزىسىkanchi yëzisi652926205
Bulung Township布隆乡Bùlóng Xiāngبۇلۇڭ يېزىسىbulung yëzisi652926206
Miqigh Township米吉克乡Mǐjíkè Xiāngمىچىغ يېزىسىmichigh yëzisi652926207
Onbash Township温巴什乡Wēnbāshí Xiāngئومباش يېزىسىOmbash yëzisi652926208
Chong Kowruk Township大桥乡Dàqiáo Xiāngچوڭ كۆۋرۈك يېزىسىchong köwrük yëzisi652926209
Qarabagh Township老虎台乡Láohǔtái Xiāngقاراباغ يېزىسىqarabagh yëzisi652926210

Economy

The county's economy is based on agriculture and produces rapeseed in abundance. Animal husbandry is also common. Mineral resources are rich. Industries include coal, iron, electronics, fertilizer, tractors, vegetable oil extraction, etc. The Tianshan Mountains have lush spruce forests.

As of 1885[update], there was about 67,500 acres (445,577 mu) of cultivated land in Bay.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2000203,665
2010229,252+1.19%

As of 2015, 212,272 of the 241,079 residents of the county were Uyghur, 26,559 were Han Chinese and 2,248 were from other ethnic groups.

According to the 2002 census, it has a population of 200,000.[citation needed]

As of 1999, 87.03% of the population of the county were Uyghur and 12.08% of the population was Han Chinese.

Transportation

Historical maps

Historical English-language maps including the county:

  • Map including the county (labeled as PAI-CH'ENG (BAI)) and surrounding region from the International Map of the World (AMS, 1950)
  • Map including the county (labeled as BAICHENG) (DMA, 1981)
  • From the Operational Navigation Chart; map including the county (labeled as Pai-ch'eng (Bay)) (DMA, 1985)

Notes

External links