Dingxi

Dingxi 定西
—  Prefecture-level city  —
定西市
Dingxi night scene
Location of Dingxi Prefecture within Gansu
Dingxi Location of Dingxi Prefecture within Gansu
Coordinates: 35°34′50.25″N 104°37′35″E / 35.580625°N 104.62639°E / 35.580625; 104.62639
Country	China
Province	Gansu
Area
- Total	7,837.9 sq mi (20,300 km2)
Population (2000)
- Total	2,960,000
Time zone	China standard time (UTC+8)

Dingxi (Chinese: 定西; pinyin: Dìngxī) is a prefecture-level city in China's Gansu province.

Geography and climate

Dingxi City is located in central Gansu province, 98 km east of Lanzhou, giving it the nickname the "eastern gateway". The Wei River, a tributary of the Yellow River flows through the district and provides it with the majority of its water. Dingxi is semi-arid, with little precipitation. Even though sunlight here can be intense, temperatures are generally cool. The surrounding terrain is mostly loess hills and ravines in the north and highlands in the south. The area is 20,300 km².

History

Dingxi was important in the development of some of China's earliest cultures, specifically along the Wei River, one of the Yellow River's biggest tributaries. Numerous Neolithic sites from various cultures are found throughout the area.

Administration

Dingxi has 1 urban district, 6 counties, and 119 towns with a total population of 2,960,000.

Map
#	Name	Hanzi	Hanyu Pinyin	Population (2004 est.)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
1	Anding District	安定区	Āndìng Qū	460,000	3,638	126
2	Tongwei County	通渭县	Tōngwèi Xiàn	450,000	2,905	155
3	Lintao County	临洮县	Líntáo Xiàn	530,000	2,851	186
4	Zhang County	漳县	Zhāng Xiàn	190,000	2,164	88
5	Min County	岷县	Mín Xiàn	450,000	3,578	126
6	Weiyuan County	渭源县	Wèiyuán Xiàn	340,000	2,065	165
7	Longxi County	陇西县	Lǒngxī Xiàn	490,000	2,408	203

Transport

• China National Highway 312

Economy

Agriculture and natural resource based industries are the key to Dingxi's economy. There are more than 300 different kinds of Chinese medicinal plants and herbs found in the area. Dingxi's Anding County is China's number one grower of yams. Zanthoxylum (also called Sichuan Pepper or prickly ash fruit), walnuts, wild apricots, and other fruit are some of Dingxi's famous dried exports.

External links

• Dingxi Official Website (Chinese)

Coordinates: 35°34′50.25″N 104°37′34.60″E / 35.580625°N 104.626278°E / 35.580625; 104.626278