Baotou
Encyclopedia
Baotou is a mid-sized industrial city in the Inner Mongolia
Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China
. Governed as a prefecture-level city
, its urban areas are home to a population of approximately 1.78 million, with a total population of over 2.65 million accounting for counties under its jurisdiction. The city's Mongolian name means "place with deer
", and an alternate name in Chinese is "Lùchéng" (鹿城), meaning "Deer City".
, a particularly noteworthy warrior, was born here. Compared to the capital, Hohhot
, Baotou's construction as a city came relatively late, being incorporated as a town in 1809. The city's site was chosen because it was in an arable region of the Yellow River
's Great Bend.
A railway from Beijing was constructed in 1931, and the city began spurring some industrial sites. A German-Chinese joint-venture in 1934 constructed the Baotou Airport
and opened a weekly route connecting Baotou with Ningxia
and Lanzhou
.
When young Owen Lattimore
visited Baotou in 1925, it was still "a little husk of a town in a great hollow shell of mud ramparts, where two busy streets made a traders' quarter", but already already an important railhead. Qinghai
and Gansu
wool and hides were brought down the Huanghe by raft and boat from Lanzhou
to Baotou, and shipped from Baotou by rail to the east (in particular, to Tianjin
for export). The river traffic was one-way only, however, as the fast current made sailing up the Huanghe impractical. To travel from Baotou back to Lanzhou or Yinchuan, one would use a cart and camel road. There were also caravan roads from Baotou to Ordos
and the Alxa League
.
On September 19, 1949, after the September 19 Rebellion, Baotou fell under Communist control. The People's Government was formed in February 1950. In the early Communist years Baotou served as an industrial centre, with a significant portion of its economy coming from its steel production, and it continues this reputation until this day.
and the Upper Yellow River Natural Resources Enrichment Zone (黄河上游资源富集区). Its administrative area borders Mongolia to the north, while the Yellow River, which flows for 214 kilometres (133 mi) in the prefecture, is south of the urban area itself. The Tumochuan Plateau (土默川平原), Hetao Plateau, and Yin Mountains
cross the urban area and central part of the prefecture. Baotou City ranges in latitude from 41° 20' to 42° 40' N and in longitude from 109° 50' to 111° 25' E.
Baotou features a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen
BSk), marked by long, cold and very dry winters, hot, somewhat humid summers, and strong winds, especially in spring. Temperatures often fall below −15 °C in winter and rise above 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. The annual precipitation is approximately 300 millimetres (11.8 in), with more than half of it falling in July and August alone. Due to the aridity and elevation, temperature differences between day and night can be large, especially in spring. In 2002, there were 12 instances of dust storm
s.
The mines in Bayan Obo
are the greatest source of rare earth metals globally. In 2005, they accounted for 45% of the total production on earth.
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Governed as a prefecture-level city
Prefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
, its urban areas are home to a population of approximately 1.78 million, with a total population of over 2.65 million accounting for counties under its jurisdiction. The city's Mongolian name means "place with deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
", and an alternate name in Chinese is "Lùchéng" (鹿城), meaning "Deer City".
Administrative divisions
Baotou is divided into 10 county-level divisions, including 7 districts,1 county and 2 banners.| Map | # | Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Population (2004 est.) | Area (km²) | Density (/km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kundulun District Kundulun District Kundulun District is a district of Baotou, the largest city of Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.-References:*... |
昆都仑区 | Kūndūlún Qū | 440,000 | 119 | 3,697 | |
| 2 | Donghe District Donghe District Donghe District is a district of Baotou, the largest city of Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.-References:*... |
东河区 | Dōnghé Qū | 380,000 | 85 | 4,471 | |
| 3 | Qingshan District Qingshan District, Baotou Qingshan District is a district of Inner Mongolia, China. It is under the administration of Baotou city.-References:*... |
青山区 | Qīngshān Qū | 310,000 | 67 | 4,627 | |
| 4 | Shiguai District Shiguai District Shiguai District is an outlying district of Baotou, the largest city of Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.-References:*... |
石拐区 | Shíguǎi Qū | 60,000 | 619 | 97 | |
| 5 | Bayan Obo Mining District Bayan Obo Mining District Bayan Obo Mining District, , or Baiyun-Obo or Baiyun'ebo, is a mining town in the west of Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of Baotou City, more than to the south.... |
白云鄂博矿区 | Báiyún Èbó Kuàngqū | 20,000 | 303 | 66 | |
| 6 | Jiuyuan District Jiuyuan District Jiuyuan District is a district of Baotou, the largest city of Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.-References:*... |
九原区 | Jiǔyuán Qū | 180,000 | 1,688 | 107 | |
| 7 | Binhe New District | 滨河新区 | Bīnhé Xīn Qū | 40,000 | 88 | 455 | |
| 8 | Guyang County Guyang County Guyang County is a county in western Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of Baotou City, to the south-southwest.-References:*... |
固阳县 | Gùyáng Xiàn | 210,000 | 5,021 | 42 | |
| 9 | Tumed Right Banner Tumed Right Banner Tumed Right Banner is a banner of western Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of Baotou City, to the west, and is located along on the Jingzang Expressway, running from Beijing to Tibet.-References:*... |
土默特右旗 | Tǔmòtè Yòu Qí | 350,000 | 2,368 | 148 | |
| 10 | Darhan Muminggan United Banner Darhan Muminggan United Banner Darhan Muminggan United Banner is a banner of west-central Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of Baotou City, to the south-southwest.-References:*... |
达尔罕茂明安 联合旗 |
Dá'ěrhǎn Màomíng'ān Liánhé Qí |
110,000 | 17,410 | 6 |
History
The area now known as Baotou was inhabited since ancient times by nomads, most notably the Mongols. Near the end of the Han Dynasty, Lü BuLü Bu
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
, a particularly noteworthy warrior, was born here. Compared to the capital, Hohhot
Hohhot
Hohhot , is a city in north-central China and the capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, serving as the region's administrative, economic, and cultural centre....
, Baotou's construction as a city came relatively late, being incorporated as a town in 1809. The city's site was chosen because it was in an arable region of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
's Great Bend.
A railway from Beijing was constructed in 1931, and the city began spurring some industrial sites. A German-Chinese joint-venture in 1934 constructed the Baotou Airport
Baotou Airport
Baotou Airport is an airport in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China . Baotou Airport was founded preliminarily in 1934 and opened in 1956. The airport is 14 miles from downtown areas and taxi or bus is available....
and opened a weekly route connecting Baotou with Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
and Lanzhou
Lanzhou
Lanzhou is the capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. A prefecture-level city, it is a key regional transportation hub, allowing areas further west to maintain railroad connections to the eastern half of the country....
.
When young Owen Lattimore
Owen Lattimore
Owen Lattimore was an American author, educator, and influential scholar of Central Asia, especially Mongolia. In the 1930s he was editor of Pacific Affairs, a journal published by the Institute of Pacific Relations, and then taught at Johns Hopkins University from 1938 to 1963...
visited Baotou in 1925, it was still "a little husk of a town in a great hollow shell of mud ramparts, where two busy streets made a traders' quarter", but already already an important railhead. Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
and Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
wool and hides were brought down the Huanghe by raft and boat from Lanzhou
Lanzhou
Lanzhou is the capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. A prefecture-level city, it is a key regional transportation hub, allowing areas further west to maintain railroad connections to the eastern half of the country....
to Baotou, and shipped from Baotou by rail to the east (in particular, to Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
for export). The river traffic was one-way only, however, as the fast current made sailing up the Huanghe impractical. To travel from Baotou back to Lanzhou or Yinchuan, one would use a cart and camel road. There were also caravan roads from Baotou to Ordos
Ordos
-Places:*Ordos Loop of the Yellow River, a region of China*Ordos Desert, in Inner Mongolia*Ordos City, city and district in Inner Mongolia*Ordos International Circuit, a race track in Ordos City.-People:...
and the Alxa League
Alxa League
Alxa League is one of 12 prefecture level divisions and three extant leagues of Inner Mongolia. The league borders Mongolia to the north, Bayan Nur to the northeast, Wuhai and Ordos to the east, Ningxia to the southeast, and Gansu to the south and west. The capital is Bayan Hot in the aimag's...
.
On September 19, 1949, after the September 19 Rebellion, Baotou fell under Communist control. The People's Government was formed in February 1950. In the early Communist years Baotou served as an industrial centre, with a significant portion of its economy coming from its steel production, and it continues this reputation until this day.
Geography and climate
Baotou is located in the west of Inner Mongolia, located at the junction of two economic zones: the Bohai Economic RimBohai Economic Rim
The Bohai Economic Rim or BER or Bohai Bay Economic Rim is a term used to describe the economic hinterland surrounding Beijing and Tianjin. It also includes areas in Hebei, Liaoning and Shandong which surrounds the Bohai Sea. This region has gone through major changes in economic and infrastructures...
and the Upper Yellow River Natural Resources Enrichment Zone (黄河上游资源富集区). Its administrative area borders Mongolia to the north, while the Yellow River, which flows for 214 kilometres (133 mi) in the prefecture, is south of the urban area itself. The Tumochuan Plateau (土默川平原), Hetao Plateau, and Yin Mountains
Yin Mountains
The Yin Mountains are mountains in the steppe forming the southern border of the eastern Gobi Desert of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, as well as the northern part of Hebei province....
cross the urban area and central part of the prefecture. Baotou City ranges in latitude from 41° 20' to 42° 40' N and in longitude from 109° 50' to 111° 25' E.
Baotou features a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk), marked by long, cold and very dry winters, hot, somewhat humid summers, and strong winds, especially in spring. Temperatures often fall below −15 °C in winter and rise above 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. The annual precipitation is approximately 300 millimetres (11.8 in), with more than half of it falling in July and August alone. Due to the aridity and elevation, temperature differences between day and night can be large, especially in spring. In 2002, there were 12 instances of dust storm
Dust storm
A dust / sand storm is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Particles are transported by saltation and suspension, causing soil to move from one place and deposition...
s.
Economy
Industrial zones:- Baotou Xingsheng Economic & Technological Development Zone
The mines in Bayan Obo
Bayan Obo
Bayan Obo Mining District, , or Baiyun-Obo or Baiyun'ebo, is a mining town in the west of Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of Baotou City, more than to the south....
are the greatest source of rare earth metals globally. In 2005, they accounted for 45% of the total production on earth.
Demographics
Ethnic groups in Baotou, 2000 census.| Ethnicity | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Han Chinese Han Chinese Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the... |
2.122.737 | 94.16% |
| Mongol | 67.209 | 2.98% |
| Hui Chinese | 36.234 | 1.61% |
| Manchu Manchu The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which... |
22.826 | 1.01% |
| Korean | 848 | 0.04% |
Transportation
- Baotou is a terminus for both the Baolan Railway and the Jingbao RailwayJingbao railwayThe Beijing-Baotou Railway or Jingbao Railway is a 833 km railway from Beijing to Baotou, Inner Mongolia in China. It is a very important route in northwestern China....
, heading for LanzhouLanzhouLanzhou is the capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. A prefecture-level city, it is a key regional transportation hub, allowing areas further west to maintain railroad connections to the eastern half of the country....
in the west and BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
in the east, respectively. The city is served by two main railway stations, Baotou East Railway Station, and Baotou Railway Station. - Baotou AirportBaotou AirportBaotou Airport is an airport in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China . Baotou Airport was founded preliminarily in 1934 and opened in 1956. The airport is 14 miles from downtown areas and taxi or bus is available....
serves the city with regular service to BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and TaiyuanTaiyuanTaiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
. - The city is connected by the Hubao Expressway to Inner Mongolia's capital, Hohhot.
- China National Highway 210China National Highway 210China National Highway 210 runs from Baotou, Inner Mongolia to Nanning, Guangxi Province. It is 3,097 kilometres in length and runs south from Baotou towards Shaanxi Province, Sichuan Province, Chongqing, Guizhou Province, and ends in Guangxi Province.- Route and distance:-References:*...