Kashgar

Location : located between 73°20' - 70°57' east longitude and 35°20' - 40°18' north latitude, bordering the Taklamakan desert in the east, the Kunlun Range and Ali prefecture of in the south

Physical Features : two river systems of the Yarkant River and the Kashgar River with a total annual runoff of 10.9 to 11.9 billion cubic meters

Population : 200,000

Area : 162.000 sq km

Nationalities: Han, Hui and Uygur

History : a history of more than 2000 years; belonged to the Zhuangpu prefectural General's Office of the HunIn in Han dynasty; there after, submitted to the authorities of the Western Han dynasty after the trading links with Han formed by Zhang Qian - the special envoy to the Western Region sent by Emperor Wudi; one of the four important towns in Anxi during Tang dyansty; later becoming the seat of government of the Kashgar Councillor in Qing dynasty

Climatic Features : mainly a continental climate; varied greatly with topography as plain climate, desert climate and mountain climate; frost-free period of 215 days

Average Temperature : 11.7℃ annually with the lowest of -24.4℃ and the highest of 40.1℃

Rainfall : 27 mm annually