Lanzhou

Lánzhōu (Cheenese: 兰州; Postal cairt spellin: Lanchow) is the caipital an lairgest ceety o Gansu Province in Northwast Cheenae. A prefectur-level ceety, it is a key regional transportation hub, allouin auries further wast tae maintain railwey connections tae the eastren hauf o the kintra. Lanzhou is hame tae 3,616,163 indwallers at the 2010 census an 2,177,130 in the biggit-up aurie (urban) o 1,088 square kilometre (420 sq mi). History Oreeginally in the territory o the Wastren Qiang fowks, Lanzhou became pairt o the territory o the State o Qin in the 6t century BC. In 81 BC, unner the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), it wis taken frae the Huns' Huandi Chanyu an made the seat o Jincheng commandery (jùn), an later o the Jincheng coonty (xiàn), later renamit Yunwu. The ceety uised tae be cried the Gowden ceety, an syne at least the first millennium BC it wis a major link on the auncient Northren Silk Road, an a important historic Yellae River crossin steid an aw. Tae pertect the ceety, the Great Waw o Cheenae wis extendit as far as Yumen. Efter the faw o the Han dynasty, Lanzhou became the caipital o a succession o tribal states. In the 4t century it wis briefly the caipital o the independent state o Liang. The Northren Wei dynasty (386–534) reestablished Jincheng commandery, renamin the coonty Zicheng. Mixed wi different cultural heritages, the aurie at present-day Gansu province, frae the 5t tae the 11t century, became a centre for Buddhist study. Unner the Sui Dynasty (581–618) the ceety became the seat o Lanzhou prefectur for the first time, retainin this name unner the Tang dynasty (618–907). In 763 the aurie wis owerrun bi the Tibetan Empire an in 843 wis conquered bi the Tang. Later it fell intae the haunds o the Wastren Xia dynasty (which flourished in Qinghai frae the 11t tae 13t century) an wis subsequently absorbit bi the Song dynasty (960–1126) in 1041. The name Lanzhou wis reestablished, an the coonty renamit Lanzhuan. Efter 1127 it fell intae the haunds o the Jin dynasty, an efter 1235 it came intae the possession o the Mongol Empire. Unner the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) the prefectur wis demotit tae a coonty an placit unner the admeenistration o Lintao superior prefectur, but in 1477 Lanzhou wis reestablished as a poleetical unit. The ceety acquired its current name in 1656, durin the Qing dynasty. When Gansu wis made a separate province in 1666, Lanzhou became its caipital. In 1739 the seat o Lintao wis transferred tae Lanzhou, which wis later made a superior prefectur cried Lanzhou. Lanzhou wis badly damagit durin the Dungan revolt in 1864–1875. In the 1920s an 1930s it became a centre o Soviet influence in northwastren Cheenae. Durin the Seicont Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) Lanzhou, linkit wi Xi'an bi heich-gate in 1935, became the terminus o the 3,200 km (2,000 mi) Cheenese–Soviet heich-gate, uised as a route for Soviet supplies destined for the Xi'an aurie. This heich-gate remained the primar traffec route o northwastren Cheenae till the completion o the railwey frae Lanzhou tae Urumqi, Xinjiang. Durin the war Lanzhou wis hivily bombit bi the Japanese. Durin the 1937 Japanese invasion o Cheenae, the Guominjun Muslim Generals Ma Hongkui an Ma Bufang protectit Lanzhou wi thair cavalry troops, puttin up sic resistance that the Japanese niver captured Lanzhou. The ceety is the seat o a currently vacant Roman Catholic diocese and wis previously the centre o a vicariate apostolic (Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Kan-Su). Geografie Aurie: 13,300 km2 (5,100 sq mi) Elevation: 1,600 metre (5,200 ft) abuin sea level Cheenae's northwast geographical centre Mair nor 20 square kilometre (7.7 sq mi) o urbanisation alang the soothren banks o the Yellae River. Zonary basin Muntains are locatit on the sooth an north sides o the ceety: Qilian Ranges, Mt. Pingliang an Mt. Kongtong (the maist notit in Taoism) River: The Yellae River flows throu frae wast tae east. Lanzhou is situatit on the upper reaches o the Yellae River whaur it emerges frae the muntains an haes been a centre syne early times, bein at the soothren end o the route leadin via the Hexi Corridor athort Central Asie. It commands the approaches tae the auncient caipital aurie o Chang'an (modren Xi'an) in Shaanxi province frae baith the wast an the northwast, as well as the aurie o Qinghai Loch via the upper watters o the Yellae River an its tributars. Climate an environs Lanzhou is situatit in the temperate zone an enjoys a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) wi het simmers an cauld an vera dry winters. The monthly 24-oor average temperatur ranges frae −5.3 °C (22.5 °F) in Januar tae 22.4 °C (72.3 °F) in Julie. The mean annual temperatur is 9.75 °C (49.5 °F), while annual rainfaw is 315 millimetre (12.4 in), amaist aw o which faws frae Mey tae October. The winters are sae dry that snaw is extremely rare. Wi monthly percent possible sunshine rangin frae 50 percent in Dizember tae 59 percent in Februar, sunshine is generous but no abundant, as the ceety receives 2,424 oors o bricht sunshine annually. Environmental issues Serious air pollution in the ceety means that it haes some o the wirst air quality o ony ceety naitionally. Accordin tae the Blacksmith Institute, Lanzhou is ane o the 30 maist pollutit ceeties in the warld, wi its TSP (tot suspendit pairticle) ratin 247 percent abuin that o the Gansu State recommendation. Air quality is sae poor that at times ane canna see Lanshan, the muntain risin straicht up alang the sooth side o the ceety. At ane pynt, a controversial suggestion wis put forrit tae bulldoze a muntain adjacent tae the ceety, in order tae let fresh air intae the bowl whaur Lanzhou is situatit. It wis suggestit on the premise that the surroondin mountains block a free flow o air in the ceety. The ceety is locatit in a narrae river valley wi a unfortunate curve causin it tae be hemmit in wi nae free air flow. Lanzhou is the hame o mony factories an aw, includin some involvit in petroleum processin, an suffers frae lairge dust storms kickit up frae the Gobi Desert, especially in the winter an ware. In 2011, uisin Cheenese statistics, the World Health Organization reportit that Lanzhou haes the wirst air quality (annual mean PM10 ug/m3 o 150) amang eleiven wastren Cheenese ceeties, an is even waur nor Beijing wi its readin o 121. The reach o the Yellae River at Lanzhou cairies a heich load o silt, giein the river its characteristic muddy appearance; housomeivver watter quality in this reach is better nor the "fetid ootflow that barely passes for watter twa oors dounstream". Yirdquauks Lanzhou experiences yirdquauks regularly, awtho uisually at law intensities. In 1920 a lairge yirdquauk wis experiencit killin mair nor 100,000 fowk in Eastren Gansu province, awtho anerly 42 wur killed in Lanzhou itsel, the law nummer bein attributit tae the strang yet flexible natur o the firthen biggins in the ceety. Admeenistrative diveesions Lanzhou New Aurie On 20 August 2012, Lanzhou New Aurie wis appruivit bi the State Cooncil o Cheenae's Central Govrenment as the fift state-level new special economic development zone (follaeed bi Pudong o Shanghai, Binhai o Tianjin, Liangjiang o Chongqing, Zhoushan o Zhejiang), which is the first state-level new aurie in the northwast o Cheenae an aw. Tourism The Five Spring Moontain Pairk（五泉山公园） wis biggit at the northren side o Gaolan Muntain, is famous for its five springs an several Buddhist temples. The Yellae River Brig(黄河铁桥) haes connectit the transport hub o Lanzhou tae the mainland an northwast syne the Ming dynasty when fowk began tae envisage sic a crossin tae conquer the Yellae River . Baita Moontain Pairk(白塔山公园) wis biggit close tae the muntains at a elevation o 1,700 metre (5,600 ft) an opened in 1958 athort the Yellae River brig. Economy Productivity Syne 1949 Lanzhou haes been transformit frae the caipital o a poverty-stricken province intae the centre o a major industrial aurie. The GDP per caipita o Lanzhou wis 25,566 (RMB) (US$3,681) in 2008, rankin it at nummer 134 amang 659 Cheenese ceeties. Natural resources Minerals: coal, gowd, siller, zinc, nickel, manganese, clay, an dolomite Hydropouer Thare is a thermal generatin plant supplee'd wi coal frae fields in Qinghai. In addeetion, thare is a hydroelectric station at Zhulama Gorge in Gansu, an a lairge multipurpose dam haes been biggit in the Liujia Gorge on the Yellae River abuin Lanzhou. Industry Main industries include textile mills, rubber processin an fertilizer plants, an ile refinery, petrochemicals, machinery, an metallurgical industry. Gansu haes ane o the lairgest ile refineries in the kintra an Lanzhou itsel is the centre o the province's petrochemical industry. Lanzhou haes a lairge refinery linkit tae the fields at Yumen bi pipeline. It manufactures equipment for the ile industry an aw. Lanzhou haes a lairge textile industry, pairticularly notit for the production o ooen an leather guids. In addeetion, Lanzhou produces locomotives an rollin stock for the northwastren railweys, as well as machine tuils an minin equipment. aluminum products, industrial chemicals, an fertilizers are producit on a lairge scale, an thare is a lairge rubber industry. Copper is mined in nearbi Gaolan. Lanzhou haes been ane o the centres o Cheenae's naitional nuclear pouer industry syne the 1960s. Industrial zones: Lanzhou Economic an Technological Development Zone Lanzhou Heich-tech Industrial Development Zone Agricultur Lanzhou is the collectin centre an mercat for agricultural produce an fermstockin frae a wide aurie. Spring wheat, vegetables, beans, ile-boilin, melon, peaches, an tobacco Roses an lilies Transportation Airlines Lanzhou Airport serves as the main airport an is locatit 70 km (43 mi) north o Lanzhou. Flichts frae mair nor 20 ceeties depairt an arrive at the airport. Railwey Subwey Lanzhou wis the seicont ceety in northwast Cheenae tae open a subwey line, in August 2012. The urban railwey netwirk, Lanzhou Metro, is planned tae conseest o sax subway lines runnin 207 km (129 mi). Three o the subwey lines, codit Line 1, Line 2 an Line 3, will extend 90 km (56 mi) in the ceety proper, while the three ooter lines, codit Line 4, Line 5 an Line 6, will run 117 km (73 mi), connectin the ceety centre wi Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport, Yuzhong coonty an Gaolan coonty, respectively. The first twa lines will cost aboot 23 billion yuan ($3.6 billion) an be completit bi 2020. Regional Lanzhou Railwey Station is a major railwey hub o wastren Cheenae. Ivery day ower 100 passenger trains oreeginate or pass via this station. It is a vital focal pynt connectin the wastren Cheenese provinces wi the east. Lanzhou Railway Station is locatit on Huochezhan Dong Lu, in Chengguan destrict. It haes the follaein railwey connections: Longhai Railwey tae the east (Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Lianyungang), wi connection tae the main railwey o Eastren Cheenae supportin direct trains tae Beijing, Shanghai, etc. This wis the first railwey tae reach Lanzhou (1953). Lanxin Railwey tae the wast an northwast (wi direct trains tae wastren Gansu an Ürümqi, an further connections tae ither pynts in Xinjiang an tae Kazakhstan) Lanqing Railwey tae the wast an soothwast, wi direct service tae Xining an Lhasa A line tae the north an northeast, wi direct service tae Yinchuan an Baotou Construction o new heich-speed passenger-anerly railwey lines is carriet oot baith toward the east (the Xulan Passenger Dedicated Line) an the wast (the Lanxin High-Speed Railway). Thir services will uise a upgradit Lanzhou West Railway Station. Heich-gates Linkit tae neebourin provinces Cheenae Naitional Heich-gate 212 Cheenae Naitional Heich-gate 213 Cheenae Naitional Heich-gate 312 Bus services Lanzhou haes a notit bus rapid transit seestem which opened in 2013 an wan the ceety a honorable mention at the 2014 Sustainable Transport Awairds. Places o interest Gansu Provincial Museum Wuquan Muntain Baita Muntain Xinglong Muntain Lutusi auncient govrenment Media Gansu People's Press, in Lanzhou, publishes Duzhe, the maist widely circulatit magazine in Cheenae. Lanzhou Radio serves the Lhasa an Lanzhou province regions wi news an muisic. Cultur The ceety is the cultural centre o Gansu. It is hame tae mony different ethnic groups an thair respective culturs, but the maist prominent three groups are the Han, Hui, an Zang. Cheenese opera: Qinqiang Drama Cuisine: Lanzhou beef lamian noodles, the ruit o the lily, an mony different kynds o mutton aw featur intae Lanzhou's destinct fuid cultur. Islam in China: Xiguan Mosque, the mosque wis constructit in the Ming dynasty an later rebuilt in 1990, an occupees a aurie o 467 square metres, an is ane o the maist influential mosques in Cheenae. The airchitectur o the mosque predominantly reflects that o Arab airchitectur. Colleges an varsities The ceety is the seat o Lanzhou Varsity, foondit in 1909. The Naitional Minorities Institute at Lanzhou an a nummer o scienteefic institutes are locatit thare an aw. In pairticular, Northwast Normal Varsity haes been the key varsity at the provincial level, which haes prepared ower 100,000 teachers in schuils athort the province Gansu. Leet Note: Institutions without full-time bachelor's degree programs are not listed. Naitional level Lanzhou Varsity, foondit 1909 Ither public institutions Eastern Gansu University Gansu Agricultural University, foondit 1958 Gansu College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (甘肃中医学院) Gansu Institute of Political Science and Law (甘肃政法学院) Gansu Lianhe University (甘肃联合大学) Gansu Political Science and Law Institute (甘肃政法学院) Institute Of Technology (兰州工业学院) Lanzhou City University (兰州城市学院), foondit 1958 Lanzhou Commercial College (兰州商学院) (Lanzhou Business Institute) Lanzhou Jiaotong University (兰州交通大学), foondit 1958 Lanzhou Medical College (兰州医学院) (Lanzhou Medical Institute) Lanzhou Niuroumian Cultural Research Institute (兰州牛肉面文化研究所) Lanzhou University of Technology, foondit 1919 (formerly Gansu University of Technology) Northwest Nationalities University (西北民族大学) Northwest Normal University, foondit 1902 Tianshui Normal University (天水师范学院) Halthcare Lanzhou Hivy Ion Cancer Treatment Centre, jynt ventur bi Sheng De Group, the ceety govrenment an Cheenese Academy o Sciences' Institution o Modren Pheesics Accordin tae the provincial halth bureau, aboot 42,000 fowk dee o cancer ivery year in Gansu, accoontin for 25 percent o the province's oweraw daiths. Mair nor 1 billion yuan (146 million U.S. dollars) is spent annually on treatin cancer in the province. See an aw Leet o twin touns an sister ceeties in Cheenae Dunhuang White Pagoda Hill References Freemit airtins Lanzhou govrenment wabsteid Archived 2018-08-12 at the Wayback Machine Map o Lanzhou Archived 2016-03-06 at the Wayback Machine Lanzhou travel guide frae Wikivoyage