# Kargilik County

Kargilik County (Uyghur: قاغىلىق ناھىيىسى), also known as Yecheng County (Chinese: 叶城县), is a county in southwest of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and is under the administration of the Kashgar Prefecture. It contains an area of 28,600 km$^2$. To the north, the county borders Makit County. To the east, the county borders Guma County (Pishan) in Hotan Prefecture. To the west, the county borders Yarkant County, Poskam County and Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County. In the south, the county has a border of more than 80 km (50 mi) with Pakistan and India administered areas of Kashmir.

## History

In 1975, future Chinese Communist Party Deputy Committee Secretary of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Zhu Hailun was sent to Kargilik County in the Down to the Countryside Movement.

## Geography

The northern part of the county is in the Taklamakan Desert and the southern part of the county is in the Kunlun Mountains. Mazar Pass is located in the southern part of the county.

## Climate

Climate data for Kargilik, elevation 1,360 m (4,460 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.2 (68.4) | 20.3 (68.5) | 31.5 (88.7) | 34.0 (93.2) | 36.8 (98.2) | 40.2 (104.4) | 38.2 (100.8) | 38.1 (100.6) | 33.3 (91.9) | 29.2 (84.6) | 24.6 (76.3) | 19.0 (66.2) | 40.2 (104.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 1.1 (34.0) | 6.7 (44.1) | 15.8 (60.4) | 23.3 (73.9) | 27.3 (81.1) | 30.8 (87.4) | 32.3 (90.1) | 30.7 (87.3) | 26.6 (79.9) | 20.5 (68.9) | 12.1 (53.8) | 3.3 (37.9) | 19.2 (66.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.7 (23.5) | 0.9 (33.6) | 9.4 (48.9) | 16.5 (61.7) | 20.4 (68.7) | 23.9 (75.0) | 25.5 (77.9) | 24.2 (75.6) | 19.9 (67.8) | 13.1 (55.6) | 4.9 (40.8) | −2.5 (27.5) | 12.6 (54.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −9.5 (14.9) | −3.9 (25.0) | 3.7 (38.7) | 10.5 (50.9) | 14.3 (57.7) | 17.9 (64.2) | 19.7 (67.5) | 18.7 (65.7) | 14.1 (57.4) | 6.8 (44.2) | −0.7 (30.7) | −7.0 (19.4) | 7.1 (44.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −20.8 (−5.4) | −20.8 (−5.4) | −7.1 (19.2) | 0.0 (32.0) | 4.9 (40.8) | 9.3 (48.7) | 11.7 (53.1) | 10.0 (50.0) | 3.6 (38.5) | −2.2 (28.0) | −12.2 (10.0) | −21.9 (−7.4) | −21.9 (−7.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 2.8 (0.11) | 2.8 (0.11) | 5.4 (0.21) | 4.7 (0.19) | 17.0 (0.67) | 11.7 (0.46) | 11.3 (0.44) | 11.1 (0.44) | 9.0 (0.35) | 1.0 (0.04) | 1.8 (0.07) | 1.5 (0.06) | 80.1 (3.15) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 2.5 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 28.9 |
| Average snowy days | 5.7 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 4.5 | 14.9 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 58 | 50 | 38 | 33 | 38 | 40 | 44 | 48 | 49 | 45 | 48 | 59 | 46 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 180.8 | 177.2 | 216.1 | 229.3 | 272.2 | 295.8 | 295.6 | 262.2 | 251.0 | 261.0 | 218.3 | 179.7 | 2,839.2 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 59 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 61 | 67 | 67 | 63 | 69 | 77 | 73 | 61 | 64 |
| Source: China Meteorological Administration ||||||||||||||

## Administrative divisions

Kargilik County contains 6 towns and 15 townships.
| Name | Simplified Chinese | Hanyu Pinyin | Uyghur (UEY) | Uyghur Latin (ULY) | Administrative division code | Notes |
| Towns |||||||
| Kargilik Town | 喀格勒克镇 | Kāgélèkè Zhèn | پوسكام بازىرى | qaghiliq baziri | 653126100 | |
| Charbagh Town | 恰尔巴格镇 | Qià'ěrbāgé Zhèn | چارباغ بازىرى | charbagh baziri | 653126101 | |
| Ushsharbash Town | 乌夏巴什镇 | Wūxiàbāshí Zhèn | ئۇششارباش بازىرى | Ushsharbash baziri | 653126102 | |
| Aqash Town | 阿克塔什镇 | Ākètǎshí Zhèn | ئاقتاش بازىرى | Aqtash baziri | 653126103 | |
| Jinguo Town | 金果镇 | Jīnguǒ Zhèn | جىنگو بازىرى | jingo baziri | 653126104 | Formerly Chasa Meschit Township (چاسا مەسچىت يېزىسى / 恰萨美其特乡) |
| Yitimliqum Town | 依提木孔镇 | Kāgélèkè Zhèn | يىتىملىقۇم بازىرى | yitimliqum baziri | 653126105 | Formerly Yitimliqum Township (يىتىملىقۇم يېزىسى / 依提木孔乡) |
| Townships |||||||
| Loq Township | 洛克乡 | Luòkè Xiāng | لوق يېزىسى | loq yëzisi | 653126200 | |
| Besheriq Township | 伯西热克乡 | Bóxīrèkè Xiāng | بەشئېرىق يېزىسى | besh'ëriq yëzisi | 653126201 | |
| Tetir Township | 铁提乡 | Tiětí Xiāng | تېتىر يېزىسى | tëtir yëzisi | 653126202 | |
| Tögichi Township | 吐古其乡 | Tǔgǔqí Xiāng | تۆگىچى يېزىسى | tögichi yëzisi | 653126204 | |
| Janggilieski Township | 江格勒斯乡 | Jiānggélèsī Xiāng | جاڭگىلىئەسكى يېزىسى | janggili'eski yëzisi | 653126205 | |
| Jayterak Township | 加依提勒克乡 | Jiāyītílèkè Xiāng | جايتېرەك يېزىسى | jaytërek yëzisi | 653126206 | |
| Barin Township | 巴仁乡 | Bārén Xiāng | بارىن يېزىسى | barin yëzisi | 653126207 | |
| Ghojaeriq Township | 乌吉热克乡 | Wūjírèkè Xiāng | غوجائېرىق يېزىسى | ghoja'ëriq yëzisi | 653126208 | |
| Shaxap Township | 夏合甫乡 | Wūjírèkè Xiāng | شاخاپ يېزىسى | shaxap yëzisi | 653126209 | |
| Yilkiqi Township | 依力克其乡 | Yīlìkèqí Xiāng | يىلقىچى يېزىسى | yilqichi yëzisi | 653126210 | |
| Zunglang Township | 宗朗乡 | Zōnglǎng Xiāng | زۇڭلاڭ يېزىسى | zunglang yëzisi | 653126212 | |
| Kokyar Township | 柯克亚乡 | Kēkèyà Xiāng | كۆكيار يېزىسى | kökyar yëzisi | 653126213 | |
| Shixshu Township | 西合休乡 | Xīhéxiū Xiāng | شىخشۇ يېزىسى | shixshu yëzisi | 653126214 | |
| Chipan Township | 棋盘乡 | Qípán Xiāng | چىپان يېزىسى | chipan yëzisi | 653126215 | |
| Saybagh Township | 萨依巴格乡 | Sàyībāgé Xiāng | سايباغ يېزىسى | saybagh yëzisi | 653126216 | |

## Economy

Kargilik County's economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry. Agricultural products include wheat, corn and cotton, as well as pomegranates, yellow pears, walnuts, and dried apricots. Industries include construction, machinery, electronics, and food processing. The county is known for the 'Kargilik Banximao Sheep' (叶城半细毛羊).

## Demographics

In 1997, Uyghurs made up 93% of the population of the county and Han Chinese made up 6% of the population.
As of 2015, 490,417 of the 519,962 residents of the county were Uyghur, 23,408 were Han Chinese and 6,137 were from other ethnic groups.
As of 2018, Uyghurs made up 91% of the population of the county.
As of 1999, 90.78% of the population of Kargilik (Yecheng) County was Uyghur and 8.18% of the population was Han Chinese.

## Transportation

* China National Highway 219
* China National Highway 315
* Kashgar–Hotan railway

## Historical maps

Historical English-language maps including Kargilik:
* Map including Kargilik (labeled as Kargalik) (1917)
* Map including Kargilik (labeled as YEH-CH'ENG (KARGHALIK)) and surrounding region from the International Map of the World (AMS, 1966)
* Map including Kargilik (labeled as Yeh-ch'eng (Karghalik)) (ACIC, 1969)
* From the Operational Navigation Chart; map including Kargilik (labeled as YECHENG (YEH-CH'ENG)) (DMA, 1980)
* Map including Kargilik (labeled as YECHENG (YEH-CH'ENG)) (DMA, 1984)
* The southern part of Kargilik County includes territory ceded to China by Pakistan but claimed by India