# Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County

Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County (Chinese: 察布查尔锡伯自治县; pinyin: Chábùchá'ěr Xībó Zìzhìxiàn; Xibe: ᠴᠠᠪᠴᠠᠯ ᠰᡞᠪᡝ ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᡩᠠᠰᠠᡢᡤᠠ ᠰᡞᠶᠠᠨ, Cabcal Sibe beye dasangga siyan, also transliterated as Chapchal, Uyghur: چاپچال شىبە ئاپتونوم ناھىيىسى; Kazakh: شاپشال سىبە اۆتونوميالىق اۋدانى) in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in Northern Xinjiang, is the only Xibe autonomous county of China, bordering Kazakhstan's Almaty Region to the west. It has an area of 4,430 square kilometers and a population 160,000 (2000). Qapqal means "the granary" in the Xibe language.

## History

The Xibe, sent to garrison the area by the Qing dynasty, were divided into eight niru (companies); each niru established a settlement. The settlements are thus simply referred to as "First Niru" through "Eighth Niru", with the exception of the settlement established by the Sixth, which came to be known as Qapqal, thus giving the county its name.

## Subdivisions

Qapqal administered 7 towns, 5 townships, and 1 ethnic township.
| Name | Simplified Chinese | Hanyu Pinyin | Xibe | Möllendorff transliteration | Uyghur (UEY) | Uyghur Latin (ULY) | Kazakh (Arabic script) | Kazakh (Cyrillic script) | Administrative division code |
| Towns ||||||||||
| Cabcal Town | 察布查尔镇 | Chábùchá'ěr Zhèn | ᠴᠠᠪᠴᠠᠯ ᡪᡝᠨ | cabcal jen | چاپچال بازىرى | chapchal baziri | شاپشال قالاشىعى | Шапшал қалашығы | 654022100 |
| Aisin Šeri Town | 爱新色里镇 | Àixīnsèlǐ Zhèn | ᠠᡞᠰᡞᠨ ᡧᡝᠷᡞ ᡪᡝᠨ | aisin šeri jen | ئايشىن سىرى بازىرى | Ayshin siri baziri | ءايشىنى سىرى قالاشىعى | Әйшіні Сыры қалашығы | 654022101 |
| Sunjaci Niru Town | 孙扎齐牛录镇 | Sūnzhāqíniúlù Zhèn | ᠰᡠᠨᡪᠠᠴᡞ ᠨᡞᠷᡠ ᡪᡝᠨ | sunjaci niru jen | سۇنجاچىنىرۇ بازىرى | sunjachiniru baziri | بەسسۇمىن قالاشىعى | Бессүмін қалашығы | 654022102 |
| Cohor Town | 绰霍尔镇 | Chuòhuò'ěr Zhèn | ᠴᠣᡥᠣᠷ ᡪᡝᠨ | cohor jen | چوقۇر بازىرى | choqur baziri | شوعىر قالاشىعى | Шоғыр қалашығы | 654022103 |
| Jahūstai Town | 加尕斯台镇 | Jiāgǎsītái Zhèn | ᡪᠠᡥᡡᠰᡨᠠᡞ ᡪᡝᠨ | jahūstai jen | جاغىستاي بازىرى | jaghistay baziri | جاعىستاي قالاشىعى | Жағыстай қалашығы | 654022104 |
| Amba Boro Town | 琼博拉镇 | Qióngbólā Zhèn | ᠠᠮᠪᠠ ᠪᠣᠷᠣ ᡪᡝᠨ | amba boro jen | چوڭ بۇغرا بازىرى | chong bughra baziri | ۇلكەن بۋرا قالاشىعى | Үлкен Бура қалашығы | 654022105 |
| Hainuk Town | 海努克镇 | Hǎinǔkè Zhèn | ᡥᠠᡞᠨᡠᡣ ᡪᡝᠨ | hainuk jen | قاينۇق بازىرى | qaynuq baziri | قاينۇق قالاشىعى | Қайнұқ қалашығы | 654022106 |
| Townships ||||||||||
| Dūici Niru Township | 堆齐牛录乡 | Duīqíniúlù Xiāng | ᡩᡡᡞᠴᡞ ᠨᡞᠷᡠ ᡤᡡᠰᠠ | dūici niru gūsa | دۇيچىنىرۇ يېزىسى | duychiniru yëzisi | ‌ءتورتسۇمىن اۋىلى | Төртсүмін ауылы | 654022200 |
| Nadaci Niru Township | 纳达齐牛录乡 | Nàdáqíniúlù Xiāng | ᠨᠠᡩᠠᠴᡞ ᠨᡞᠷᡠ ᡤᡡᠰᠠ | nadaci niru gūsa | ناداچىنىرۇ يېزىسى | nadachiniru yëzisi | سەگىزسۇمىن اۋىلى | Сегізсүмін ауылы | 654022203 |
| Jakūci Niru Township | 扎库齐牛录乡 | Zhākùqíniúlù Xiāng | ᡪᠠᡣᡡᠴᡞ ᠨᡞᠷᡠ ᡤᡡᠰᠠ | jakūci niru gūsa | جاقۇچىنىرۇ يېزىسى | jaquchiniru yëzisi | جاقۇشنىرۇ اۋىلى | Жақұшнырұ ауылы | 654022204 |
| Kan Township | 坎乡 | Kǎn Xiāng | ᠺᠠᠨ ᡤᡡᠰᠠ | kʹan gūsa | كان يېزىسى | kan yëzisi | كان اۋىلى | Кән ауылы | 654022206 |
| Gohūnci Township | 阔洪奇乡 | Kuòhóngqí Xiāng | ᡤᠣᡥᡡᠨᠴᡞ ᡤᡡᠰᠠ | gohūnci gūsa | قوغۇنچى يېزىسى | qoghunchi yëzisi | قوعۇنچى اۋىلى | Қоғұнчы ауылы | 654022207 |
| Ethnic Townships ||||||||||
| Miliangquan Hui Township | 米粮泉回族乡 | Mǐliángquán huízú xiāng | ᠮᡞ ᠯᡞᠶᠠᡢ ᠴᡞᠣᠸᠠᠨ ᡥᡡᡞᡥᡡᡞ ᡠᡴᠰᡠᡵᠠᡞ ᡤᡡᠰᠠ | mi liyaŋ ciowan hūihūi uksurai gūsa | مىلياڭچۈەن خۇيزۇ يېزىسى | qoghunchi yëzisi | مىلەڭچۇەن حۇيزۋ ۇلتتىق اۋىلى | Мілеңчүен хуйзу ұлттық ауылы | 654022205 |
* 169th Regiment of the XPCC (兵团六十九团) (69-تۇەن مەيدانى) (69-تۋان الاڭىنداعى) (69 ᠴᡞ ᡨᠣᠸᠠᠨ ᠴᠠᡢ)
* Ambanbaq Breeding grounds (安班巴格良繁场) (ئامبانباغ نەسىللىك كۆپەيتىش مەيدانى) (امبانباق سورتتى تۇقىم جەتىلدىرۋ الاڭىنداعى) (ᠠᠮᠪᠠᠨ ᠪᠠᡤᡝ ᠰᠠᡞ᠋ᠨ ᡠᠰᡝ ᡫᡠᠰᡝᠮᠪᡠᠷᡝ ᡫᠠᠯᡝᠨ)
* Dolat Port of Entry (都拉塔口岸) (دولات پورتى) (دۋلاتى وتكەلى)
* Ili Prefectural Forestry Field (伊犁州平原林场) (ئىلى ۋىلايەتلىك تۈزلەڭلىك ئورمانچىلىق مەيدانى) (ىلە ايماقتىق ورمان شارۋاشىلىعى الاڭىنداعى)
* Mountain Area Forest Farm (山区林场) (تاغ رايونى ئورمانچىلىق مەيدانى) (تاۋلى ولكەسى ورمان الاڭىنداعى) (ᠠᠯᡞᠨ ᠪᠠᡞ ᠪᡠᡪᠠᠨ ᡥᡝᠷᡝ)

## Demographics

Demographics per niru (2000) :
| Number | Xibe name | Chinese name | % Xibe | % Han | % Other | Population | Number of villages |
| 1 | Uju Niru | 乌珠牛录乡 | 61.8 | 20.9 | 17.3 |
| 2 | Jai Niru | 扎依牛录乡 | 72.2 | 15.5 | 12.3 |
| 3 | Ilaci Niru | 依拉齐牛录乡 | 73.2 | 12.3 | 14.5 |
| 4 | Duici Niru | 堆依齐牛录乡 | 32.9 | 28.4 | 38.7 |
| 5 | Sunjaci Niru | 孙扎齐牛录镇 | 38.2 | 15 | 46.8 | 8033 | 4 |
| 6 | Ningguci Niru or Capcal | 察布查尔镇 | 29 | 32 | 39 |
| 7 | Nadaci Niru | 纳达齐牛录乡 | 41.6 | 32 | 24.6 |
| 8 | Jakûci Niru | 扎库齐牛录乡 | 72.2 | 15.5 | 12.3 | 13,000 | 5 |

## Climate

Climate data for Qapqal, elevation 603 m (1,978 ft), (1991–2020 normals) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −2.5 (27.5) | 1.1 (34.0) | 11.9 (53.4) | 21.6 (70.9) | 26.4 (79.5) | 30.3 (86.5) | 32.2 (90.0) | 31.1 (88.0) | 26.5 (79.7) | 18.8 (65.8) | 8.8 (47.8) | 0.1 (32.2) | 17.2 (62.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −9.2 (15.4) | −5.0 (23.0) | 5.0 (41.0) | 13.5 (56.3) | 18.5 (65.3) | 22.6 (72.7) | 24.1 (75.4) | 22.7 (72.9) | 17.5 (63.5) | 9.9 (49.8) | 2.0 (35.6) | −5.6 (21.9) | 9.7 (49.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −14.5 (5.9) | −10.3 (13.5) | −0.7 (30.7) | 6.6 (43.9) | 11.6 (52.9) | 15.9 (60.6) | 17.4 (63.3) | 15.6 (60.1) | 10.1 (50.2) | 3.4 (38.1) | −2.5 (27.5) | −10.0 (14.0) | 3.6 (38.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 18.2 (0.72) | 17.7 (0.70) | 14.5 (0.57) | 23.7 (0.93) | 23.3 (0.92) | 22.5 (0.89) | 24.3 (0.96) | 17.3 (0.68) | 11.8 (0.46) | 19.3 (0.76) | 26.5 (1.04) | 22.2 (0.87) | 241.3 (9.5) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 7.6 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 8.4 | 7.9 | 5.5 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 7.0 | 8.2 | 82.8 |
| Average snowy days | 9.4 | 8.2 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 3.9 | 9.4 | 35 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 80 | 79 | 69 | 57 | 54 | 56 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 69 | 78 | 82 | 67 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 142.2 | 162.2 | 227.7 | 257.5 | 304.1 | 310.1 | 327.3 | 310.7 | 269.7 | 222.3 | 143.2 | 123.6 | 2,800.6 |
| Percentage possible sunshine | 49 | 54 | 61 | 63 | 66 | 67 | 71 | 73 | 74 | 67 | 50 | 45 | 62 |
| Source: China Meteorological Administration ||||||||||||||

## Media

The county has one Xibe language newspaper, the Qapqal News. A television station broadcasts a few programmes in Xibe as well each month, with Mandarin, Uyghur and Kazakh language content for the rest of the time.