# Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture

Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in the southeastern Xinjiang, China. It borders Gansu to the east, Qinghai to the southeast and the Tibet Autonomous Region to the south. It is the largest prefecture-level division nationally, with an area of 471,480 km$^2$ (182,040 sq mi), which is even larger than its neighboring province of Gansu. The prefectural capital is Korla. Despite being designated an autonomous area for Mongols in China, only about four percent of Bayingolin's population is Mongol.

## History

In a 2017 announcement from officials in Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, it was proclaimed that "there is a severe threat from international terrorism, and cars have been used as a key means of transport for terrorists as well as constantly serving as weapons. It is therefore necessary to monitor and track all vehicles in the prefecture."

## Demographics

According to the 2020 census, Bayingolin has 1,056,970 inhabitants (population density: 2.28 per km$^2$).
As of 2020, 53.3% of the 1,509,233 residents of the county were Han Chinese, 36.4% were Uyghur, 5.3% were Hui and 4.0% were Mongol.

## Ethnic groups in Bayingolin

When Bayingolin was established in 1954, Mongols comprised 35 per cent of the prefecture's population. Due to development needs and migration, the Han population increased from 1,682 in the region of Bayingolin in 1947 to over 660,000 in 2004.

### Population by ethnicity

| Nationality | 2000 | 2000 | 2010 | 2010 | 2015 | 2015 |
| Nationality | Population | % | Population | % | Population | % |
| Han Chinese | 607,774 | 58.05% | 757,983 | 59.29% | 826,063 | 59.27% |
| Uyghur | 345,595 | 33.01% | 406,942 | 31.83% | 440,283 | 31.59% |
| Hui | 52,252 | 4.99% | 60,451 | 4.73% | 64,979 | 4.66% |
| Mongol | 43,544 | 4.16% | 43,484 | 3.40% | 50,091 | 3.59% |
| Tujia | | | 2,336 | 0.18% |
| Miao | | | 1,362 | 0.11% |
| Dongxiang | | | 1,148 | 0.09% |
| Kazakhs | | | 1,091 | 0.09% |
| Manchu | | | 888 | 0.07% |
| Other | 7,805 | 0.74% | 2,801 | 0.22% | 12,396 | 0.89% |
| Total | 1,046,970 | 100% | 1,278,486 | 100% | 1,393,812 | 100% |

## Subdivisions

Bayin'gholin directly controls one county-level city, seven counties and one Hui autonomous county.
Korla (city)
Luntai County
Yuli County
Ruoqiang County
Qiemo County
Yanqi County
Hejing County
Hoxud County
Bohu County :
| Name | Simplified Chinese | Hanyu Pinyin | Uyghur (UEY) | Uyghur Latin (ULY) | Mongolian | Mongolian (Cyrillic) (Pinyin) | Population (2020 Census) | Area (km$^2$) | Density (/km$^2$) |
| Korla | 库尔勒市 | Kù'ěrlè Shì | كورلا شەھىرى | Korla Shehiri | ᠬᠣᠷᠣᠯ ᠬᠣᠲᠠ | Хорол хот Qorol qota | 779,352 | 7,378 | 105.63 |
| Luntai County (Bügür) | 轮台县 | Lúntái Xiàn | بۈگۈر ناھىيىسى | Bügür Nahiyisi | ᠪᠦᠭᠦᠷ ᠰᠢᠶᠠᠨ | Бүгүр шянь Büqür siyan | 137,327 | 14,182 | 9.68 |
| Yuli County (Lopnur) | 尉犁县 | Yùlí Xiàn | لوپنۇر ناھىيىسى | Lopnur Nahiyisi | ᠯᠣᠪᠨᠠᠭᠤᠷ ᠰᠢᠶᠠᠨ | Лобнуур шянь Lobnaγur siyan | 101,866 | 59,192 | 1.72 |
| Ruoqiang County (Charqilik) | 若羌县 | Ruòqiāng Xiàn | چاقىلىق ناھىيىسى | Chaqiliq Nahiyisi | ᠴᠠᠺᠢᠯᠢᠺ ᠰᠢᠶᠠ | Чакилик шянь Čaqaliq siyan | 43,045 | 198,322 | 0.22 |
| Qiemo County (Cherchen) | 且末县 | Qiěmò Xiàn | چەرچەن ناھىيىسى | Cherchen Nahiyisi | ᠴᠧᠷᠴᠧᠨ ᠰᠢᠶᠠᠨ | Черчен шянь Čerčen siyan | 69,236 | 138,665 | 0.50 |
| Hejing County | 和静县 | Héjìng Xiàn | خېجىڭ ناھىيىسى | Xéjing Nahiyisi | ᠾᠧᠵᠢᠩ ᠰᠢᠶᠠᠨ | Хэжин шянь Hëǰing siyan | 147,859 | 34,979 | 4.23 |
| Hoxud County | 和硕县 | Héshuò Xiàn | خوشۇت ناھىيىسى | Xoshut Nahiyisi | ᠬᠣᠱᠤᠳ ᠰᠢᠶᠠᠨ | Хошууд шянь Qušud siyan | 59,299 | 12,740 | 4.65 |
| Bohu County | 博湖县 | Bóhú Xiàn | باغراش ناھىيىسى | Baghrash Nahiyisi | ᠪᠣᠰᠲᠠᠨᠠᠭᠤᠷ ᠰᠢᠶᠠᠨ | Бостнуур шянь Busdunaγur siyan | 48,288 | 3,593 | 13.44 |
| Yanqi Hui Autonomous County | 焉耆回族自治县 | Yānqí Huízú Zìzhìxiàn | يەنجى خۇيزۇ ئاپتونوم ناھىيىسى | Yenji Xuyzu Aptonom Nahiyisi | ᠶᠠᠨᠼᠢ ᠬᠣᠲᠣᠩ ᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠭᠡᠨ ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ ᠰᠢᠶᠠᠨ | Яньци - Хотон өөртөө засах шянь Yanči qotong öbertegen ǰasaqu siyan | 122,961 | 2,429 | 52.62 |

## Notable persons

* Mihrigul Tursun