Major Economic Indicators (2010)
Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, is the center of Ningxia’s politics, economy and culture.
Yinchuan lies in the north of Ningxia, to the west of the Yellow River and to the east of Helan Mountain, and enjoys a temperate continental climate, which is mostly windy and dry.
Yinchuan is an important transportation hub in Ningxia. The Yinchuan Hedong Airport connects to over twenty cities by either direct or indirect flights, transferring in Xi'an and Beijing if necessary. The Baotou-Lanzhou railway and Baoji-Zhongwei railway run through the Yinchuan Railway Station. In addition, there are approximately thirty long-distance bus routes travelling to every city or county of Ningxia, as well as to some areas of Inner Mongolia and the Shaanxi Province.
As at the end of 2009, there were 12 colleges and universities in Yinchuan, with a total student populace of 624,000 persons. During 2009, there were 14,000 fresh graduates supplying the demand for human resources in the city.
Yinchuan has a history stretching back more than thirteen-hundred years, with a multi-ethnic populace, including those of Han,Hui, Machu, >Mongolian, and Chaoxian backgrounds. Among them, the Hui people account for about 26.3% of the total population; they have maintained the traditional folk customs and lifestyle that are unique from other ethnic groups.
The most attractive scenic spot in Yinchuan is the Sand Lake Scenic Resort. Another beautiful place is the Helan Mountain Scenic Area, in the north-west of Yinchuan Plains. In addition to the natural scenery, historical sites such as the Western Xia Imperial Tombs, Emperor Pavilion, the Haibao Pagoda, the Chengtiansi Pagoda and the Nanguan Mosque are also worth visiting.
Yinchuan, as a major cultural center for the Hui people in China, offers a variety of unique Muslim foods, as well as traditional Chinese cuisine. The dishes that are largely representative of Yinchuan cuisine are steamed lamb, mutton eaten with hands, shredded cake in mutton and beef soup, as well as spiced crispy chicken.
By the end of 2010, Yinchuan had one state-level development zone.
National Garden City (2008)- Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Ddevelopment of China
National Livable City (2008)China City International Association (CCIA)
National Water-Saving City (2006)- Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Ddevelopment of China
