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Profiles of China Provinces, Cities and Industrial Parks



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Content provided by :  China Knowledge
   
5 Sept 2011
Altay ( Xinjiang ) City Information

Major Economic Indicators (2010)

Land Area (km2) 117,988
Population (million) 0.65
GDP (RMB billion) 13.49
GDP Composition
Primary Industry 21.93%
Secondary Industry
(Industry & Contruction)		 43.44%
Tertiary Industry (Service) 34.6%
GDP Per Capita (RMB) 20,747
Unemployment Rate 2.4%
Fixed Asset Investment (RMB billion) 10.5
Utilized FDI (USD million) N.A.
Total Import & Export (USD million) 685.96
Export (USD million) 680.22
Import (USD million) 5.74
Sales of Consumer Goods (RMB billion) 3.24
Source Source: Altay prefecture Economic and Social Development Report 2010

   

 
Introduction
 

Altay Prefecture is located in the northern part of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, bordering Kazakhstan, Russia and the Republic of Mongolia. Altay covers an area of 117,988 sq km. Its population was 0.65 million by the end of 2009. There are 36 ethnic groups including the Kazak, the Han, the Hui, and the Uygur living in Altay. Kazaks account for approximately one half of Altay's total population.

Altay has a temperate continental climate with a windy spring, a rainy summer and a cool fall. Winter in Altay is long and cold.

Altay is rich in natural resources. There are 56 rivers and streams running through the prefecture. Reserves of hydro-energy total 3.4 million kw, accounting for approximately 10% of Xinjiang's total. In addition, precious stones and rare metals are abundant in Altay.

Transportation in Altay mainly relies on highways and air travel. There are highways connecting Altay with surrounding scenery spots and prefecture-level cities. Altay Airport, 10 km from downtown Altay, only operates daily flights to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang.
 
Economic Features
 
Altay realized GDP of RMB 13.48 billion in 2010, representing a rise of 10.1% year on year. The prefecture's GDP accounted for 3.3% of Xinjiang's total.

The agricultural sector generated value-added output of RMB 2.95 billion in 2010, accounting for 21.93% of the prefecture's GDP. Output of grain amount to 312,900 tons during the same year, contributing approximately 1.9% to Xinjiang's total.

Secondary industry (industry and construction), the largest contributor to the prefecture's economy, realized value-added output of RMB 5.85 billion, accounting for 43.44% of Altay's total.

Industrial enterprises at the village level or above realized value-added industrial output of RMB 4.39 billion in 2010. Mineral mining, the most important pillar of the industrial sector, realized value-added industrial output of RMB 3.8 billion, contributing 93% to total generated by industrial enterprises at the village level or above.

Asele Copper, which was established in 1999, is the largest mining company in Altay in terms of gross industrial output. In 2007, Asele Copper realized copper output of 28,400 tons and zinc output of 9,800 tons. Gross industrial output during 2007 reached RMB 1.5 billion.

The service sector generated value-added output of RMB 4.67 billion, accounting for 34.6% of the prefecture's total GDP in 2010.  In 2010, the sales of consumer goods in the region was RMB 3.24 billion, up 14.3% year on year.

During 2010, approximately 3.01 million tourists visited the prefecture, uo 65.4% year on year, while tourism income totaled RMB 2.35 billion increasing by 104.3% compared to the previous year.

In 2010, total foreign trade of enterprises in Altay amounted to US$685.96 million, representing a rise of 45.5% year on year. Export value rose 46% to approximately US$680.22 million, while import value up 3.7% to US$5.74 million. Major export goods are large-scale machinery and commodities, while major import goods include pig iron, lead, zinc sand and copper slag. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of Mongolia are the major trading partners of Altay.
 
Cultural Highlights
 

There are lots of ethnic groups living in Altay. The Kazak group is the largest ethnic group in terms of population. The Kazak ethnic group, which originates from ancient nomadic tribes, has its own language and writing system.

People of Kazak ethnic group are good at equestrian skills. During their traditional festivals, horse riding, wrestling and Diaoyang (chasing sheep) are popular activities.
 
Tourist Attraction
 

Altay has beautiful natural scenery. Tourist attractions in the prefecture include Kanas Lake, Birch Park, Altay Mountain, and Erqis River.

The colors of Kanas Lake change with the seasons and climate. It is believed that there is a monster living in the lake.

In Altay, famous and popular foods include milk tea, horse milk liquor, cheese, and bacon tharm. Additionally, due to the abundant river resources, Altay is replete with various fishes.

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