Haixi Region is located in the western part of Qinghai Province, bordering Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Gansu Province. It covers a vast land area of 325,800 sq km and has a population of 0.45 million.
Haixi has a typical continental plateau climate with an extremely cold winter and a large temperature difference between day and night. Average temperatures and average annual precipitation vary greatly among the different counties under administration of the region.
Haixi is rich in mineral resources. Reserves of crude salt, potassium, magnesium, lithium, strontium, asbestos and mirabilite rank first in China, while reserves of bromine and boron rank second in the country. The total potential value of all the minerals amounts to RMB 15 trillion.
Haixi has convenient access to transportation. The Qinghai-Tibet Highway, the Qinghai-Xinjiang Highway, and the Dunhuang-Golmud Highway intersect within Haixi. Golmud Airport, which is located in Golmud County, operates flights to major cities such as Xining and Xi'an.
Economic Features
Haixi realized GDP of RMB36.55 billion in 2010, representing a rise of 18.3% year on year. The region's GDP accounted for approximately 36% of Qinghai's total and ranked second out of eight in the province.
The value-added output of the agricultural sector increased by 19.7% year on year to RMB 1.03 billion in 2010, contributing 2.8% of the region's GDP.
In 2010, the value-added output of secondary industry (industry and construction), the largest contributor to the region's economy, amounted to RMB 28.9 billion and accounted for 79.1% of the region's total. The value-added industrial output generated by the industrial sector reached RMB 26 billion, up 20.3% year on year.
Oil and natural gas production, electricity, non-ferrous metals, chemicals and coal mining are the pillar industries. In 2010, the oil and natural gas production sector got value-added industrial output of RMB 7.27 billion, up 8.3% year on year, while the chemical industry generated value-added industrial output of RMB 7.44 billion, up 9.4% year on year.
In 2010, the service sector generated value-added output of RMB 6.62 billion, contributing 18.1% of the region's GDP. Retail, an important pillar of the sector, realized sales of RMB 3.7 billion, up 17.6% compared to the previous year.
Tourism is also an important part of Haixi's service sector. In 2010, 3 million tourists visited the region, up 40.2% year on year, while tourism income totaled RMB 600 million, representing a rise of 56.7% over last year.
Cultural Highlights
Haixi is known for its multi-cultural history. There are many ethnic groups, including the Han, Tibetans, the Hui, Mongols, and the Tu, living here. Among the minority ethnic groups, Tibetans and Mongols account for 10% and 7% of the total population, respectively.
Various minority ethnic groups, retaining their own folk customs, live harmoniously and happily in the region.
Tourist Attraction
Haixi is rich in beautiful tourism resources. Tourists should visit Kunlun Mountain, SanjiangYuan Natural Reserve, Shell Mountain, Tuotuo River, and Tanggula Mountain.
Kunlun Mountain is widely appraised as the most supernatural Mountain in China, while the Kunlun Cultural Tourism Area has been given a rating of AAAA, the second highest level.
When it comes to local special snacks, Zanba (a Tibetan food made from roasted qingke barley flour), milk tea, yogurt, horse milk wine, hand grabbed mutton, and buckhorn-shaped moss (a primitive plant with high nutritional value), are really unique and attractive for tourists.
In addition, local folk porcelain, brede, and Thang-ga, a traditional sort of Tibetan painting, can be very good souvenirs for tourists to take home.