A Brief Survey of Xinjiang: Located in the northwest frontier of the motherland, Xinjiang is in the inland of Asia-Europe continent and covers an area of 1.66 million km2. Bordering eight countries such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Mongolia, India and Afghanistan, Xinjiang of China has a 5600 km-long borderline. So, Xinjiang is the provincial-level region of China with the largest area, longest borderline and the highest number of bordering foreign countries.

        Neighboring on central Asian countries, west Asia countries and countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Xinjiang has a regional advantage in opening itself westward and promoting economic and trade cooperation with neighboring countries. Further, Xinjiang boasts 16 ports of entry under Category A and 11 ports of entry under Category B, which bring Xinjiang the unique edge and broad prospect for the development of economic and trade cooperation with central Asian countries, west Asian countries and Russia. In economic structure, our country is different from central Asian countries, west Asian countries and countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. However, all these countries could complement one another economically. In religion and folk customs, similarities exist between Xinjiang of China and the above-mentioned countries. All these bring about favorable conditions for Xinjiang to be opened to countries west of it and to open markets in central and western Asia. These conditions will make Xinjiang the bridge between the markets in China’s eastern regions and the markets in central and western Asia. In the efforts to develop China’s western region, these conditions will enable us to transform Xinjiang into the major channel in China’s west for international trade and an international commercial and trade center. 

      Facing the new century, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council made the important strategic policy-decision concerning the development of western region. In terms of strategic status in China’s economic development, politics and national defense, Xinjiang is very important for the efforts to develop western region. The implementation of the strategy of western region development brought Xinjiang unprecedented opportunities for development and will give a great impetus to and speed up economic and social development of Xinjiang. 

      As a multi-ethnic region, Xinjiang is inhabited by 47 ethnic groups such as Uygur, Han, Kazak, Hui, Khalkhas, Mongol, Xibe, Tarjik, Manchu, Ozbek, Russian, Dahur and Tartar, of which 13 ethnic groups are native. Xinjiang has a population of 18.7619 million, including 7.6117 million Han people and 11.1502 million ethnic population, making up 40.57％ and 59.43％ of the total respectively. 

        Under the jurisdiction of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Government are 5 ethnic autonomous prefectures, 7 prefectures, 2 prefecture-level cities, 17 county-level cities, 62 counties, 6 ethnic autonomous counties, 11 city districts and 849 towns. 5 ethnic autonomous prefectures: the Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, the Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, the Bayangol Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, the Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture and the Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture. 7 prefectures: Tacheng, Altay, Turpan, Hami, Aksu, Kashgar and Hotan. 2 prefecture-level cities: Urumqi City and Karamay City. 17 county-level cities: Shihezi City, Hami City, Turpan City, Changji City, Kuytun City, Bole City, Yining City, Tacheng City, Altay City, Korla City, Aksu City, Atux City, Kashgar City, Hotan City, Fukang City, Miquan City and Wusu City. 
　　
        Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is the political, economic and cultural center of the Region and has a population of 2.082 million.