Gaochang or Karahoja (Uyghur: قاراھوجا, romanizedQarahoja, Қарахоҗа; Chinese: 高昌; pinyin: Gāochāng), is the only district and the seat of the oasis city of Turpan, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. Its population was 254,900 at the end of 2003.

Gaochang
高昌区قاراھوجا رايونى
Karahoja, Qarahoja
City center
City center
Location of Karahoja (red) in Turpan Prefecture (yellow) and Xinjiang
Location of Karahoja (red) in Turpan Prefecture (yellow) and Xinjiang
Gaochang is located in Xinjiang
Gaochang
Gaochang
Location of the district centre in Xinjiang
Gaochang is located in China
Gaochang
Gaochang
Gaochang (China)
Coordinates (Turpan government): 42°57′04″N 89°11′22″E / 42.9512°N 89.1895°E / 42.9512; 89.1895
CountryChina
Autonomous regionXinjiang
Prefecture-level cityTurpan
Township-level divisions3 subdistricts
2 towns
7 townships
District seatLaocheng Road Subdistrict
Area
 • Total
13,650 km2 (5,270 sq mi)
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total
317,443
 • Density23/km2 (60/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+8 (China Standard[a])
Postal code
838000
Area code0995
Websitegcq.tlf.gov.cn
Gaochang, Turpan
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese高昌区
Traditional Chinese高昌區
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGāochāng Qū
Uyghur name
Uyghurقاراھوجا رايونى
Transcriptions
Latin YëziqiQarahoja Rayoni
Siril YëziqiҚарахоҗа Райони

Name

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According to the municipal government of Turpan, the district is named after the ancient city of Gaochang. It was also proposed that the district be named after Ayding Lake.[2]

History

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The district was created on 12 April 2015 after Turpan was upgraded from a county-level city into a prefecture-level city. The district has the same size and population as the former Turpan county-level city.[3]

Demographics

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The proportion of nationalities in Gaochang District County
Nationality Percentage
Uyghurs
77.4%
Han People
15.7%
Hui People
6.6%
Others
0.3%
Source of the population statistics:[4]

Subdivisions

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Gaochang District is divided into 4 subdistricts, 5 towns, 3 townships and 1 other township-level division.

Name Simplified Chinese Hanyu Pinyin Uyghur (UEY) Uyghur Latin (ULY) Administrative division code
Subdistricts
Laocheng Subdistrict 老城街道 Lǎochéng Jiēdào كونا شەھەر كوچا باشقارمىسى Kona sheher kocha bashqarmisi 650402001
Gaochang Subdistrict 高昌街道 Gāochāng Jiēdào قاراھوجا كوچا باشقارمىسى Qarahoja kocha bashqarmisi 650402002
Putaogou Subdistrict 葡萄沟街道 Pútáogōu Jiēdào بۇيلۇق كوچا باشقارمىسى Buyluq kocha bashqarmisi 650402003
Hongliuhe Subdistrict 红柳河街道 Hóngliǔhé Jiēdào يۇلغۇن ئېغىن كوچا باشقارمىسى Yulghun ëghin kocha bashqarmisi 650402004
Towns
Qiquanhu Town 七泉湖镇 Qīquánhú Zhèn چىچان بازىرى Chichan baziri 650402100
Daheyan Town 大河沿镇 Dàhéyán Zhèn داخىيەن بازىرى Daxiyen baziri 650402101
Yar Town 亚尔镇 Yà'ěr Zhèn يار بازىرى Yar baziri 650402102
Aydingköl Town
(Aidinghu Town)
艾丁湖镇 Àidīnghú Zhèn ئايدىڭكۆل بازىرى Aydingköl baziri 650402103
Ürümchilik Town
(Putao Town)
葡萄镇 Pútáo Zhèn ئۈرۈمچىلىك بازىرى Ürümchilik baziri 650402104
Yalquntagh Town
(Huoyanshan Town)
火焰山镇 Huǒyànshān Zhèn يالقۇنتاغ بازىرى Yalquntagh baziri 650402105
Townships
Chatqal Township 恰特喀勒乡 Qiàtèkālè Xiāng چاتقال يېزىسى Chatqal yëzisi 650402203
Astane Township
(Sanbu Township)
三堡乡 Sānbǔ Xiāng ئاستانە يېزىسى Astane yëzisi 650402205
Shengjin Township 胜金乡 Shèngjīn Xiāng سىڭگىم يېزىسى Singgim yëzisi 650402206
Township-level division
Turpan Seed Stock Station 原种场 Yuánzhǒngchǎng ئەسلى ئۇرۇمچىلىق مەيدانى Esli Urumchiliq meydani 650402401

Climate

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Gaochang District has a cold-desert climate (Köppen climate classification Dwa). The average annual temperature in Gaochang is 6.5 °C (43.7 °F). The average annual rainfall is 50.8 mm (2.00 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around 22.8 °C (73.0 °F) and lowest in January, at around −11.5 °C (11.3 °F).

Climate data for Gaochang (Hongliuhe, 1981−2010 normals, extremes 1981−2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 12.3
(54.1)
15.6
(60.1)
23.5
(74.3)
28.5
(83.3)
34.4
(93.9)
36.9
(98.4)
40.2
(104.4)
40.6
(105.1)
34.5
(94.1)
26.3
(79.3)
18.3
(64.9)
12.9
(55.2)
40.6
(105.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −2.7
(27.1)
2.1
(35.8)
8.8
(47.8)
16.8
(62.2)
23.5
(74.3)
28.2
(82.8)
30.3
(86.5)
28.9
(84.0)
23.6
(74.5)
14.8
(58.6)
5.4
(41.7)
−1.7
(28.9)
14.8
(58.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) −11.5
(11.3)
−6.8
(19.8)
0.2
(32.4)
8.1
(46.6)
15.3
(59.5)
20.5
(68.9)
22.8
(73.0)
21.1
(70.0)
15.2
(59.4)
6.1
(43.0)
−3.2
(26.2)
−10.0
(14.0)
6.5
(43.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −18.1
(−0.6)
−14.1
(6.6)
−7.4
(18.7)
0.1
(32.2)
7.0
(44.6)
12.6
(54.7)
15.4
(59.7)
13.8
(56.8)
7.6
(45.7)
−1.1
(30.0)
−9.8
(14.4)
−15.9
(3.4)
−0.8
(30.5)
Record low °C (°F) −27.3
(−17.1)
−26.6
(−15.9)
−21.3
(−6.3)
−11.2
(11.8)
−6.4
(20.5)
2.4
(36.3)
5.2
(41.4)
1.0
(33.8)
−1.4
(29.5)
−18.5
(−1.3)
−24.2
(−11.6)
−29.5
(−21.1)
−29.5
(−21.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 1.0
(0.04)
1.0
(0.04)
2.2
(0.09)
2.7
(0.11)
4.5
(0.18)
8.9
(0.35)
13.1
(0.52)
9.2
(0.36)
3.3
(0.13)
1.8
(0.07)
1.8
(0.07)
1.3
(0.05)
50.8
(2.01)
Average relative humidity (%) 56 42 31 25 23 28 32 31 28 35 45 56 36
Source: China Meteorological Data Service Center[5]

Notes

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  1. ^ Locals in Xinjiang frequently observe UTC+6 (Xinjiang Time), 2 hours behind Beijing.

References

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  1. ^ Xinjiang: Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties
  2. ^ "原新疆吐鲁番市为何更名为高昌区?-亚心网". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-04-21.
  3. ^ "吐鲁番撤地设市 新疆首个撤销地区建制设立的地级市". news.xinhuanet.com. ECNS - China News. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  4. ^ 3-7 各地、州、市、县(市)分民族人口数 [3-7 Population by Nationality by Prefecture, State, City and County (City)]. tjj.xinjiang.gov.cn (in Chinese). Statistical Bureau of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. 2020-06-10. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  5. ^ 中国地面气候标准值月值(1981-2010) (in Chinese (China)). China Meteorological Data Service Center. Retrieved January 16, 2023.