Ürümqi

Ürümqi (ʊˈrʊmtʃi ; also spelled Urumqi or Urumchi), formerly known as Dihua (also spelled Tihwa), is the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the far northwest of the People's Republic of China. Ürümqi developed its reputation as a leading cultural and commercial center during the Qing dynasty in the 19th century. With a census population of 4 million in 2020, Ürümqi is the second-largest city in China's northwestern interior after Xi'an as well as the largest in Central Asia in terms of population. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Ürümqi is the most remote city from any sea in the world. Ürümqi has seen significant economic development since the 1990s and currently serves as a regional transport node and a cultural, political and commercial center. Ürümqi is one of the top 500 cities in the world by scientific research output, as tracked by the Nature Index. The city is also home to Xinjiang University, a comprehensive university with the highest academic level in Xinjiang, under the Project 211 and the Double First Class University Plan. The name "Ürümqi" comes from the Mongolic Oirat language and means "beautiful pasture". It was originally the name of a small town founded by the Oirat-speaking Mongol Dzungar people. The Qing dynasty took Ürümqi by force in 1755, during its conquest of the Dzungar Khanate. Qing forces expanded the town into a walled city from 1763 to 1767. Upon completing the expansion, the Qing renamed the city "Dihua" (; previously romanized as "Tihwa"), which literally means "to enlighten and civilize". Believing the name "Dihua" to be belittling and ethnically chauvinist, the Chinese Communist Party restored the name "Ürümqi" on 1 February 1954. Although Ürümqi is situated near the northern route of the Silk Road, the present city is relatively new. The earliest known settlement in the area can be dated to the 7th century CE, but there was no permanent settlement for a long period and it was not known as Ürümqi until the Dzungar Khanate in the 17th century.