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Yinchuan (Simplified Chinese: 银川; Traditional Chinese: 銀川; pinyin: Yínchuān) is the capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, and former capital of the Western Xia Empire of the Tanguts. It has an area of 4467 km and an estimated population of 736,300.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 Geography 2 Climate 3 Economy 4 Tourism 5 Administrative divisions 6 Colleges and universities 7 2006 Internet phenomenon 8 References

Yinchuan lies to the west of the Yellow River and to the east of Helan Mountain. The topography is divided into two main sections, the mountainous region in the west and south and the plains in the north and east. The average eleavtion of Yinchuan is 1,100 meters (about 3,608 feet). The city is located in the central section of Ningxia Plain which is irrigated by the Yellow River.

The average annual temperature of Yinchuan is 8.5 degrees Celsius. The city has an average annual rainfall of 200 mm and an annual frost time of 158 days.

The city's gross domestic product per capita was ¥11975 (US$1450) in 2003, ranking 197th of 659 Chinese cities. Its main industries are the production of Chinese wolfberry, wheat, apple, and rice.^{[citation needed]}

The city's attractions include the Sand-lake and XiXia mausoleum. Since 2000, Yinchuan has hosted the annual Yinchuan International Car and Motorcycle Tourism Festival, which usually occurs in August. It is the largest event of its kind in China; approximately 3000 motorcycles attend annually.

• Xingqing District (兴庆区; pinyin: Xīngqìng Qū)
• Jinfeng District (金凤区; pinyin: Jīnfèng Qū)
• Xixia District (西夏区; pinyin: Xīxià Qū)
• Lingwu City (灵武市; pinyin: Língwǔ Shì)
• Yongning County (永宁县; pinyin: Yǒngníng Xiàn)
• Helan County (贺兰县; pinyin: Hèlán Xiàn)

• Ningxia University
• Second Northwest Nationalities University
• Ningxia Medical Institute

Yinchuan was subject to an Internet phenomenon after a user of Google Earth posted images of what s/he believed was a secret People's Liberation Army military facility.^[1] The facility, estimated at around 630,000 m² in size, is 35 km from Yinchuan and in the town of Huangyangtan. The purpose of the facility was speculated on the Internet following the original posting, although no official explanation for the site has been given. A subsequent posting of a photograph on the Chinese wforum.com claimed that it constituted a terrain model of the disputed Aksai Chin region of China;^[2][3][4] the image includes a watermark of Xinhua News Agency, the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China.

Authorities in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region have been quoted as saying that the site is used as a tank training facility.^[5]