Niya County

Niya County^[5][6][7] (transliterated from the Uyghur نىيە ناھىيىسى Niyă Nahiyisi ; Chinese: 尼雅县), also from Mandarin Chinese as Minfeng County (Chinese: 民丰县), is a county within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and is under the administration of the Hotan Prefecture. It contains an area of 56,726 km² (21,902 sq mi). According to the 2002 census, it has a population of 30,000.^[8] The county is bordered to the north by Xayar County, to the east by Qiemo/Qarqan County, to the west by Yutian / Keriya County and to the south by Ngari Prefecture in Tibet.

Niya County نىيە ناھىيىسى (Uyghur) 民丰县 (Chinese) Minfeng
County
Niya County (red) in Hotan Prefecture (yellow) and Xinjiang
Niya Location of the seat in Xinjiang Show map of Southern Xinjiang Niya Niya (Xinjiang) Show map of Xinjiang Niya Niya (China) Show map of China
Coordinates: 37°04′N 82°46′E
Country	China
Autonomous region	Xinjiang
Prefecture	Hotan
County seat	Niya
Area [1][2]
• Total	56,759.86 km2 (21,915.10 sq mi)
Population  (2020)[3]
• Total	42,649
• Density	0.75/km2 (1.9/sq mi)
Ethnic groups
• Major ethnic groups	Uyghur[4]
Time zone	UTC+8 (China Standard[lower-alpha 1])
Postal code	848500
Website	www.mfx.gov.cn (in Chinese)

Niya County
Uyghur name
Uyghur	نىيە ناھىيىسى‎
Transcriptions Latin Yëziqi Niye Nahiyisi Yengi Yeziⱪ Niyə Nah̡iyisi SASM/GNC Niya Nahiyisi Siril Yëziqi Нийә Наһийиси
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	民丰县
Traditional Chinese	民豐縣
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Mínfēng Xiàn Wade–Giles Min²-fêng¹ Hsien⁴
Alternative Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	尼雅县
Traditional Chinese	尼雅縣
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Níyǎ Xiàn

The county seat is in the town of Niya, which is often referred to by the county name (Minfeng) as well. The Niya ruins are located 115 km north of Niya.

History

In the early 20th century, Aurel Stein carried out several expeditions in the area including exploration of the ancient Niya ruins.

In 1945, Minfeng Shezhiju (民豐設治局) was established. In 1947, the area became Minfeng County.^[2]

In 2012, the township of Yawatongguz (Yawatongguzi) was established.^[1][9]

In early 2015, a joint report issued by the Water Conservancy Office of Hotan prefecture and the regional Water Conservancy Department reported that up to 80 percent of the population of the county did not have access to clean drinking water.^[10]

In June 2015 in the lead-up to Ramadan, a beer festival was held in the county leading to condemnation from Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the World Uyghur Congress.^[7]

In September 2015, residents of the county were reported to be subject to new rules concerning unacceptable given names for Uyghur children.^[11]

On December 8, 2019, County Communist Party Committee Vice Secretary (县委副书记) and County Magistrate (县长) Ëziz Eli (艾则孜·艾力) penned a criticism of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act.^[12]

Geography

The northern part of the county is located in the Taklamakan Desert and consists of large areas of sand dunes. The population centers on oases around rivers flowing down from the mountains in the southern part of the county.

Climate

As of 1997^[update], on average, Minfeng experienced blowing dust or sand on 189 days in a year and visibility below 4,800 meters for more than half of winter and summer as well as for thirty to forty percent of spring. The lowest spring time temperature recorded in Minfeng was -22°C.^[13]

Climate data for Niya, elevation 1,410 m (4,630 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	19.2 (66.6)	22.3 (72.1)	33.2 (91.8)	36.1 (97.0)	37.7 (99.9)	40.8 (105.4)	41.8 (107.2)	41.7 (107.1)	37.8 (100.0)	32.3 (90.1)	25.7 (78.3)	21.5 (70.7)	41.8 (107.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	1.7 (35.1)	7.8 (46.0)	17.2 (63.0)	24.6 (76.3)	28.7 (83.7)	31.8 (89.2)	33.5 (92.3)	32.6 (90.7)	28.4 (83.1)	21.6 (70.9)	12.5 (54.5)	3.8 (38.8)	20.4 (68.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−5.2 (22.6)	0.6 (33.1)	9.3 (48.7)	16.5 (61.7)	20.9 (69.6)	24.4 (75.9)	25.9 (78.6)	24.8 (76.6)	19.8 (67.6)	11.7 (53.1)	3.8 (38.8)	−3.3 (26.1)	12.4 (54.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−11.1 (12.0)	−6.0 (21.2)	1.6 (34.9)	8.5 (47.3)	13.3 (55.9)	17.4 (63.3)	19.1 (66.4)	17.7 (63.9)	12.0 (53.6)	3.2 (37.8)	−3.2 (26.2)	−8.9 (16.0)	5.3 (41.5)
Record low °C (°F)	−25.8 (−14.4)	−23.7 (−10.7)	−11.4 (11.5)	−2.7 (27.1)	0.7 (33.3)	6.9 (44.4)	11.1 (52.0)	6.2 (43.2)	1.4 (34.5)	−6.6 (20.1)	−12.8 (9.0)	−19.8 (−3.6)	−25.8 (−14.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	1.8 (0.07)	1.1 (0.04)	1.1 (0.04)	2.9 (0.11)	5.3 (0.21)	14.6 (0.57)	9.6 (0.38)	6.0 (0.24)	4.8 (0.19)	0.4 (0.02)	0.2 (0.01)	1.0 (0.04)	48.8 (1.92)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	2.3	1.1	0.6	0.8	2.0	4.4	3.8	2.1	1.3	0.3	0.3	1.4	20.4
Average snowy days	4.9	2.1	0.6	0.2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.5	2.8	11.1
Average relative humidity (%)	52	42	28	26	31	37	41	42	43	43	43	53	40
Mean monthly sunshine hours	206.4	204.2	235.6	251.2	273.6	254.4	244.3	244.1	257.1	283.6	236.3	211.8	2,902.6
Percent possible sunshine	67	66	63	63	62	58	55	59	70	83	79	71	66
Source: China Meteorological Administration[14][15]

Administrative divisions

The county includes one town and six townships:^[1][16][17]

Name	Simplified Chinese	Hanyu Pinyin	Uyghur (UEY)	Uyghur Latin (ULY)	Administrative division code	Notes
Town
Niya Town	尼雅镇	Níyǎ Zhèn	نىيە بازىرى	niye baziri	653227100
Township
Niya Township	尼雅乡	Níyǎ Xiāng	نىيە يېزىسى	niye yëzisi	653227200
Rokiya Township	若克雅乡	Ruòkèyǎ Xiāng	رۇكىيا يېزىسى	rukiya yëzisi	653227201
Salgozak Township	萨勒吾则克乡	Sàlèwúzékè Xiāng	سالغوزەك يېزىسى[18]	salghozek yëzisi	653227202
Yeyik Township	叶亦克乡	Yèyìkè Xiāng	يېيىق يېزىسى	yëyiq yëzisi	653227203
Andir Township	安迪尔乡	Āndí'ěr Xiāng	ئەندىر يېزىسى[19]	Endir yëzisi	653227204
Yawatongguz Township (area of Yawatongguzlangar[20])	亚瓦通古孜乡	Yàwǎtōnggǔzī Xiāng	ياۋا توڭگۇز يېزىسى	yawatongguz yëzisi	653227205

Economy

The economy is primarily based on agriculture and livestock farming. Products of the county include corn, wheat, cotton and sheep wool. Industries in the county include electronics, agriculture technology, food processing, carpets and construction.^[2]

Demographics

As of 2015, Out of the 38,492 residents, 34,900 of the county were Uyghur, 3,509 were Han Chinese and 83 were from other ethnic groups.^[21]

As of 1999, 90.94% of the population of Niya (Minfeng) County was Uyghur and 8.91% of the population was Han Chinese.^[22]

Transportation

• China National Highway 315
• Tarim Desert Highway
• Minfeng railway station serving Hotan–Ruoqiang railway

Gallery

• 
  New Mosque - Minfeng.
• 
  Niya men (1912)
• 
  Map including Minfeng (labeled as MIN-FENG (NIYA BAZAR)) and surrounding region in the International Map of the World (ATC, 1971)
• 
  Map including Niya (labeled as MIN-FENG (NI-YA)) (ATC, 1971)
• 
  Map including the southern part of Minfeng/Niya County and the county's border with Tibet (DMA, 1975)
• 
  Map including part of Niya (Minfeng) County (DMA, 1979)
• 
  Map including Minfeng (labeled as Minfeng (Min-feng)) and surrounding region (DMA, 1980)^{[lower-alpha 2]}
• 
  Map including Niya (labeled as Minfeng) (DMA, 1990)

Notes

1. Locals in Xinjiang frequently observe UTC+6 (Xinjiang Time), 2 hours behind Beijing.
2. From map: "The representation of international boundaries is not necessarily authoritative."

References

1. 民丰县历史沿革 [Minfeng County Historical Development] (in Simplified Chinese). XZQH.org. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2019. 2003年，民丰县总面积56759.86平方千米，{...}2010年第六次人口普查，民丰县常住总人口33932人，其中：尼雅镇3486人，尼雅乡6373人，若克雅乡6895人，萨勒吾则克乡4195人，叶亦克乡3751人，安迪尔乡343人，安迪尔牧场2165人，城镇街道6724人。 2012年，设立亚瓦通古孜乡，乡政府驻亚瓦通古孜村（新政函[2012]90号）。调整后，全县辖1个镇、6个乡：尼雅镇、尼雅乡、若克雅乡、萨勒吾则克乡、叶亦克乡、安迪尔乡、亚瓦通古孜乡。
2. 夏征农; 陈至立, eds. (September 2009). 辞海：第六版彩图本 [Cihai (Sixth Edition in Color)] (in Chinese). 上海. Shanghai: 上海辞书出版社. Shanghai Lexicographical Publishing House. p. 1580. ISBN 9787532628599. 面积5.67万平方千米。{...}1945年由和阗县（今和田县）析置民丰设治局，1947年改民丰县。经济以农、牧业为主，产玉米、小麦、棉花和羊毛。工业有电力、农机修造、食品加工、地毯、建材等。
3. Xinjiang: Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties
4. 1997年民丰县行政区划. XZQH.org (in Simplified Chinese). 6 January 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2020. 其中维吾尔族占91％，辖1镇、5乡。
5. Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (2010). 建筑抗震设计规范 [GB50011-2010: Code for Seismic Design of Buildings] (in English and Simplified Chinese). Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press. p. 203 – via Google Books. Niya County
6. "'Many Uygurs like to drink': Chinese academic defends beer festival in Muslim region". South China Morning Post. 24 June 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2020. Xinjiang's government-run Tianshan website showed that officials in Niya county organised an event where local Muslims made and ate rice dumplings on Saturday, three days after the start of Ramadan, during which devout Muslims abstain from all food and drink during daylight hours.
7. Ben Blanchard (22 June 2015). Paul Tait (ed.). "Exiles angered as China holds beer festival in Muslim county". Reuters. Retrieved 9 December 2019. The beer festival happened in a village in Niya County in the deep south of Xinjiang, which is overwhelmingly populated by the Muslim Uighur people who call Xinjiang home. Muslims are not meant to consume alcohol, according to the Koran. The Niya government website said the "beer competition", which happened last Monday just before the start of Ramadan, was attended by more than 60 young farmers and herders.
8. The Silk Road - China and the Karakorum Highway: A Travel Companion 1780763565 Jonathan Tucker - 2015 - Niya, north of Minfeng, Xinjiang province (photograph by Antonia Tozer) Wooden tablet written in Kharosthi (Spink and Son Ltd.) The Shanpula cemetery, Luopu county, near Khotan, Xinjiang province (photograph by Antonia Tozer) Remains.
9. 2012年统计用区划代码和城乡划分代码：民丰县 [2012 Statistical Area Numbers and Rural-Urban Area Numbers: Minfeng County] (in Simplified Chinese). National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China. 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2020. 代码 名称 653227100000 尼雅镇 653227200000 尼雅乡 653227201000 若克雅乡 653227202000 萨勒吾则克乡 653227203000 叶亦克乡 653227204000 亚瓦通古孜乡 653227205000 安迪尔乡
10. Joshua Lipes; reporter Jilil Kashgary (4 February 2015). "More Than One Million Lack Clean Water in Xinjiang's Hotan Prefecture". Radio Free Asia. Translated by Mamatjan Juma. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
11. Roseanne Gerin; reporter Eset Sulaiman (24 September 2015). Eset Sulaiman (ed.). "Chinese Authorities Ban Muslim Names Among Uyghurs in Hotan". Retrieved 11 December 2019. A Uyghur woman named Turakhan who lives in a suburban village of Niya (in Chinese, Minfeng) county in Hotan (Hetian) prefecture told RFA's Uyghur Service on Wednesday that the village chief and police had informed all residents about "the list of forbidden Muslim names." "My daughter's name is Muslime, so the village police came to our house and told us that we must change our daughter's name as soon as possible," she said. "The police explained to us that a name such as Muslime was officially forbidden. Under such circumstances, we were forced to change our daughter's name." The police also told Turakhan: "It is the decision of the township and village authorities. Don't ask any foolish questions." Turakhan later found out that authorities were forbidding children whose parents did not change their names from attending kindergarten and elementary school, she said.
12. 艾则孜·艾力 (8 December 2019). 李梦婷 (ed.). 坚决不允许美国蓄意诋毁和抹黑新疆的人权状况. Xinhua News Agency (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 8 December 2019.
13. MSgt Donald E. Carey; Melody L. Higdon; Robert S. Lilianstrom; MSgt Charles D. Surls (September 1997). "East Asia A Climatological Study". Air Force Combat Climatology Center. pp. 4–7, 4–11, 4–29, 4–44 – via Internet Archive.
14. 中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
15. "Experience Template" 中国气象数据网 (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
16. 2018年统计用区划代码和城乡划分代码：民丰县 [2018 Statistical Area Numbers and Rural-Urban Area Numbers: Minfeng County] (in Simplified Chinese). National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China. 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2019. 统计用区划代码 名称 653227100000 尼雅镇 653227200000 尼雅乡 653227201000 若克雅乡 653227202000 萨勒吾则克乡 653227203000 叶亦克乡 653227204000 安迪尔乡 653227205000 亚瓦通古孜乡
17. 首页. 尼雅网-民丰县政府门户网站 (in Simplified Chinese). Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2020. 乡镇 尼雅乡 尼雅镇 若克雅乡 叶亦克乡 萨勒吾则克乡 亚瓦通古孜乡 安迪尔乡 街道办事处
18. سالغوزەك (Variant Non-Roman Script - VS) at GEOnet Names Server, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
19. ئابدۇسالام ئابلىز, ed. (24 December 2019). پەن - تېخنىكا ئارقىلىق نامراتلارنى دەل جايىدا يۆلەش كەنت ئاھالىلىرىنىڭ كىرىمىنى ئاشۇرۇپ بېيىتتى. 阿克苏新闻网-维文版 (in Uyghur). Retrieved 13 May 2020. نىيە ناھىيەسى ئەندىر يېزىسى
20. Webster's 21st Century World Atlas. Barnes & Noble Books. 1999. p. 83 – via Internet Archive. Yawatongguzlangar{...}Yeyik
21. 3-7 各地、州、市、县(市)分民族人口数 (in Simplified Chinese). شىنجاڭ ئۇيغۇر ئاپتونوم رايونى 新疆维吾尔自治区统计局 Statistic Bureau of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 15 March 2017. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
22. Morris Rossabi, ed. (2004). Governing China's Multiethnic Frontiers (PDF). University of Washington Press. p. 180. ISBN 0-295-98390-6.

External links

• 《农广天地》昆仑山下鸡羊鲜 20190218 | CCTV农业 (in Chinese)