XINJIANG

Full Name: Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture

Chinese Name: 克孜勒苏柯尔克孜族自治州 (kè zÄ« lè sÅ« kÄ“ Ä›r kè zÄ« zú zì zhì zhōu)

Population: 484,300 

Area: 72,500 square kilometers (27,992 square miles)

Nationalities: Uygur, Kirgiz, Han

History:
When Central China had entered its golden age of the slave society three thousand years ago, the Kizilsu was still governed by tribe union in matrilineal society. Nomads had established several kingdoms in this region before it was brought into the domain of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD).

Location:
Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture is located in the west of Xinjiang, bordered by Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the north and west. It shares a boundary of 1,195 kilometers with these two countries. In addition, it is bounded on the east by the Aksu Region and in the neighborhood of Kashgar in the south.       

Physical Features:
The region is situated at the southwest foot of Tianshan Mountains and the north foot of the Kunlun Mountains and lies in the east of Pamir Plateau and northwest Tarim Basin. Mountains constitute the main framework of its terrain with basins and valleys interleaving among those mountains. Duo to several rivers in the region, plains make up the main part of central Kizilsu.