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Cities of North China and the Loess Plateau

39 articles

Ankang, Shaanxi

Ankang (安康市) is a prefecture-level city in southern Shaanxi, China, between the Qinling and Daba mountains on the upper Han River; about 23,500 km², 3.05 million people, core water source for the South-to-North Water Diversion Middle Route, site of a major 2011 relocation program.

Baoji (city)

Baoji (宝鸡) is a prefecture-level city in western Shaanxi, China, at the western end of the Guanzhong Plain, known for its Zhou bronzes and titanium industry.

Baotou

Baotou (包头, from Mongolian Baoketu, 'place with deer', 'Deer City') is a prefecture-level city in western Inner Mongolia bordering Mongolia, a steel, rare-earth and aluminum industrial hub known as the 'Steel City on the Grassland'.

Chifeng

Chifeng (赤峰, Ulaanhad) is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Inner Mongolia, China, formerly Juu Uda League, seat of Hongshan culture jade dragons and the Liao capitals, with 3.887 million residents and 90,021 km².

Guyuan

Guyuan (固原) is a prefecture-level city in semiarid southern Ningxia, China, on the Loess Plateau at the Liupan Mountains. Five counties, Silk Road hub, water-scarce agricultural region, 1.14 million residents (2024).

Hancheng

Hancheng (韩城) is a county-level city in Weinan, Shaanxi, on the Yellow River opposite Shanxi. Hometown of historian Sima Qian, a 3,000-year national historical and cultural city, and a coal-and-power energy industrial center.

Hanzhong

Hanzhong (汉中) is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shaanxi, China, in the upper Han River basin between the Qinling and Daba mountains; population about 3.21 million, area about 27,100 km², birthplace of Han dynasty names and a 1996 prefecture-level city.

Huayin

Huayin (华阴市) is a county-level city of Weinan, Shaanxi, at Mount Hua. Named in 199 BC, county-to-city 1990; 676 km², 4 towns, 2 subdistricts, tourism economy.

Hulunbuir

Hulunbuir (呼伦贝尔), also spelled Hulunbeier, is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Inner Mongolia, China, named after Hulun Lake and Buir Lake and among the largest cities by area in the world.

Jiexiu

Jiexiu (介休市) is a county-level city in central Shanxi province, China, administered by Jinzhong. Its name comes from Jie Zitui, who withdrew to Mount Mian there in 636 BC.

Jinchang

Jinchang (金昌市), a prefecture-level city in Gansu's Hexi Corridor founded in 1981, is China's 'nickel capital', built on the Jinchuan copper-nickel deposit and Jinchuan Group, with 670.24亿元 GDP in 2025.

Jincheng, Shanxi

Jincheng (晋城), historically Zezhou, is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Shanxi on the Henan border, established 1985; 2.15 million people, 9,490 km², 72 national heritage sites, and a coal, coalbed methane, and steel economy.

Jinzhong

Jinzhong (晋中市) is a prefecture-level city in central Shanxi, China, seat at Yuci, bordering Taiyuan. Area 16,391 km²; 2025 population 3.29 million; GDP 246.26 billion yuan; home of Pingyao Ancient City and Jin merchant culture.

Linfen

Linfen (临汾) is a prefecture-level city in southwest Shanxi, China, on the Fen River; ancient Pingyang, seat of Emperor Yao's legendary capital. Coal, coke, and steel hub once ranked among the world's most polluted cities, now undergoing environmental cleanup.

Lüliang

Lüliang (吕梁市) is a prefecture-level city in central-western Shanxi, China, seat Lishi District, named for the Lüliang Mountains. It covers 21,000 km², administers 1 district, 2 cities, 10 counties, and is a major coal and qingxiang baijiu producer.

Pingliang

Pingliang (平凉市), prefecture-level city in eastern Gansu at the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia junction; 11,000 km², 1.85 million residents (2020), coal-energy base, apple and red-cattle farming, Kongtong Mountain 5A site.

Qingyang, Gansu

Qingyang (庆阳市) is a prefecture-level city in eastern Gansu on the Loess Plateau, at the Gansu-Shaanxi-Ningxia junction; an oil, coal, and agriculture center and a national "East Data, West Computing" hub with about 2.13 million residents.

Shangluo

Shangluo (商洛市, Shangzhou) is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Shaanxi, China, in the southern Qinling Mountains bordering Henan and Hubei; named for Mount Shang and the Luo River, it has one district and six counties, about 2.5 million people, and a nature- and wellness-oriented economy.

Shizuishan

Shizuishan (石嘴山) is a prefecture-level city in northern Ningxia, China, founded in 1960 as the region's first state coal industrial base, known for anthracite, now transforming industrially, with Dawukou, Huinong districts and Pingluo County.

Shuozhou

Shuozhou (朔州) is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi, China, bordering Datong and Inner Mongolia. A major coal and coal-power base holding one sixth of Shanxi's coal reserves, it is also home to the 1056 Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, China's oldest and tallest all-wood pagoda.

Tianshui

Tianshui (天水市) is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Gansu, China, at the midpoint of Lanzhou, Xi'an, Yinchuan, and Chengdu; a National Historical and Cultural City with the Dadiwan site, Fuxi Temple, and Maijishan grottoes, 2.9 million residents, and Gansu's second-largest economy.

Tongchuan, Shaanxi

Tongchuan (铜川) is a prefecture-level city in central Shaanxi, China, with about 803,700 people. A coal and cement city once called "the city invisible on satellites," it was designated resource-depleted in 2009 and is transitioning its economy.

Tongchuanshi

Tongchuanshi (Tongchuan Shi, 铜川市) is a prefecture-level city in central Shaanxi, China, north of Xi'an. A former coal and cement base producing 70% of Shaanxi's coal, it was named resource-exhausted in 2009 and now pivots to tourism around the Yaozhou kilns, Sun Simiao, and Zhaojin.

Tongliao

Tongliao (通辽), formerly Jirem League, is a prefecture-level city in eastern Inner Mongolia on the Horqin grassland; 59,535 km², 2.75 million residents (2025), a major corn, beef, coal, and aluminum base and center of Mongol culture.

Ulanhot

Ulanhot (乌兰浩特市; Mongolian Улаанхот, "Red City"), formerly Wangye Miao, is the county-level seat of Hinggan League, Inner Mongolia; birthplace of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government on 1 May 1947, renamed from Wangye Miao in December 1947.

Ulanqab

Ulanqab (乌兰察布市, Wulanchabu), prefecture-level city in central Inner Mongolia, seat Jining District, area about 54,500 km2; shrinking population (1.695 million, 2020 census) but a fast-growing AI data center and green power hub near Beijing.

Weinan

Weinan (渭南) is a prefecture-level city in east-central Shaanxi, China, 60 km east of Xi'an on the Guanzhong Plain; 4.58 million residents (2024), a major apple and grain producer, and home to Mount Hua.

Wuzhong

Wuzhong (吴忠) is a prefecture-level city in central Ningxia, China, on the Yellow River, administering Litong, Hongsibu, Qingtongxia, Yanchi, and Tongxin. Known for Helan Mountain East Foothill wine, Yanchi Tan sheep, ancient Yellow River irrigation canals, and a 54.7% Hui population.

Xianyang

Xianyang (咸阳), Shaanxi city on the Wei River; capital of Qin state from 350 BC and of the Qin dynasty 221–206 BC; burned by Xiang Yu in 206 BC; now integrated with Xi'an.

Xilin Hot

Xilin Hot (锡林浩特市, Xilinhot), county-level city and seat of Xilingol League in central Inner Mongolia; about 14,780 km² of typical steppe, 351,500 residents, coal-and-power economy with growing winter tourism.