Ürümqi

Ürümqi is the capital city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (East Turkestan) in northwest China. It is at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains.
Background.
With a population of two million people, this prairie city is a major hub on the ancient Silk Road , leading to Central Asia and even as far as Europe. It developed its reputation as a leading cultural and commercial center during the Qing Dynasty.
Ürümqi, whose name means "beautiful pasture" in the Mongolian language of the Dzungar people, is the largest city in China's western interior. Since the 1990s Ürümqi has developed economically and is now a regional transport node, cultural, and commercial centre.