Hohhot in Brief

Hohhot, originally named “Guisui city”, the capital city of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, literarily means “green city” in Mongolian language. It covers an area of 17,200 square kilometers, with a population of 2,948,800, including 2,200,000 in the urban. The overall population is composed of 41 ethnic groups, Mongolian being the main body, Han, the majority and Manchu, Hui, Daur, Ewenki, etc. As a hub of 23 national roads, it is the center of politics, culture, education, science & technology, economy and finance of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and it boasts high reputation for its forest, grassland, enthusiastic nationality people, tourist resources and milk industry.

Hohhot city has jurisdiction over four districts: Xincheng District, Saihan District, Huimin District, and Yuquan District; four counties: Tuoketuo County, Qingshuihe County, Horinger County and Wuchuan County; Tumet Left Banner; four economic-technological development areas: Jinqiao Area, Jinchuan Area, Jinshan Area and Ruyi Area.

Hohhot is voted as one of the top 50 cities with best investment environment, one of top 100 cities  with  strong tourism competitiveness, ranking the sixth in top ten happiest capital cities in China in 2012 and one of top ten beautiful cities in China in 2011.

The city boasts rich cultural relics and historical sites such as the ancient great wall, Shengle city, Wang Zhaojun’s Tomb, Dazhao Lamasery, Suiyuan General’s House, Jingangzuo Stupa, Baita, Princess’ Mansion, Xilitu Lamasery, Hadamen Plateau resorts, Shenquan ecological resorts, and Hasuhai Lake etc.

Transportation

Air traffic

As the major air transportation hub in Inner Mongolia, the Baita International Airport is located 15 kilometers to the south-east of Hohhot city.  Up to 2012, the airport operates 133 airlines from Hohhot to 53 cities, including 102 domestic, 8 international and 3 routs within Inner Mongolia.

The airfield area ranks 4E grade, with a 3600×45 meter runway and a 5000-square meter terminal.  The passengers are up to 5,435,000 every year. The airport is well-equipped with very-high-frequency omni directional Range (VOR), satellite telephone station, weather radar, two-way instrument landing system.

Ground transportation

Railroad

Hohhot Railway Administration has been established to manage the local railroad transportation. The Beijng-Baotou Railway goes via Hohhot. The trains originate in Beijnig, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Manzhouli, Wulanhot, Tongliao, Chifeng, Xilinhot, Eronhot, XiAn, Datong, Linfen go via Hohhot, and the trains to Tianjin, Haerbin, Shenyang, Hangzhou, Wuchang, Guangzhou, Shijiazhuang, XiAn, Yinchuan, Qingdao, Nanchang are also accessible. As for the local trains, the trains originate in Wuhai West Station, Erenhot, Dongsheng go to almost all the cities under the regional government. The international train to Mongolia departs every Wednesday and Thursday.

Besides Hohhot Railway Station, Hohhot East Railway Station has come into service since October 2010.

The special railway line from Zhangjiakou to Hohhot began to be built in February 2011 and will be finished in 2014 expectedly, and then the passenger train from Hohhot to Beijing will take only two hours.

Highway

Hohhot-Baotou Highway has come into service, and the Third Ring was built in December 2008, which connects the western leagues and cities, Yinchuan, Lanzhou; Beijing-Hohhot Highway makes it convenient to get to Beijing from Hohhot: five-hour’s drive; the inter-banner and inter-county roads have bettered the transportation status in the farming and stockbreeding areas greatly; six passenger bus routs to Mongolia and Russia are also accessible.

There are more than 100 bus lines and 4000 taxies inside the city.

The rail transit transportation projects have been in agenda.

Physical Geography

Overview

In geographic terms, Hohhot city is located in the middle part of Inner Mongolia, at latitude 40°51’-41°8’N, longitude 110°46’-112°10’E, to the south of Daqingshan Mountain, covering an area of 17,224 square kilometers. It borders on Baotou, Erdos, Ulanqab and Shanxi providence.

Landform

Hohhot’s landform is mainly featured by mountain and the two geomorphic units include Daqingshang Mountain in the north and the Manhanshan Mountain in the south-east. Besides, the Tumet Plain lies in the south and south-west. The city is at 1040 meters above sea level and has gentle slopes in the north, growing steep in the south.

Climate

Hohhot has a typical plateau continental climate:  four distinct seasons, drying and windy spring, short and warm summer , cool autumn with temperature falling down rapidly, long and harsh winter; great temperature fluctuation both in a day and in a year, not much rainfall and snowfall.  On the whole Hohhot is not a warm place. The annual temperature differs from place to place, about 2 degrees centigrade in the northern part and 7 degrees centigrade in the southern part.The average temperature in June is 21 degrees centigrade.  The average annual precipitation is 335.2-534.6 mm, most of which is in July and August. Another feature of Hohhot’s climate is its abundant solar energy; the annual sunshine duration is 1600 hours.