Ili Travel Guide

Ili also known as “Yili” in Chinese, it is Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. It got its name Ili from the famous river Ili river. It situated northwest of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Geographical Location

Ili borders with three countries and three prefectures. It borders with Russia and Mongolia on the northeast, Republic of Kazakhstan on its northwest. Changji Hui Autonmous Prefecture and Bayingolin Autonomous Prefecture on its southeast, and Aksu Prefecture on its southwest.

Administrative Division

Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture is a prefecture at sub- provincial level. Ili, Tacheng, and Altay are the under special jurisdiction of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. Two districts are Altay and Tacheng, two cities are Yili and Kuntun cities, and seven countires are Yili county, Huocheng county, Gongliu County, Xinyuan County, Zhaosu County, Tekes County, Nilka County, and one autonomous county is Qapqal Xibe Autnomous County.

Yili is the capital city of Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. It is the administrative, economic, and cultural center of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture.

Population

There are thirteen main nationalities living in whole prefecture, and their population is 4.4 million. They are; Kazakh, Han, Uyghur, Hui, Mongol, Xibo and ….. Among which; Kazakhs makes up the 25.5%, Han 45.2%, Uyghur 15.9%, Hui 8.3%, Mongol 1.69, and Xibo 0.83% of whole population.

Tourist Attractions

Ili is famous for both its natural and historical sites, among which, Narat Grassland, Sayram Lake, Ili River, Butterflies Valley, Beytulla Mosque, and tughluq Temur Khan tomb are considered important historical sites in the area.

Ili Weather

Ili Autonomous Prefecture belongs to continental climate zone. Weather featured as a mild and humid with short summer and long winter. There is a weather difference between the areas. There is a huge difference between the weather during the day and night.

The annual average temperature is 10.4 ℃ , highest temperature reaches as high as 42.8 ℃ and lowest temperature reaches to as low as -51.0 ℃ with annual rainfall of 417.6 mm, with average sunshine hours of 2898.4 hours.