| Baoji | |||||||
| Other Name: | Pao-chi, Paochi, Paoki | ||||||
| Native Name: | 宝鸡市 | ||||||
| Native Name Lang: | zh-Hans | ||||||
| Settlement Type: | Prefecture-level city | ||||||
| Coor Pinpoint: | Baoji government | ||||||
| Coordinates: | 34.363°N 107.238°W | ||||||
| Subdivision Type: | Country | ||||||
| Subdivision Name: | People's Republic of China | ||||||
| Subdivision Type1: | Province | ||||||
| Subdivision Name1: | Shaanxi | ||||||
| Seat Type: | Municipal seat | ||||||
| Seat: | Jintai District | ||||||
| Established Title: | Founded | ||||||
| Established Date: | 2000 BC | ||||||
| Area Total Km2: | 18159 | ||||||
| Area Metro Km2: | 3670.3 | ||||||
| Elevation M: | 570 | ||||||
| Population As Of: | 2020 census | ||||||
| Population Footnotes: | [1] | ||||||
| Population Total: | 3321853 | ||||||
| Population Density Km2: | auto | ||||||
| Population Metro: | 1475962 | ||||||
| Population Density Metro Km2: | auto | ||||||
| Area Urban Km2: | 3670.3 | ||||||
| Population Urban: | 1862118 | ||||||
| Population Density Urban Km2: | auto | ||||||
| Demographics Type2: | GDP[2] | ||||||
| Demographics2 Title1: | Prefecture-level city | ||||||
| Demographics2 Info1: | CN¥ 179 billion US$ 28.7 billion | ||||||
| Demographics2 Title2: | Per capita | ||||||
| Demographics2 Info2: | CN¥ 47,565 US$7,637 | ||||||
| Timezone: | China Standard | ||||||
| Utc Offset: | +8 | ||||||
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code | ||||||
| Postal Code: | 721000 | ||||||
| Area Code: | 0917 | ||||||
| Iso Code: | CN-SN-03 | ||||||
| Blank2 Name: | License Plate Prefix | ||||||
| Blank2 Info: | Chinese: 陕C | ||||||
| Module: |
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Baoji is a prefecture-level city in western Shaanxi province, People's Republic of China. Since the early 1990s, Baoji has been the second largest city in Shaanxi.[4]
The prefecture-level city of Baoji had a population of 3,321,853 according to the 2020 Chinese census, inhabiting an area of 18159km². The built-up (or metro) area made of 3 urban districts had a population of 1,475,962 inhabitants as of the 2020 Chinese census, Fengxiang District not being conurbated yet. Surrounded on three sides by hills, Baoji is in a valley opening out to the east. Its location is strategic, controlling a pass on the Qin Mountains between the Wei River valley and the Jialing River.
Thriving early in the Tang dynasty, it has roots to 2000 BC.[5] Today it is a large industrial center. Railways first reached Baoji in 1937 and have been key to its modern growth.
Passing through Baoji is the ancient Northern Silk Road, the northernmost route of about 2600km (1,600miles) in length, which connected the ancient Chinese capital of Chang'an to the West over the Wushao Ling Mountain to Wuwei and emerging in Kashgar before linking to ancient Parthia.[6]
Baoji is considered the gateway between western and eastern China since most trains from Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an pass through here on their way to Gansu, Sichuan, Xinjiang and Tibet (Lhasa). Famen temple, home to one of Buddha's finger bones, is in Baoji County. The Baoji area was home to the legendary Yandi, one of the Han Chinese forefathers. His tomb is in the southern part of the city and his temple is in the north.
People who are interested in the Three Kingdoms of ancient China can visit Zhuge Liang's Memorial Temple, about 20km (10miles) from Baoji.
Mount Taibai still has some remaining traces of roadways built during the Three Kingdoms period (220−280 CE) which are all generally unusable due to decay. They remain a popular attraction because they were built by making wood plank bridges along the side of the mountain.
To the south of Baoji lies the beginning of the plank road into the Qin Mountains. There are also several natural sites such as the Jialing Jiang Fountainhead with its small waterfalls and forests. To the north is Bei Puo, a giant hill made of loess with a panoramic view of the city and a landscape dotted with small farming villages that offer local cuisine.
A number of Longshan archaeological sites have been found north of the Wei River near the North Silk Road.[7]
Baoji is home to the Baoji Bronze Museum which holds more than 120,000 pieces of cultural relics, primarily of Zhou dynasty descent.[8]
| Map | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Population (2010) | Area (km2) | Density (/km2) | |
| Weibin District | Chinese: 渭滨区 | Wèibīn Qū | 448,189 | 728 | 616 | |
| Jintai District | Chinese: 金台区 | Jīntái Qū | 394,538 | 332 | 1,188 | |
| Chencang District | Chinese: 陈仓区 | Chéncāng Qū | 595,075 | 2,517 | 236 | |
| Fengxiang District | Chinese: 凤翔区 | Fèngxiáng Qū | 483,471 | 1,179 | 410 | |
| Qishan County | Chinese: 岐山县 | Qíshān Xiàn | 459,064 | 855 | 537 | |
| Fufeng County | Chinese: 扶风县 | Fúfēng Xiàn | 416,398 | 751 | 554 | |
| Mei County | Chinese: 眉县 | Méi Xiàn | 299,988 | 863 | 348 | |
| Long County | Chinese: 陇县 | Lǒng Xiàn | 248,901 | 2,418 | 103 | |
| Qianyang County | Chinese: 千阳县 | Qiānyáng Xiàn | 123,959 | 959 | 129 | |
| Linyou County | Chinese: 麟游县 | Línyóu Xiàn | 90,728 | 1,806 | 50 | |
| Feng County | Chinese: 凤县 | Fèng Xiàn | 105,492 | 3,187 | 33 | |
| Taibai County | Chinese: 太白县 | Tàibái Xiàn | 50,928 | 2,780 | 18 | |
Established in 1992, Baoji Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone was approved as a national hi-tech zone by State Council. It has a long-term planned area of . The transportation system around the zone includes Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and National Highway 310. Its encouraged industries are auto parts, electronics, IT, pharmaceutical and bioengineering industry and new materials.[9]
Baoji is the headquarters of the 21st Group Army of the People's Liberation Army, one of the two group armies that comprise the Lanzhou Military Region responsible for defending China's northwest borders.
The G85 Yinchuan-Kunming Expressway, China National Highway 310, and G30 Lianyungang-Khorgas Expressway are major highways that run through Baoji.
The city is serviced by the Baoji South on the Xi'an-Baoji and Baoji-Lanzhou sections of the Xuzhou-Xinjiang high speed railway. The Longhai, Baocheng and Baozhong railways also call at Baoji railway station.[10]
A metro system is in the planning stages.