Barkam Explained

Barkam should not be confused with Barkham.

Barkam
Native Name:Chinese: 马尔康市 · · Muerkvua shi
Other Name:Ma'erkang
Postal Code:624000
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Pushpin Map:Sichuan#China
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of the seat in Sichuan
Pushpin Label:Barkam
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Seat:Barkam Town
Settlement Type:County-level city
Mapsize:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:China
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Sichuan
Subdivision Type2:Autonomous prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Ngawa
Area Code:0837
Area Total Km2:6639
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:58390
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Density Km2:auto
Coordinates:31.9057°N 102.2065°W
Coor Pinpoint:Barkam municipal government
Elevation M:2615
S:马尔康
T:馬爾康
P:Mǎ'ěrkāng
Wylie:'bar khams
Zwpy:Barkam
Lang1 Content:Muerkvua
Order:st

Barkam or Markang or Muerkvua is a county-level city in Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, in the northwest of Sichuan province, China. The city seat is the town of Barkam.[2] [3] As of the 2010 Chinese Census, Barkam has a population of 58,437.

Toponymy

Barkam comes from the Tibetan "place of strong fire" and, by extension, "place of prosperity".

History

Historically, Barkam belonged to the Somang Tusi, one of the Gyalrong Tusi. The area was administered as three units: Zhuokeji, Zonggag, and Tamba .

During the Qin dynasty, the area belonged to Jiandi Dao.[4] It belonged to during the Han dynasty. During the Tang and Song dynasties, the area was part of the Jimi system. The area was governed by the Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs during the Yuan dynasty. During the reign of the Yongle Emperor during the Ming dynasty, the area belonged to the . During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dynasty, the area was brought under the control of the . Under the subsequent Jiaqing Emperor, the area was reorganized as the .

During the Republic of China, the area was organized as Lifan County .

People's Republic of China

In December 1950, officials from nearby Mao County embarked on a mission to establish temporary governing committees in the area of present-day Barkam. The People's Republic of China established control of the area in August 1951. In September 1951, the area was incorporated as the Situ Aba Provisional Military Government Committee . In April 1953, Barkam was organized as the Barkam Office . Barkam was reorganized as a county on April 21, 1956.

In 1957, the areas of Sizhai,, and were moved from Barkam County to nearby Hongyuan County.

In November 2015, the State Council agreed to reorganize Barkam as a county-level city.

On December 18, 2019, the Department of Civil Affairs of Sichuan Province approved the merger of the now-defunct town of into the town of Barkam.[5]

Geography

Barkam is located within the southwest portion of Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, in northwest Sichuan. The city is located on the southern edge of the . Major rivers that flow through Barkam include the, the Chabao River, and the . Barkam's canyons are densely forested, with major tree genus's including fir, spruce, larch, birch, and oak.[6] Quercus semecarpifolia, a species of oak tree, is present in Barkam.

Fauna

The forests in the mountains are home to various protected animals such as leopards, Thorold's deer, sika deer, takin, and various birds.

Climate

Due to its elevation, Barkam lies in the transition between a subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cwb) and humid continental climate (Köppen Dwb), with strong monsoonal influences; winters are frosty and summers warm with frequent rain. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from NaN°C in December and January to 16.4°C in July, while the annual mean is 8.75°C. Nearly two-thirds of the annual precipitation of 784mm occurs from June to September. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 36% in June to 65% in December, the town receives 2,133 hours of bright sunshine annually. Diurnal temperature variation is large, averaging annually.

Administrative divisions

Barkam administers the following three towns and 10 townships:[7]

NameSimplified ChinesePinyinTibetan[8] WylieQiangPopulation (2010 Chinese Census)Administrative division code
Towns
Barkam
(Mar'erkang)
Chinese: 马尔康镇Bbadh kangw seqea30,547513201100

(Songgang)
Chinese: 松岗镇2,104513201102

(Sha'erzong)
Chinese: 沙尔宗镇2,126513201103
Townships

(Suomo)
Chinese: 梭磨乡2,795513201200

(Baiwan)
Chinese: 白湾乡2,990513201201
Tamba Township
(Dangba)
Chinese: 党坝乡2,698513201202

(Mu'erzong)
Chinese: 木尔宗乡1,359513201203

(Jiaomuzu, Jomzhu)
Chinese: 脚木足乡3,302513201204

(Long'erjia)
Chinese: 龙尔甲乡1,527513201206

(Dazang)
Chinese: 大藏乡1,067513201207

(Kangshan)
Chinese: 康山乡1,599513201208

(Caodeng)
Chinese: 草登乡2,953513201209

(Ribu)
Chinese: 日部乡3,370513201210

Demographics

As of the 2010 Chinese Census, Barkam has a population of 58,437. This represents an increase from the 55,046 recorded in the 2000 Chinese Census. Barkam had a population of in 1999.[9] In 1996, Barkam had an estimated population of 54,000.

As of 2016 government figures, 77.41% of Barkam is classified as ethnically Tibetan, while 18.09% is ethnically Han Chinese, 2.97% is ethnically Qiang, 1.20% is ethnically Hui, and the remaining 0.34% belong to other ethnic groups.[10]

The area is traditionally inhabited by a branch of Rgyalrong people who speak the Situ language.[11] hosts a unique dialect of Situ.[12]

Economy

As of 2021, Barkam has a gross domestic product (GDP) of about 4.6 billion renminbi (RMB).[13] This represents an approximate 70% increase from 2016. GDP per capita as of 2021 was approximately 78,000 RMB, also a 70% increase from 2016.

Barkam is home to over 1,300 ingredients used in traditional Chinese medicine, including many derived from local deer, bears, cattle, fungus, and lilies.

Transport

Tourism

Major historical sites in Barkam include:

      • Zonggag Zhibo Stone Blockhouse Group
  • Red Army Slogan Stone Inscription
  • Zhuomu Blockhouse Meeting Site

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 阿坝州第七次全国人口普查公报第二号——县(市)人口情况 . Government of Ngawa Prefecture . zh . 2021-06-11 .
  2. Web site: 2015-12-17 . zh:马尔康市历史沿革 . Ma'erkang Organizational History . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240203161648/https://www.xzqh.org/html/show/sc/21781.html . 2024-02-03 . 2024-02-03 . xzqh.org . zh.
  3. Web site: 2015-12-17 . zh:马尔康市概况地图 . Ma'erkang Overview . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220617005254/http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/sc/18350.html . 2022-06-17 . 2024-02-03 . xzqh.org . zh.
  4. Web site: 2022-01-04 . zh:历史沿革 . Organizational History . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20220320040312/http://www.maerkang.gov.cn/maerkang/c100126/l_c.shtml . 2022-03-20 . 2024-02-03 . www.maerkang.gov.cn . Ma'erkang Municipal People's Government . zh.
  5. Web site: 2019-12-20 . zh:四川省人民政府关于同意阿坝州调整马尔康市等10个县(市)部分乡镇行政区划的批复(川府民政〔2019〕22号) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240203164708/https://mzt.sc.gov.cn/scmzt/gsgg/2019/12/20/f4e2697dcc1e440e9e4ddb9bc8a3989b.shtml . 2024-02-03 . 2024-02-03 . mzt.sc.gov.cn . Department of Civil Affairs of Sichuan Province . zh.
  6. Web site: 2021-05-27 . zh:自然资源 . Natural Resources . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20211017063324/http://maerkang.gov.cn/maerkang/c100130/l_c.shtml . 2021-10-17 . 2024-02-03 . maerkang.gov.cn . Ma'erkang Municipal People's Government . zh.
  7. Web site: 2023 . zh:2023年统计用区划代码(马尔康市) . 2023 Statistical Division Codes (Barkam) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240123051956/https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/tjbz/tjyqhdmhcxhfdm/2023/51/32/513201.html . 2024-01-23 . 2024-02-03 . . zh.
  8. Web site: Administrative Divisions of China in minority languages (Sichuan) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240203160604/https://ttpedersen.github.io/china-administrative-divisions/51.html . 2024-02-03 . 2024-02-03 . ttpedersen.github.io.
  9. National Population Statistics Materials by County and City - 1999 Period, in China County & City Population 1999, Harvard China Historical GIS
  10. Web site: 2017-03-22 . zh:行政区划 . Administrative Divisions . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170613163542/http://maerkang.gov.cn/html/about_11.html . 2017-06-13 . 2024-02-03 . maerkang.gov.cn . Ma'erkang Municipal Government . zh.
  11. Web site: Rgyalrong Culture . Ma'erkang City Government website . zh:嘉绒人文 . 2019-09-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190328071943/http://www.maerkang.gov.cn/html/about_7.html . 2019-03-28 . dead .
  12. Zhang . Shuya . January 2023 . zh:四土嘉绒语白湾话核心论元关系化 . Relationalization of Core Arguments in the Baiwan Dialect of the Situ rGyalrong Language . Yuyan Kexue . zh . 22 . 1 . 76.
  13. Web site: 2022-01-04 . zh:社会经济 . Society and Economy . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20220320040338/http://www.maerkang.gov.cn/maerkang/c100128/l_c.shtml . 2022-03-20 . 2024-02-03 . www.maerkang.gov.cn . Ma'erkang Municipal People's Government . zh.