Prefecture-level city in Ningxia, People's Republic of China
Zhongwei (simplified Chinese: 中卫; traditional Chinese: 中衛; pinyin: Zhōngwèi; Wade–Giles: Chung-wei; lit. 'middle guard', Xiao'erjing: جْووِ شِ) is a prefecture-level city of Ningxia, People's Republic of China. It has an area of 16,986.1 km2 (6,558.4 sq mi) and a population of 1,174,600 in 2019.[4][5] The city is known for its wolfberry and Gobi watermelon cultivation.[2] One of the world's largest photovoltaic power station, Tengger Desert Solar Park, is located in Zhongwei.[6]
History
Under general Meng Tian, the Qin captured the area of Zhongwei and established the Beidi Commandery. In 205 BC a city was built at the current location of Zhongwei urban area, which would grow as irrigation systems were built to allow farming.[7]
In 1226 Genghis Khan captured Zhongwei. In 1403 the city was named Zhongwei, part of Shaanxi.[7]
In 1920 Zhongwei was struck by the Haiyuan earthquake. In 1926 the highway from Lanzhou to Zhongwei opened.[7]
Tourism
Zhongwei's main attraction is Gao Miao, a temple that has hosted Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist ceremonies. A bomb shelter was also built beneath the temple during the Cultural Revolution. It has since been converted into a rendition of a Buddhist hell.[8] The prefecture is also the location of the beginning of the northern bend in the Yellow River that produces the Ordos Loop. A drum tower is located in the city center.[9]
Geography
Zhongwei is located on the northern banks of the Yellow River and bordered directly by the Tengger Desert in the north.[9] The city has been battling desertification since the 1950s.[10] Using straw checkerboard patterns the advance of sand dunes is stopped.[11][12]
Climate
| Climate data for Zhongwei (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)
|
| Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
| Record high °C (°F)
|
14.0
(57.2)
|
22.5
(72.5)
|
28.2
(82.8)
|
33.6
(92.5)
|
36.0
(96.8)
|
35.4
(95.7)
|
37.6
(99.7)
|
36.3
(97.3)
|
35.7
(96.3)
|
29.6
(85.3)
|
22.7
(72.9)
|
15.2
(59.4)
|
37.6
(99.7)
|
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
1.1
(34.0)
|
6.4
(43.5)
|
13.4
(56.1)
|
20.5
(68.9)
|
24.8
(76.6)
|
28.4
(83.1)
|
29.9
(85.8)
|
28.2
(82.8)
|
23.8
(74.8)
|
18.0
(64.4)
|
9.8
(49.6)
|
2.7
(36.9)
|
17.3
(63.0)
|
| Daily mean °C (°F)
|
−7.0
(19.4)
|
−2.1
(28.2)
|
5.1
(41.2)
|
12.5
(54.5)
|
17.5
(63.5)
|
21.6
(70.9)
|
23.3
(73.9)
|
21.5
(70.7)
|
16.4
(61.5)
|
9.7
(49.5)
|
2.2
(36.0)
|
−4.8
(23.4)
|
9.7
(49.4)
|
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
−13.1
(8.4)
|
−8.5
(16.7)
|
−1.5
(29.3)
|
5.0
(41.0)
|
10.2
(50.4)
|
14.8
(58.6)
|
17.1
(62.8)
|
15.7
(60.3)
|
10.6
(51.1)
|
3.4
(38.1)
|
−3.0
(26.6)
|
−10.2
(13.6)
|
3.4
(38.1)
|
| Record low °C (°F)
|
−29.1
(−20.4)
|
−27.1
(−16.8)
|
−18.5
(−1.3)
|
−8.7
(16.3)
|
−3.8
(25.2)
|
5.4
(41.7)
|
8.1
(46.6)
|
7.1
(44.8)
|
−2.7
(27.1)
|
−11.4
(11.5)
|
−15.3
(4.5)
|
−28.8
(−19.8)
|
−29.1
(−20.4)
|
| Average precipitation mm (inches)
|
1.9
(0.07)
|
1.1
(0.04)
|
4.2
(0.17)
|
8.9
(0.35)
|
17.9
(0.70)
|
27.0
(1.06)
|
40.5
(1.59)
|
43.5
(1.71)
|
29.2
(1.15)
|
13.2
(0.52)
|
2.5
(0.10)
|
0.6
(0.02)
|
190.5
(7.48)
|
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)
|
1.9
|
1.3
|
2.1
|
3.1
|
4.9
|
6.0
|
7.0
|
7.6
|
7.2
|
4.1
|
1.9
|
0.8
|
47.9
|
| Average snowy days
|
2.9
|
2.2
|
1.7
|
0.6
|
0.1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.4
|
1.8
|
1.5
|
11.2
|
| Average relative humidity (%)
|
52
|
46
|
42
|
39
|
46
|
54
|
62
|
67
|
68
|
60
|
59
|
55
|
54
|
| Mean monthly sunshine hours
|
210.7
|
214.2
|
248.0
|
265.8
|
295.5
|
294.5
|
286.4
|
267.5
|
223.9
|
237.8
|
219.9
|
214.4
|
2,978.6
|
| Percent possible sunshine
|
68
|
69
|
67
|
67
|
67
|
67
|
64
|
64
|
61
|
69
|
73
|
72
|
67
|
| Source: China Meteorological Administration[13][14]
|
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