Qinghai

Qinghai is an inland <a href="/facts/Provinces_of_China/e3hWhWHj">province</a> in <a href="/facts/Northwestern_China/JKAwxPun">Northwestern China</a>. It is the largest <a href="/facts/Provinces_of_China/e3hWhWHj">province of China</a> (excluding autonomous regions) by area and has the third smallest population. Its capital and largest city is <a href="/facts/Xining/PIfcGlAG">Xining</a>.
Qinghai borders <a href="/facts/Gansu/Uo1Sop7n">Gansu</a> on the northeast, <a href="/facts/Xinjiang/f3jxW5Sq">Xinjiang</a> on the northwest, <a href="/facts/Sichuan/e65P53aD">Sichuan</a> on the southeast and the <a href="/facts/Tibet_Autonomous_Region/IqQyXKT8">Tibet Autonomous Region</a> on the southwest. Qinghai province was established in 1928 during the period of the <a href="/facts/Republic_of_China_(1912%E2%80%931949)/NgEhkXWz">Republic of China</a>, and until 1949 was ruled by <a href="/facts/Hui_people/pYP5gCEX">Chinese Muslim</a> warlords known as the <a href="/facts/Ma_clique/HHgY09Eb">Ma clique</a>. The <a href="/facts/Chinese_language/771ruUY1">Chinese</a> name "Qinghai" is after <a href="/facts/Qinghai_Lake/6hKDl90j">Qinghai Lake</a>, the largest lake in China. The lake is known as Tso ngon in Tibetan, and as Kokonor Lake in English, derived from the Mongol <a href="/facts/Oirat_language/skyRWjbE">Oirat</a> name for Qinghai Lake. Both Tso ngon and Kokonor are names found in historic documents to describe the region.
Located mostly on the <a href="/facts/Tibetan_Plateau/6qkLjmCg">Tibetan Plateau</a>, the province is inhabited by a number of peoples including the <a href="/facts/Han_Chinese/gMl0sKy0">Han</a> (concentrated in the provincial capital of Xining, nearby <a href="/facts/Haidong/vDtNa3yH">Haidong</a>, and <a href="/facts/Haixi_Mongol_and_Tibetan_Autonomous_Prefecture/5GwbpqQx">Haixi</a>), <a href="/facts/Tibetan_people/Qz832p7E">Tibetans</a>, <a href="/facts/Hui_people/pYP5gCEX">Hui</a>, <a href="/facts/Mongols/fb4zx1s8">Mongols</a>, <a href="/facts/Monguor_people/meRIxhpw">Monguors</a>, and <a href="/facts/Salar_people/VnN2vw5K">Salars</a>. According to the 2021 census reports, Tibetans constitute a fifth of the population of Qinghai and the Hui compose roughly a sixth of the population. There are over 37 recognized ethnic groups among Qinghai's population of 5.6 million, with <a href="/facts/Ethnic_minorities_in_China/AeYh4ac7">national minorities</a> making up a total of 49.5% of the population.
The area of Qinghai came under the control of the <a href="/facts/Manchu/orGs7jQx">Manchu</a>-led <a href="/facts/Qing_Dynasty/5j6r4p5m">Qing Dynasty</a> around 1724, after their defeat of <a href="/facts/Khoshut/bBtAnxEA">Khoshut</a> Mongols who previously controlled most of the area. After the <a href="/facts/Xinhai_Revolution/lCnPzBWo">Xinhai Revolution</a> and the ensuing fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912, Qinghai came under Chinese Muslim warlord <a href="/facts/Ma_Qi/y68XJn00">Ma Qi</a>'s control until the <a href="/facts/Northern_Expedition/dfwRmGmP">Northern Expedition</a> by the <a href="/facts/Republic_of_China_(1912%E2%80%931949)/NgEhkXWz">Republic of China</a> consolidated central control in 1928. In the same year, the province of Qinghai was established by the <a href="/facts/Nationalist_government/AwXDHfFo">Nationalist Government</a>, with Xining as its capital.

Qinghai open-in-new

Qinghai