Zhangye Prefecture has a continental climate with the average sunlight of over 3000 hours annually.
Temperatures are the lowest and days and nights coldest in January, the hottest days of the year usually fall in July. The comfortable months for travel are from June to September, which is the Tourist High Season. Days may remain sunny throughout November counting chilly nights, nippy mornings and warm afternoons.
Average Temperature in Zhangye: 7 Degrees Celcius annually. Temperatures may range between Minus 20 Degrees Celcius and near + 40 Degrees in July.
Rainfall: Annual rainfalls are low with an average rainfall of 129 mm (Range: 104 millimeters-459 millimeters (4 inches-18 inches)) per year. Local agriculture and life depends on the waters of the HeiHe or Hei River, the Shandan River and local aquifers which derive their waters from the melting waters of Gletsjers on top of the Qilian Mountains.
Although water flows easily from fossets inside the luxury hotel rooms of today's tourists who drop into town, the outlying villages of Zhangye Prefecture have only resently been supplied with clean and fresh water. The struggle is however ongoing.
Lately, rainfall at Zhangye, inside the Hexi Corridor and in the wider regions of North and Western China have been decreasing. The last 3 years have seen a drop in rainfall leading to widespread droughts.
For the future of Zhangye, water conservancy and prevention (if possible) of climate change will be of the utmost importance. Save your water when visiting Zhangye !
Travel tips for Zhangye City and Prefecture: the abundance of clear skies and sunny days inside the Hexi Corridor bring with them the downside of an easy chance at an overdose of solar radiation. First thing to bring along on your trip are sunglasses (shades). Some high factor sun screen oil may also be put to good use, especially in the hottest month, july.
Uh-ooh, how did you say: Stop this Bus in Chinese, again ??!!
Geographic & Historic Maps, Satellite Images and More Map material on Zhangye City & City Prefecture, including Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, the Silk Road and Great Wall of China nearby. National Highway 312 (Shanlin expressway or Lanzhou-Urumqi Highway) and related Regions of Gansu Province.
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This page was last updated on: January 13, 2012
The Sunan Report
Introduction to Sunan & County
Sunan Landmarks & Monuments
Zhangye & Sunan Maps
To be exact Zhangye City Prefecture consist of a central urban district which is the City of Zhangye, surrounded a 5 counties under its administrative responsibilities. Zhangye has been historically known as Ganzou since the Western Han Dynasty Era and is thus designated as Ganzhou District (甘州区). Apart from the City of Zhangye there are 4 counties plus one autonomous county. The 'regular' counties are Linze County (临泽县), Gaotai County (高台县) , Shandan County (山丹县) due East of Zhangye City located along Highway 312 , Minle County (民乐县). The one non-regular but Autonomous county
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The beautiful Photo-Journey of Wang Miao and Shi Baoxiu, all the way from the Pamir Highlands in Central Asia, through North China to Beijing along the Silk Northern Route. A jewel of a Book !!
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The number one historic landmark in Shandan is the Great Wall of China.
Click through to Learn all the specifics on Zhangye City & Prefecture Landmarks !
Sunan County Public Transport
See also: Public Transport in Zhangye and Zhangye Prefecture.
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As for Zhangye City Prefecture of which Sunan is an ethnic minority autonomous county, the highest altitudes are found in southeast where the highest Top of the Qilian Mountains reaches 5,564 meters (18,254 feet). The lowest point within Zhangye Prefecture, at 1284 meters (4,212 feet), is found in the northwest.
Surface Area (of County): 40,874 Square kilometers (16,177 square miles).
Population: The Total Population of SunanTown and County is: unknown.
Moon
Canyon
Today's Sunan has been doing remarkable well in recent years.
Map of China during the Rule of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 221 AD) with the main trading roads of the Empire, the Silk Road and location of Huixian marked.
Music CD
"Melody (Lisao)"
Harmonius Music created with the Ancient Chinese musical instrument "Qin",
is Sunan Yugur Autonomous County (肃南裕固族自治县) , the main ethnic enclave of the Yugur Nationality within China. Sunan can be found due South-West of Zhangye City.
As summarized in short above, Zhangye City knows quite its history. In fact, it was founded over 2000 years ago, officially during the Han Dynasty, but probably long before.
During the early Han Dynasty Zhangye was no less than the Capital City of the North-Western Regions of China, and thus it became the corner-stone and stepping-off point for the Han Dynasty Emmissaries who would help explore, found and later dominate the trading routes that would become famous in history as "The Silk Road".
Already during the succesful years of the Han Dynasty, "China's first Golden Age", Zhangye grew to be
A Schematic Map of the Eurasian Trade Routes existing in the 13Th Century. Clearly marked in Red Accent on the Map are the cities of the network of land-bound trading routes through Central Asia known as the Silk Road (the path of Marco Polo and others).
You Tube Video - A Drive through Sunan and beyond
Products: Chinese date, apple, pear, garlic, honey, wine, cashmere, and lately potatoes.
The Holy Mountain of the Xishui Township people and Sunan County is the Da Gu Shan, which carries no less than 3 pagoda's atop its Icy ridges. Long undisturbed as the guardian of the Town, Dagushan has recently seen the roar of Chinese development arrive.
Xishui Tibetan Township is currently the location of the Xiaogushan Hydro-electric Power Project, a damming project of the Hei River. The proposed aim of this Project is to alleviate the increasing power shortage in Zhangye city and the Hexi Corridor. Usually, when there is not enough power, lights in the City will remain on, however the rural area's are cut off from electricity. It is hoped that with the building of the Dam enough electricity can be generated to make continued economic development of these far western regions possible, and include each rural village. Naturally, ensured supply of electricity is a base necessity for development of village economies and the fighting of rural poverty in Gansu Province.
You Tube Video - Impression of beautiful Zhangye in Gansu Province - advertizement of the Provincial Tourism Agency
Route Map of Xuanzang's "Journey to The West" (India).
a thriving City, a center of commerce, an important administrative center and military strongpoint, and a market city for international trade. Here, at roughly halfway the length of the Hexi Corridor was where many traders from Central Asia traveled to pick up wares at the local Market, bundle them up and carry them back to the West by Caravan.
