Xinjiang, China

 

Xinjiang (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region), an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a large, but sparsely populated area which takes up approximately 1/6 of China's territory.

The region borders the Tibet Autonomous Region to the south, the Qinghai and Gansu provinces to the southeast, Mongolia to the east, Russia to the North, and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Kashmir (only parts controlled by Pakistan and India) to the west.

 

Xinjiang in relation to the rest of China.

 

"Xinjiang" literally means "New Frontier," a name given to the region during the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China.

The name itself is largely considered offensive by advocates of independence, who prefer ethnic or historical names such as Chinese Turkestan, East Turkestan (also spelled Turkistan), or Uyghuristan.