Altay

Altay is a county-level city in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, in far northern Xinjiang, China. Altay is located at the north of Xinjiang Province, neighbouring Mongolia to the north. It is 670 km from Urumqi. Altay was named after the Altai Mountain and later renamed Altay in 1954. Since the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) the area was occupied by nomadic tribes and began to be ruled by the central government during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). In 1874, the 13th year of the Emperor Tongzhi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), the government built Chenghua Monastery, and since then permanent residents began to live in the area.

Altay attracts visitors with its picturesque landscape. The famous Kanas Lake, known as the oriental Sweden, boasts charming lakes, snowy mountains and verdant plants. The Irtysh River originating from the Altai Mountain, flows through Altay and finally flows into the Arctic Ocean. It is the second longest river in Xinjiang and famous for the beautiful scenery. There are also many rivers, lakes and grassland.