Xiangning County
乡宁县 Siangning | |
---|---|
Country | People's Republic of China |
Province | Shanxi |
Prefecture-level city | Linfen |
Area | |
• Total | 2,029 km2 (783 sq mi) |
Population (2013) | |
• Total | 240,000 |
• Density | 120/km2 (310/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+8 (China Standard) |
Website | xiangning.gov.cn |
Xiangning County (simplified Chinese: 乡宁县; traditional Chinese: 鄉寧縣; pinyin: Xiāngníng Xiàn; lit. 'countryside peace') is a county in the southwest of Shanxi province, China, bordering Shaanxi province across the Yellow River to the west.[1] It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Linfen.[1][2] The county spans an area of 2,029 square kilometres (783 sq mi),[2] and is home to a population of 240,000 people as of 2013.[1]
During the Spring and Autumn period, Marquis E of Jin lived in what is now present-day Xiangning County.[2]
In the Warring States period, the area had been occupied by both the Han and Zhao states.[2]
During the Northern Wei Dynasty, the area was initially named Changping (Chinese: 昌平), and was later changed to Pingchang (Chinese: 平昌).[2] Eventually, the name was changed to Changning (simplified Chinese: 昌宁; traditional Chinese: 昌寧), but in 923 was changed to Xiangning (simplified Chinese: 乡宁; traditional Chinese: 鄉寧), its present-day name.[2]
From 1958 to 1961, Xiangning County was briefly merged with neighboring Ji County.[2]
The county is located in the Lüliang Mountains of the Loess Plateau, and has a largely hilly terrain with an average elevation of about 900 metres (3,000 ft).[1] The county's highest point is Gaotian Mountain (Chinese: 高天山), which reaches 1,820.5 metres (5,973 ft) in altitude; the county's lowest point is along the banks of the Yellow River, at 385.1 metres (1,263 ft) in altitude.[2]
38.2% of the county is forested.[2]
Climate data for Xiangning, elevation 965 m (3,166 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 18.4 (65.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
28.2 (82.8) |
35.2 (95.4) |
36.2 (97.2) |
37.4 (99.3) |
37.7 (99.9) |
36.5 (97.7) |
36.1 (97.0) |
29.1 (84.4) |
26.7 (80.1) |
18.2 (64.8) |
37.7 (99.9) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 3.2 (37.8) |
7.1 (44.8) |
13.0 (55.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
24.6 (76.3) |
28.7 (83.7) |
29.7 (85.5) |
27.9 (82.2) |
23.5 (74.3) |
18.0 (64.4) |
11.3 (52.3) |
4.9 (40.8) |
17.7 (63.8) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.1 (24.6) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
5.7 (42.3) |
12.7 (54.9) |
17.8 (64.0) |
22.1 (71.8) |
23.8 (74.8) |
22.1 (71.8) |
17.2 (63.0) |
10.9 (51.6) |
3.9 (39.0) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
10.8 (51.5) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −9.1 (15.6) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
0.1 (32.2) |
6.1 (43.0) |
11.0 (51.8) |
15.6 (60.1) |
18.7 (65.7) |
17.5 (63.5) |
12.6 (54.7) |
5.9 (42.6) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
5.4 (41.8) |
Record low °C (°F) | −20.4 (−4.7) |
−17.5 (0.5) |
−15.5 (4.1) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
6.1 (43.0) |
11.6 (52.9) |
8.8 (47.8) |
1.3 (34.3) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
−16.4 (2.5) |
−21.6 (−6.9) |
−21.6 (−6.9) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 3.7 (0.15) |
7.0 (0.28) |
11.8 (0.46) |
28.7 (1.13) |
45.8 (1.80) |
62.2 (2.45) |
123.2 (4.85) |
114.2 (4.50) |
73.0 (2.87) |
44.4 (1.75) |
15.3 (0.60) |
3.4 (0.13) |
532.7 (20.97) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 2.5 | 3.3 | 4.6 | 6.0 | 8.2 | 9.4 | 12.5 | 11.0 | 10.1 | 7.6 | 4.8 | 2.2 | 82.2 |
Average snowy days | 4.2 | 4.7 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 18.6 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 51 | 52 | 50 | 49 | 53 | 59 | 70 | 73 | 73 | 67 | 60 | 53 | 59 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 182.1 | 168.3 | 193.0 | 221.2 | 234.6 | 222.6 | 204.4 | 191.6 | 174.8 | 183.0 | 175.5 | 180.6 | 2,331.7 |
Percent possible sunshine | 58 | 54 | 52 | 56 | 54 | 51 | 46 | 46 | 48 | 53 | 58 | 60 | 53 |
Source: China Meteorological Administration[3][4] |
Xiangning County is divided into five towns and five townships.[5] These are then divided into 182 village-level divisions.[2]
The county's five towns are Changning , Guanghua , Taitou , Guantou , and Xibo .[5]
The county's five townships are Shuanghe Township , Guanwangmiao Township , Weizhuang Township , Xijiaokou Township , and Zaoling Township .[5]
The county is home to a large coal field, which covers 1,600 square kilometres (620 sq mi) of the county's area.[2] Said coal field is estimated to have 15.3 billion tons of coal in reserve.[2]
Xiangning also has a number of tourist sights, such as the Xiangning Thousand Buddha Cave , Yunqiu Mountain (simplified Chinese: 云丘山; traditional Chinese: 雲丘山), and a number of temples and pagodas.[2]
Major agricultural products from Xiangning include Zanthoxylum, apples, walnuts, Chinese yams, Elaeagnus mollis , and wine.[2]
National Highway 209 and National Highway 309 both run through the county, as well as three provincial highways.[2]