Qinghai Province was named after China’s largest inland saltwater lake, Qinghai Lake. It is the fourth largest province in China occupying an area of about 278,000 square miles (720,000 square kilometers). It lies on the northern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Although it is one of the biggest provinces in terms of land area, a large portion of the province is desert. Almost ninety-five percent of the province is pastureland.
It is also called the “Water Tower of China because it is the origin of the Yangtze, Lancang (Mekong), and Yellow (Huanghe) Rivers. This northwestern Chinese province shares its boundaries with Gansu to the north, Sichuan to the south, Tibet to the west, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the northwest. Its capital is Xining.
Its geographical location and elevation result in drastic fluctuations in temperature with long bitterly freezing winters. The best time to visit Qinghai is during the short cool summers. It is also during this time of year when the road to Tibet via Golmud is open.
Visitors to Qinghai will be captivated by its gleaming mountain ranges with snow-capped peaks, vast grasslands, and sparkling lakes. They will also be fascinated by the unique traditional festivities and culture of the many ethnic groups of the province. Some of the most popular sites include:
1. Qinghai Lake – also called Koko Nor, is an artist’s dream come true. One can capture a magnificent sunrise, the azure midday sky, and the captivating hues of sunset. Nature lovers will love camping and communing with nature in Qinghai Lake. They can go bird-watching and enjoy hundreds of migratory birds which have made the lake their annual stopover.
2. Mengda Botanical Reserve ('Highland Xishuangbanna' )– A visit to this natural reserve will treat you to different varieties of plants – trees, flowers, shrubs—exploding in a magnificent array of colors. Natural stone sculptures are also present in this natural paradise. Many nature trekkers put up camp near Heavenly Lake. Many visitors are also lucky enough to catch a rare glimpse of wildlife.
3. Bird Island – is located on the western tip of the province. It is so called because it plays the annual host to hundreds of thousands of migratory birds. It is also known as the “Kingdom of Birds”. The best time to visit the island is April when many species of birds have arrived from near and faraway lands.
4. Ta’er Monastery—built in 1560, it is also known as Kumbum Monastery and Great Lamasery of Kumbum. Tibetan Buddhism recognizes this monastery as one of the six great monasteries of Gelugpa. The monastery has a collection of classic Chinese-Tibetan architecture which has been carefully preserve for many centuries. A visitor to the place is treated to a fine artistic combination of Han and Tibetan art and architecture that stretches for more than 40 hectares.
Qinghai is one of the most sparsely populated areas in China. Its more than 5 million-population is made up of 44 ethnic groups, a majority of which is composed of the Han. Minority ethnic groups such as Hui, Tibetan, Mongol, and Salar ethnic groups account for more than forty percent of the total population.
Local delicacies utilize special ingredients native to the region. The most sought after Qinghai dishes include snow chicken with Chinese caterpillar fungus (Dongchong Xiacao), Stewed mutton, sheep tendon with ginseng, golden fish with fa vegetables, Flagelliform Nostoc (Facai), and beef with chrysanthemum.
The province has the largest potassium chloride and magnesium salts deposits in the entire country. Natural gas and oil abound in the famous Qaidam Basin. More than 120 different kinds of mineral deposits have been found to exist in Qinghai.
Its GDP is 22.016 billion yuan (http://lt.china.com.cn/e-xibu/2JI/3JI/qinghai/qing-ban.htm)
Please refer also to http://www.hktdc.com/info/vp/a/ctde/en/1/2/1/1X06BVHY/China-Trade/QINGHAI-PROVINCE.htm
