Ejin Horo Banner
Encyclopedia
Ejin Horo Banner, also written as Ejin Horo Qi (), is a banner under the administration of Ordos City
, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
. As of 2009, Ejin Horo Qi covers an area of almost 5,600 square kilometers, with a population of nearly 160,000, the majority of whom are ethnically Han Chinese
.
China's growing economy has led, in recent years, to increased development in the area of Ejin Horo Qi, with the construction or improvement of roads, transportation centers, and accommodation for travelers and tourists.
. The land surface consists primarily of arid grassland or sandy dunes. A tributary of the Yellow River
flows through Ejin Horo Qi.
were ongoing problems during the late 20th century. From the 1950s through the 1970s, the use of fuel wood and overgrazing from sheep and goats caused up to an estimated annual loss of 1,000 km2 of arable land. During the 1980s, the rate decreased substantially due to government programs and the availability of coal as a household fuel.
An industrial park that will focus on the manufacture of equipment for coal mining and fossil fuel extraction is under construction in Ejin Horo Qi. The total cost is expected to be around 10 billion yuan (US$1.46 billion), but is expected to produce 8,000 new jobs, and a potential 40,000 secondary jobs.
. Ethnic Mongolians in China have made pilgrimages to the mausoleum for decades, especially during the annual Naadam
festival every summer. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of tourists visiting the site, often wealthy urban Chinese on domestic excursions. Local entrepreneurs are attempting to accommodate these visitors, and capitalize on the new situation; government subsidies reflect an attempt to stimulate the improvement of tourist facilities. Whether or not the "Mausoleum" contains the actual remains of Genghis Khan
is doubtful, as one 17th century source asserts that only the shirt, shoes, and tent of the great khan were buried at Ejin Horo Qi, and there are other locations in Outer Mongolia
that lay claim to the final resting place of Genghis Khan.
Near the official Mausoleum, there is a large, privately owned museum and park dedicated to Genghis Khan. There is also a hotel and there are many tourist ger
camps in the area, some of which have horses and offer short trail rides.
.
The nearest train station is about 33 kilometres (20.5 mi) away in Dongsheng.
Ordos City
Ordos is one of the twelve major subdivisions of Inner Mongolia, China. It is located within the Ordos Loop of the Yellow River. Although mainly rural, Ordos is administered as a prefecture-level city...
, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. As of 2009, Ejin Horo Qi covers an area of almost 5,600 square kilometers, with a population of nearly 160,000, the majority of whom are ethnically Han Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
.
China's growing economy has led, in recent years, to increased development in the area of Ejin Horo Qi, with the construction or improvement of roads, transportation centers, and accommodation for travelers and tourists.
Geography
Ejin Horo Qi, as part of Ordos City, lies on a plateau in the southern portion of the Ordos DesertOrdos Desert
The Ordos Desert is a desert and steppe region lying on a plateau in the south of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China . The soil of the Ordos is a mixture of clay and sand and, as a result, is poorly suited for agriculture. It extends over an area of...
. The land surface consists primarily of arid grassland or sandy dunes. A tributary of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
flows through Ejin Horo Qi.
Environmental issues
Pasture degradation, soil erosion, and desertificationDesertification
Desertification is the degradation of land in drylands. Caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities, desertification is one of the most significant global environmental problems.-Definitions:...
were ongoing problems during the late 20th century. From the 1950s through the 1970s, the use of fuel wood and overgrazing from sheep and goats caused up to an estimated annual loss of 1,000 km2 of arable land. During the 1980s, the rate decreased substantially due to government programs and the availability of coal as a household fuel.
Economy
The top industries are coal mining and extraction, mineral extraction, chemical engineering, sheep and goat herding, and cashmere production. Total fossil fuel reserves beneath Ejin Horo Qi are estimated to be about 27.8 billion tons, which includes coal and natural gas. Although coal mining is of paramount importance to the regional economy, the poorly regulated industry has undermined parts of the area so badly that the ground surface has become unstable in places. Because of the relentless coal extraction, parts of one village began caving in; the residents were re-located starting in 2008 to a planned community called Ulanmulun New Village, and has a capacity of 936 families. Because of ground instability, coal mines producing less than 300,000 were shut down in 2000; those producing less than 600,000 tons annually were closed in 2007, drastically reducing the total number of mines in the area.An industrial park that will focus on the manufacture of equipment for coal mining and fossil fuel extraction is under construction in Ejin Horo Qi. The total cost is expected to be around 10 billion yuan (US$1.46 billion), but is expected to produce 8,000 new jobs, and a potential 40,000 secondary jobs.
Mausoleum of Genghis Khan
Ejin Horo Qi is also known as the location of the Mausoleum of Genghis KhanMausoleum of Genghis Khan
The Mausoleum of Genghis Khan is located along a river in Kandehuo Enclosure, Xinjie Town, Ejen Khoruu Banner, Ordos Prefecture-Level City , Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China. The Mausoleum is a cenotaph, where the coffin contains no body, but only headdresses and accessories, because...
. Ethnic Mongolians in China have made pilgrimages to the mausoleum for decades, especially during the annual Naadam
Naadam
Naadam is a traditional type of festival in Mongolia. The festival is also locally termed "eriin gurvan naadam" "the three games of men". The games are Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery and are held throughout the country during the midsummer holidays...
festival every summer. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of tourists visiting the site, often wealthy urban Chinese on domestic excursions. Local entrepreneurs are attempting to accommodate these visitors, and capitalize on the new situation; government subsidies reflect an attempt to stimulate the improvement of tourist facilities. Whether or not the "Mausoleum" contains the actual remains of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
is doubtful, as one 17th century source asserts that only the shirt, shoes, and tent of the great khan were buried at Ejin Horo Qi, and there are other locations in Outer Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
that lay claim to the final resting place of Genghis Khan.
Near the official Mausoleum, there is a large, privately owned museum and park dedicated to Genghis Khan. There is also a hotel and there are many tourist ger
Yurt
A yurt is a portable, bent wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by Turkic nomads in the steppes of Central Asia. The structure comprises a crown or compression wheel usually steam bent, supported by roof ribs which are bent down at the end where they meet the lattice wall...
camps in the area, some of which have horses and offer short trail rides.
Transportation
Buses make regular stops in Ejin Horo Qi when traveling along China National Highway 210China National Highway 210
China National Highway 210 runs from Baotou, Inner Mongolia to Nanning, Guangxi Province. It is 3,097 kilometres in length and runs south from Baotou towards Shaanxi Province, Sichuan Province, Chongqing, Guizhou Province, and ends in Guangxi Province.- Route and distance:-References:*...
.
The nearest train station is about 33 kilometres (20.5 mi) away in Dongsheng.