Hotan

Hotan
خوتەن شەھىرى (Uyghur)
和田市 (Chinese)
Khotan, Hetian
Hotan
Location in Xinjiang
Hotan
Hotan (China)
Hotan
Hotan (Continental Asia)
Coordinates: 37°07′N 79°55′E / 37.117°N 79.917°E / 37.117; 79.917
CountryChina
Autonomous regionXinjiang
PrefectureHotan
Municipal seatNurbagh Subdistrict
Area
  Total
465.84 km2 (179.86 sq mi)
Elevation
1,382 m (4,534 ft)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
501,028
  Density1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Hotanese, Khotanese
Demographics
  Ethnic groups
  Spoken languagesUyghur, Mandarin Chinese
Time zoneUTC+8 (China Standard)
Postal code
839000
Area code0903
GDP (Nominal)2018
 – Total¥8.274 billion
$1.247 billion
 – Per Capita¥20,399
$3,076
 – Growth 7.1%
License plate prefix新R
WebsiteHotan Government Website (in Chinese)
Hotan
Uyghur name
Uyghurخوتەن
Transcriptions
Latin YëziqiXoten
Yengi YeziⱪHotən
SASM/GNCHotan
Siril YëziqiХотән
Chinese name
Chinese和田
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinHétián
Bopomofoㄏㄜˊ   ㄊㄧㄢˊ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhHertyan
Wade–GilesHo²-tʻien²
IPA[xɤ̌.tʰjɛ̌n]
Alternative Chinese name
Simplified Chinese和阗
Traditional Chinese和闐
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinHétián
Bopomofoㄏㄜˊ   ㄊㄧㄢˊ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhHertyan
Wade–GilesHo²-tʻien²
IPA[xɤ̌.tʰjɛ̌n]
Second alternative Chinese name
Simplified Chinese于窴
Traditional Chinese于窴
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYútián
Bopomofoㄩˊ   ㄊㄧㄢˊ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhYutyan
Wade–GilesYü²-tʻien²
IPA[y̌.tʰjɛ̌n]
Kazakh name
Kazakhحوتان قالاسى
Хотан қаласы
Hotan qalasy
Kyrgyz name
Kyrgyzحوتەن شاارى
Хотан шаары
Hotan şaary

Hotan (also known by other names) is a major oasis town in southwestern Xinjiang, an autonomous region in Northwestern China. The city proper of Hotan broke off from the larger Hotan County to become an administrative area in its own right in August 1984. It is the seat of Hotan Prefecture.

With a population of 408,900 (2018 census), Hotan is situated in the Tarim Basin some 1,500 kilometres (930 mi) southwest of the regional capital, Ürümqi. It lies just north of the Kunlun Mountains, which are crossed by the Sanju, Hindutash and Ilchi passes. The town, located southeast of Yarkant County and populated almost exclusively by Uyghurs, is a minor agricultural center. An important station on the southern branch of the historic Silk Road, Hotan has always depended on two strong rivers, the Karakash River and the White Jade River, to provide the water needed to survive on the southwestern edge of the vast Taklamakan Desert. The White Jade River still provides water and irrigation for the town and oasis.