Located to the northwest of the city, Urumqi Diwopu International Airport is about 16km (9.9 miles) from the city center. Having been expanded several times, it has now become a major airport in the west of China and connects China with Middle Asia, West Asia, Europe and Africa. About 141 airlines connect the city with 52 domestic and 31 international destinations such as Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Yinchuan, Guangzhou, Ulan Bator, Kabul, Osh and so on.
Urumqi is located in the depths of the continent and has the temperate continental arid climate. The features of this climate are that there is great temperature difference, and the change of summer and winter is very obvious and acute with a little precipitation. The precipitation increases as the vertical increasing of the altitude. The four seasons are not equally divided .The winter in Urumqi is very cold and lasts for a long time, and there is inversion layer appears. The spring comes very late. Urumqi is located in the hinterland of Eurasian, far from ocean, so it is very dry. In summer, it is very hot but not stuffy, and there is great temperature difference between day and night. The average temperature in summer is about 23℃. When it enters autumn, the weather is relatively stable and pleasant.
Silk Road - The Silk Road is a historically important international trade route between China and the Mediterranean. Because silk comprised a large proportion of trade along this road, in 1877, it was named 'the Silk Road' by Ferdinand von Richthofen, an eminent German geographer.
Heavenly Lake - Covering 4.9 square kilometers (1.89 square miles), this crescent-shaped water area deserves its name, Pearl of Heavenly Mountain (Tianshan Mountain). With melted snow as its source, Heavenly Lake enjoys crystal water.
Red Hill - Red Hill is a symbol of Urumqi, owing to its uniqueness. The body of the mountain, made up of aubergine rock, has a reddish brown color, hence the name. It is 1.5km (0.93miles) long and 1km (0.62miles) wide from east to west.