Homeland

The homeland of the Uyghurs is East Turkistan. Officially known as Xinjiang (pronounced "Shindjiang")-is the colloquial name for the Uighur Nationality Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. The official name is Uighur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang.

The region is an autonomous area in the extreme northwest of the People's Republic of China, predominantly populated by Uyghurs and Han Chinese, but also Mongolians. According to Chinese data, the area of East Turkistan is 1,640,320 km² (although Uyghurs calculate 1,840,000 km²), which is four times the size of Germany.
The capital of East Turkistan is Ürümqi, a relatively young city compared to historic and historical cities such as Kashgar, Shache (Yarkant County), Gulja. Other important places are the modern city of Shihezi, the suburb of Changji (Changji Autonomous District) of Ürümqi, the petroleum city of Karamay, the Kazakh city of Altay at the foot of the mountain range of the same name, Korla, Yizhou (formerly Kumul), Manas (Manas County), Aksu and Hotan (Hotan Administrative District), an ancient city in the south of the Tarim Basin.

National flag and state symbol of East Turkistan

National anthem

Location
East Turkistan borders on the neighboring states of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia. The border with India and Pakistan lies in the disputed region of Kashmir. The borderline of the autonomous region of 5,600 km corresponds to a quarter of the entire Chinese borderline.
Within China, East Turkistan(Xinjiang) borders on the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai and the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Topography

The north is formed by the Dzungari, while most of the region is dominated by the Tarim Basin with the Taklamakan Desert lying within it. Another basin landscape is the Turfan Depression, whose lowest point is 155 meters below sea level. This makes the climate there particularly warm, which, in conjunction with Turpan's irrigation system, means that Turpan is famous for its grapes. Mountains are the Altun and Kunlun in the south, the Tianshan and Altai ranges in the north. The region also has portions of the Himalayan, Karakoram and Pamir mountain ranges in the southwest.

The largest standing body of water in the area was once the Lop Nor, before it dried up due to overuse of the Tarim and Kontchi. The largest rivers in the area are, or were, the Tarim, the Hädik-köl with its tributaries Kontchi and Kum-darya, and the Charchan(Qarqan), all of which once merged into the Lop Nor, but are now completely overused and chemically polluted. Today, Lake Bosten is the largest standing body of water.
The region is considered an earthquake-prone area. In February 2003, the area was shaken by violent earthquakes measuring up to 6.8 on the Richter scale. At least 261 people lost their lives, and around 10,000 houses were unable to withstand the forces. Due to the region's remoteness, however, little information about such disasters reaches the outside world.

Administrative structure
East Turkistan is divided into four district-free cities, five government districts and five autonomous districts. In addition, ten of the total of 26 county-level cities are directly under the jurisdiction of the government of the autonomous region and are administered by it in cooperation with the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (Bingtuan).

Governmental districts

Autonomous counties

directly subordinate county-level cities jointly administered by the Xinjiang Autonomous Region Government and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps(Bingtuan):

Population
Eastern Turkistan (Xinjiang) is predominantly inhabited by Turkic peoples, of which the largest group is the Uyghurs. The northern part of the region is populated mostly by Kazakhs, Mongols, and some Tuvans. Kyrgyz, Mongols (Oirats), and Tajiks also live in the west. East Turkistan has a population of about 23.6 million, according to the official census. According to a 1953 census, Uyghurs accounted for 75% of the population (over 3.6 million); in 2000, they accounted for only more than 45% (over 8.3 million). The proportion of Han Chinese, on the other hand, rose from 6% (300,000) to 41% (7.6 million) during the same period. Kazakhs follow at a great distance, 7%, and Hui 5%. All other ethnic groups (including Kyrgyz, Tajiks and Mongols) account for less than 1% of the population.
According to Uyghur sources, population share of Uyghurs is at least 15 million inhabitants, however, the population share of Han Chinese is between 15 to 20 million inhabitants. Thus, the total population is more than 30 million inhabitants. This shows that since the incorporation of East Turkistan into the PRC in 1949, Uyghurs have become a minority in their own country.
Official Chinese government figures also reveal the increasing assimilation.

Economy
Mineral resources
At the end of the 19th century, the region was known for the production of salt, soda, borax, gold, jade and coal.
In recent years, large oil and gas deposits have been found, especially in the middle of the Taklamakan Desert and its fringes, which are now being developed and exploited by Beijing. Karamay and Aksu in particular are heavily influenced by oil mining. From here, the West-East gas pipeline runs to Shanghai.
The oil and gas sector accounted for 60% of East Turkistan's economic output in 2005. East Turkistan also has large coal deposits. Increasingly needed for energy production, coal deposits are threatened by coal fires. Most of China's coal fires smolder in East Turkistan.
In total, one-fifth of China's coal, gas, and petroleum reserves are located in East Turkistan, making the region the one with the highest concentration of fossil energy reserves in China. Annual production in East Turkistan is 240 million tons of coal, 24 billion cubic meters of natural gas, and 27.3 million tons of petroleum. The reserves of raw materials are huge, amounting to 2.2 trillion tons of coal, 10.3 trillion cubic meters of natural gas and 20.9 billion tons of crude oil.
Despite such land-value deposits, the level of prosperity in East Turkistan was 75% of the Chinese average. In 2015, East Turkistan generated a GDP of 932 billion yuan (150 billion U.S. dollars), ranking 26th nationally among provinces and autonomous regions at the provincial level. GDP per capita was 40,427 yuan (6,087 U.S. dollars/ PPP: 11,640 U.S. dollars) per year (ranked 22nd nationwide among provinces and provincial-level autonomous areas).
Agriculture
East Turkistan is famous for its fruits, grapes, melons, pears and others are grown. Hami melons and Turpan raisins are particularly famous. Tomatoes are also grown and exported in the form of tomato paste. The sugar industry is represented by twelve beet sugar factories. The largest factory in the region is located in the Kazakh Autonomous District of Ili. In 2016, 15 million tons of grain were also grown.
The main livestock of the region are traditionally sheep. Much of the region's pastureland is located in the northern part, where more precipitation falls, mountain meadows are found throughout the region.
Due to the lack of access to the ocean and the limited amount of inland waters, the fish resources of East Turkistan are limited. Nevertheless, there is a lot of fishing in the Ulungur and Bosten lakes and in the Ertish River. A large number of fish ponds have been built since the 1970s, and their total area exceeded 10,000 hectares in the 1990s. In2000 , a total of 58,800 tons of fish were produced in East Turkistan, 85% of which was from aquaculture.
Industry
Oil and sugar refineries, steel mills and chemical plants are among the most important industrial sectors in the region. Cement and textiles are also produced.
East Turkistan's economy achieved double-digit growth rates in the last decade, coupled with the Chinese economic system. Living standards rose noticeably, and in 2015 per capita income reached $6,000. Thus, East Turkistan is richer than many provinces in China. However, many Uyghurs in the countryside still have to get by on less than 20 US dollars a month.
Religion
The main religion in East Turkistan among the Uighur and Hui Chinese is Islam, while many Han Chinese practice Chinese folk religions, Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism, or are areligious. Muslims make up 58% of the population (as of 2010). Christianity is practiced by 1 % of the population.
The majority of Uyghurs today belong to Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school of law. The conversion of the Uyghur ruler in Kashgar in the 10th century marked the origin of Islam not only for the Uyghurs but for all Turkic peoples. Although the intensity of attachment to Islam varies among Uyghurs, it remains stronger than that of Hui Chinese in general, and especially in southern East Turkistan.
The Uighurs' adherence to the tenets of Sunni Islam can be seen as a central feature of their identity in today's world. Religious belief has influenced the diet and food choices of the Uyghur people. In meat dishes, they avoid pork, preferring lamb instead. The fairy tales, music and dance of the Uyghurs have also been influenced by their religion.
The form of Islamic practice of most Uyghur women is described as relatively liberal by global standards. Accordingly, only a few women cover themselves with a veil, although women and men avoid physical contact outside the home. On the other hand, scholars describe Uyghur immigrants to Turkey in the second half of the 20th century as strictly Sunni and apparently distinguishing themselves from Turks by their stricter gender segregation alone.