Manzhouli

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Manzhouli (Chinese: 满洲里, pinyin: Mǎnzhōulǐ; Mongolian: manǰuur) is a sub-prefecture-level city located in Hulunbuir prefecture-level city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). It is the PRC's busiest land port of entry. It has an area of 696.3 square kilometers and a population of more than 160,000.

1 Geography
2 Administration
3 History
4 Economy
5 Demographics
6 Transportation
7 External links

[edit] Geography

Manzhouli is located in the western part of the Hulunbuir prefecture-level city. To the east, south and west it borders New Barghu Left Banner and New Barghu Right Banner, also in Hulunbuir, and Russia to the north, with which it shares a border 54 km long.

Manzhouli is located on the Hulunbuir grasslands. Lake Hulun to its immediate south is the PRC's fifth largest freshwater lake with an area of 2,600 square km and an average depth of just 5 meters. 　

[edit] Administration

Manzhouli is divided into ten subdistricts and one town. Six of the subdistricts of Manzhouli are grouped into a district. Technically however, only a prefecture-level city (half a level higher than Manzhouli) can have districts, so Manzhouli's lone district is not officially listed.

[edit] History

In ancient times the area was inhabited by many tribes that lived in Manchuria, including the Donghu, the Xiongnu, the Xianbei, the Khitan, the Jurchen, and the Mongols. From the early Qing Dynasty onwards the Argun River, which originates in this area, became the border between the Manchu Empire and Russia.

In 1901 the China Far East Railway was completed in accordance with the Sino-Russian Secret Treaty of 1896, linking Siberia, Manchuria, and the Russian Far East. A settlement then formed around Manchzhuriya Station, the first stop within Manchuria for Russians. It was the beginning of the modern city of Manzhouli and the name of Manzhouli came from Russian Manchzhuriya (Маньчжурия i.e. Manchuria).

In 1905 Manzhouli was designated a trading center in the Sino-Japanese Treaty of 1905, greatly boosting Manzhouli's growth. In 1908 the Manzhouli customs was set up. In 1927, Manzhouli was designated as a city. In 1992 Manzhouli became one of the first land border cities opened up by the People's Republic of China.