# Golmud

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Golmud
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Golmud.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golmud
> Source revision: 1356008124
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|City in Qinghai Province, China}}
{{hatnote|For the river, see [Golmud River](/source/Golmud_River).}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->| name                     = Golmud
| official_name            = <!-- Official name in English if different from 'name' -->
| native_name              = {{lang|zh-hans|格尔木市}} · {{MongolUnicode|{{allow wrap|ᠭᠤᠤᠯᠮᠤᠳ ᠬᠣᠲᠠ}}|style=max-height:1.7em;text-align:left;word-wrap: normal}} · {{bo-textonly|ན་གོར་མོ་གྲོང་ཁྱེར།}}
| other_name               = Golmo
| nickname                 = 
| settlement_type          = [County-level](/source/County-level_city) & [Sub-prefectural city](/source/Sub-prefecture-level_city)
| total_type               = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
| motto                    = <!-- images and maps  ----------->
| image_skyline            = Golmud-Station_July-2005.jpg
| imagesize                = 220px
| image_caption            = [Golmud railway station](/source/Golmud_railway_station)
| image_seal               = 
| seal_size                = 
| image_shield             = 
| shield_size              = 
| image_blank_emblem       = 
| blank_emblem_type        = 
| blank_emblem_size        = 
| image_map                = Location of Golmud within Qinghai (China).png
| mapsize                  = 220px
| map_caption              = Location of Golmud City (red) in Haixi Prefecture (yellow) and Qinghai
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = 
| image_dot_map            = 
| dot_mapsize              = 
| dot_map_caption          = 
| dot_x                    = 
| dot_y                    = 
| pushpin_map              = Qinghai
| pushpin_label_position   = 
| pushpin_map_caption      = Location of the city centre in Qinghai
| pushpin_mapsize          = 250
<!-- Location ------------------>| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = [China](/source/China)
| subdivision_type1        = [Province](/source/Province_(China))
| subdivision_name1        = [Qinghai](/source/Qinghai)
| subdivision_type2        = [Autonomous prefecture](/source/Autonomous_prefecture)
| subdivision_name2        = [Haixi](/source/Haixi_Mongol_and_Tibetan_Autonomous_Prefecture)
| seat_type                = Municipal seat
| seat                     = [Kunlun Road Subdistrict](/source/Kunlun_Road_Subdistrict%2C_Qinghai)
| parts_type               = 
| parts_style              = <!-- =list (for list), coll (for collapsed list), para (for paragraph format)
                               Default is list if up to 5 items, coll if more than 5-->
| parts                    = <!-- parts text, or header for parts list -->
| p1                       = 
| p2                       = <!-- etc. up to p50: for separate parts to be listed-->
<!-- Politics ----------------->| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| leader_title1            = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
| leader_name1             = 
| leader_title2            = 
| leader_name2             = 
| leader_title3            = 
| leader_name3             = 
| leader_title4            = 
| leader_name4             = 
| established_title        = <!-- Settled -->
| established_date         = 
| established_title1       = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
| established_date1        = 
| established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
| established_date2        = 
| established_title3       = 
| established_date3        = 
| founder                  = 
| named_for                = <!-- Area    --------------------->
| area_magnitude           = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
| unit_pref                = <!--Enter: Imperial, to display imperial before metric-->
| area_footnotes           = 
| area_total_km2           = 119165<!-- ALL fields with measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion-->
| area_land_km2            = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on unit conversion-->
| area_water_km2           = 
| area_water_percent       = 
| area_urban_km2           = 72
| area_metro_km2           = 
| area_blank1_title        = 
| area_blank1_km2          = 
| elevation_footnotes      = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
| elevation_m              = 2809
| elevation_max_m          = 
| elevation_min_m          = <!-- Population   ----------------------->
| population_as_of         = 2020
| population_footnotes     = <ref>{{cite web  |url = https://www.haixi.gov.cn/info/4543/228143.htm  |title = 海西州第七次全国人口普查公报（第二号）——各市县、行委常住人口情况  |publisher = Government of Haixi Prefecture  |language = zh  |date = 2021-07-02  |access-date = 4 August 2023  |archive-date = 4 October 2021  |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211004175306/http://www.haixi.gov.cn/info/4543/228143.htm  |url-status = dead  }}</ref>
| population_note          = 
| population_total         = 221863
| population_density_km2   = auto<!--For automatic calculation, any density field may contain: auto -->
| population_metro         = 
| population_density_metro_km2 = 
| population_urban         = 197153
| population_density_urban_km2 = auto
| population_blank1_title  = 
| population_blank1        = 
| population_density_blank1_km2 = <!-- General information  --------------->
| timezone                 = [China Standard](/source/China_Standard_Time)
| utc_offset               = +8
| coor_pinpoint            = Golmud government
| coordinates              = {{coord|36.4072|N|94.9283|E|type:adm3rd_region:CN-63_source:Gaode|format=dms|display=it}}
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->| postal_code_type         = [Postal code](/source/Postal_code_of_China)
| postal_code              = 
| area_code                = 
| blank_name               = 
| blank_info               = 
| blank1_name              = 
| blank1_info              = 
| website                  = {{URL|https://www.geermu.gov.cn/}}
| footnotes                = 
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
|order=st
|s={{linktext|lang=zh-hans|格尔木}} |t={{linktext|lang=zh-hans|格爾木}}
|p=Gé'ěrmù |w=Ko-erh-mu |psp=Golmot |l={{nowrap|Rivers (''in Mongolian'')}}
|mong={{mongolUnicode|{{linktext|ᠭᠤᠤᠯᠮᠤᠳ}}}}
|monr=
|tib={{bo-textonly|{{linktext|ན་གོར་མོ།}}}}
|wylie=Na-gor-mo
}}

'''Golmud'''<!--Chinese in infobox; see WP:MOS-ZH-->{{efn|Also known by various other romanizations}} is a [county-level city](/source/county-level_city) in the [Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture](/source/Haixi_Mongol_and_Tibetan_Autonomous_Prefecture) of [Qinghai Province](/source/Qinghai_Province), China. It is now the second-largest city in Qinghai and the third largest on the [Tibetan Plateau](/source/Tibetan_Plateau) (after [Xining](/source/Xining) and [Lhasa](/source/Lhasa)). The population in 2020 was 221,863.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=27704&article=Reservoir+nearing+collapse+poses+threat+to+Qinghai+Tibet+railway&t=1&c=1 |title=Reservoir nearing collapse poses threat to Qinghai Tibet railway |work=Phayul |date=9 July 2010 |location=Dharamsala |access-date=9 July 2010 |archive-date=9 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609185133/http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=27704&article=Reservoir+nearing+collapse+poses+threat+to+Qinghai+Tibet+railway&t=1&c=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Gé'ĕrmù Shì (County-level City, China) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location|url=http://citypopulation.de/en/china/qinghai/admin/h%C4%83ix%C4%AB_m%C4%95ngg%C5%ADz%C3%BA_z%C3%A0ngz%C3%BA/632801__g%C3%A9%C4%95rm%C3%B9/|access-date=2021-11-21|website=citypopulation.de}}</ref>

{{anchor|Etymology|Names|Toponymy}}

==Name==
''Golmud'' is a [romanization](/source/romanization_of_Mongolian) of [Oirat](/source/Oirat_language) Голмуд, meaning "rivers". ''Ge'ermu'' is the [pinyin](/source/pinyin) [romanization](/source/romanization_of_Chinese) of the [Mandarin](/source/Standard_Mandarin) pronunciation of the same name's [transcription into Chinese characters](/source/transcription_into_Chinese_characters); it is sometimes spelled ''Geermu''. ''Ko-erh-mu'' was the same name romanized using the [Wade–Giles system](/source/Wade%E2%80%93Giles_system); ''Golmot'' was the romanization used by the [Chinese Postal Map](/source/Chinese_Postal_Map).{{sfnp|Stanford|1917|p=[https://archive.org/stream/cu31924023258241#page/n63/mode/2up 21]}} The [Wylie romanization](/source/Wylie_romanization) of the [Tibetan](/source/Classical_Tibetan) form of the name is ''Nagormo''.

== History ==
Golmud is a young city. It was first established in 1954 when the Transportation regiments of Qinghai-Tibet Corps set up a food distribution base, staffed by 10 people, at the current location. In May of that year, construction on the  [Qinghai-Tibet Highway](/source/Qinghai-Tibet_Highway) commenced.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=张建设|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q8upDwAAQBAJ&dq=%E6%A0%BC%E5%B0%94%E6%9C%A8+%E5%8E%86%E5%8F%B2&pg=PT72|title=柴达木文史丛书.第5辑.格尔木长镜头|date=2016-05-01|publisher=Beijing Book Co. Inc.|isbn=978-7-999066-08-8|language=zh}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=王宗仁|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pE68DwAAQBAJ&dq=%E6%A0%BC%E5%B0%94%E6%9C%A8+%E5%8E%86%E5%8F%B2&pg=PT28|title=苍茫青藏|date=2001-10-01|publisher=Beijing Book Co. Inc.|isbn=978-7-5065-4113-8|language=zh}}</ref> Scientific exploration of the mineral resources of [Qarhan](/source/Qarhan_Playa) were undertaken in the 1950s, leading to the discovery of the area's [potash](/source/potash) and [gas fields](/source/natural_gas_field). Systematic surveying was undertaken in the 1960s and 1970s, with the railway permitting industrial exploitation from the 1980s. The first oil pipeline{{sfn|CNPC|p=19}} and potassium fertilizer factory were opened in 1989. The {{convert|28|km2|abbr=on|sp=us|adj=on}} [Golmud Kunlun Economic Development Zone](/source/Golmud_Kunlun_Economic_Development_Zone) was opened in 1992. In 2004, a second pipeline arrived.{{sfn|CNPC|p=19}} In the 2010s, an influx of further investment followed realization of the importance of the [Sanhu](/source/Sanhu_Depression)'s supplies of [lithium](/source/lithium) and [rare earths](/source/rare_earths) for modern personal electronics and electric cars.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}} In 2016, over 85% of goods movement with Tibet passed through Golmud.<ref name=":0" />

== Administrative divisions ==
Golmud is divided into 5 [subdistricts](/source/Subdistricts_of_China), 2 [towns](/source/Towns_of_China), 2 [townships](/source/Townships_of_China):<ref name="xzqhgem">{{cite web |url=http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/qh/20660.html |script-title=zh:格尔木市历史沿革 |trans-title=Goldmud City Historical Development |publisher=XZQH |date=10 December 2013 | language = zh-hans|access-date=27 November 2018 |quote={{lang|zh-hans|2000年第五次人口普查，格尔木市总人口135897人，其中：昆仑路街道38214人，金峰路街道26567人，河西街道27417人，郭勒木德乡15771人，大格勒乡2106人，乌图美仁乡1808人，唐古拉山乡1880人，格尔木铁路12249人，格尔木农场9883人。{...}2005年，格尔木市调整乡镇行政区划：撤销郭勒木德乡，设立郭勒木德镇，镇政府驻地和镇区行政区划范围不变，实行镇管村体制。2、撤销唐古拉山乡，设立唐古拉山镇，镇政府驻地和镇区行政区划范围不变，实行镇管村体制。}}}}</ref><ref name="statgem">{{cite web|date=2020|title=|script-title=zh:2020年统计用区划代码（格尔木市）|trans-title=2020 Statistical Division Codes (Golmud)|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/tjbz/tjyqhdmhcxhfdm/2020/63/28/632801.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021200747/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/tjbz/tjyqhdmhcxhfdm/2020/63/28/632801.html|archive-date=2021-10-21|access-date=2021-10-21|publisher=[National Bureau of Statistics of China](/source/National_Bureau_of_Statistics_of_China)|language=zh-hans}}</ref><ref name="govsy">{{cite web|url=http://www.gem.gov.cn/gl.html |script-title=zh:世界盐湖城—青海格尔木市门户网站 概览 |trans-title=World Salt Lake City - Qinghai Golmud City Web Portal Overview | language = zh-hans|publisher=Golmud People's Government |quote={{lang|zh-hans|昆仑经济开发区 东城区工行委 西城区工行委 察尔汗工行委 乌图美仁乡 大格勒乡 郭勒木德镇 唐古拉山镇 昆仑路街道办事处 黄河路街道办事处 河西办事处 金锋路办事处 西藏路办事处}}|access-date=27 November 2018}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" align="center" style="width:50%; border="1"
|-
! Name
! Simplified Chinese
! Hanyu Pinyin
! [Tibetan](/source/Tibetan_script)
! [Wylie](/source/Wylie_transliteration)
! [Mongolian](/source/Mongolian_language) ([traditional script](/source/Mongolian_script))
! Mongolian ([Cyrillic](/source/Mongolian_Cyrillic_alphabet))
! [Administrative division code](/source/Administrative_division_codes_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China)
|-
| colspan="8"  style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;"|'''Subdistricts'''
|----------
| [Kunlun Road Subdistrict](/source/Kunlun_Road_Subdistrict%2C_Qinghai)
| {{lang|zh-hans|昆仑路街道}}
| {{Transliteration|zh|Kūnlúnlù Jiēdào}}
| {{bo-textonly|ཁུ་ནུ་སྲང་ལམ།}}
| {{Transliteration|bo|khu nu srang lam}}
| {{MongolUnicode|ᠺᠦᠨᠯᠦᠨ ᠵᠠᠮ ᠤᠨ ᠵᠡᠭᠡᠯᠢ ᠭᠤᠳᠤᠮᠵᠢ|style=max-height:2em;word-wrap:normal}}
| {{lang|mn|Кунлүн замын зээл гудамж}}
| 632801001
|-
| [Huanghe Road Subdistrict](/source/Huanghe_Road_Subdistrict%2C_Qinghai)
| {{lang|zh-hans|黄河路街道}}
| {{Transliteration|zh|Huánghélù Jiēdào}}
| {{bo-textonly|རྨ་ཆུ་ལམ་སྲང་ལམ།}}
| {{Transliteration|bo|rma chu lam srang lam}}
| {{MongolUnicode|ᠬᠤᠸᠠᠩ ᠾᠧ ᠵᠠᠮ ᠤᠨ ᠵᠡᠭᠡᠯᠢ ᠭᠤᠳᠤᠮᠵᠢ|style=max-height:2em;word-wrap:normal}}
| {{lang|mn|Хуан ге замын зээл гудамж}}
| 632801002
|-
| [Jinfeng Road Subdistrict](/source/Jinfeng_Road_Subdistrict)
| {{lang|zh-hans|金峰路街道}}
| {{Transliteration|zh|Jīnfēnglù Jiēdào}}
| {{bo-textonly|གསེར་རིའི་སྲང་ལམ།}}
| {{Transliteration|bo|gser ri'i srang lam}}
| {{MongolUnicode|ᠵᠢᠨ ᠹᠧᠩ ᠵᠠᠮ ᠤᠨ ᠵᠡᠭᠡᠯᠢ ᠭᠤᠳᠤᠮᠵᠢ|style=max-height:2em;word-wrap:normal}}
| {{lang|mn|Гийн фен замын зээл гудамж}}
| 632801003
|-
| [Hexi Subdistrict](/source/Hexi_Subdistrict%2C_Golmud)
| {{lang|zh-hans|河西街道}}
| {{Transliteration|zh|Héxī Jiēdào}}
| {{bo-textonly|ཆུའི་རུབ་སྲང་ལམ།}}
| {{Transliteration|bo|chu'i rub srang lam}}
| {{MongolUnicode|ᠭᠣᠣᠯ ᠤᠨ ᠪᠠᠷᠠᠭᠤᠨᠳᠠᠬᠢ ᠵᠡᠭᠡᠯᠢ ᠭᠤᠳᠤᠮᠵᠢ|style=max-height:2em;word-wrap:normal}}
| {{lang|mn|Голын баруунтах зээл гудамж}}
| 632801004
|-
| [Xizang Road Subdistrict](/source/Xizang_Road_Subdistrict)
| {{lang|zh-hans|西藏路街道}}
| {{Transliteration|zh|Xīzànglù Jiēdào}}
| {{bo-textonly|བོད་ལྗོངས་ལམ་སྲང་ལམ།}}
| {{Transliteration|bo|bod ljongs lam srang lam}}
| {{MongolUnicode|ᠪᠠᠷᠠᠭᠤᠨ ᠲᠥᠪᠡᠳ ᠵᠠᠮ ᠳ᠋ᠠᠬᠢ ᠵᠡᠭᠡᠯᠢ ᠭᠤᠳᠤᠮᠵᠢ|style=max-height:2em;word-wrap:normal}}
| {{lang|mn|Баруун төвд зам даахь зээл гудамж}}
| 632801005
|-
| colspan="8"  style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;"|'''Towns'''
|----------
| [Golmud Town](/source/Golmud_Town)
| {{lang|zh-hans|郭勒木德镇}}
| {{Transliteration|zh|Guōlèmùdé Zhèn}}
| {{bo-textonly|ཀོལ་མོ་གྲོང་རྡལ།}}
| {{Transliteration|bo|kol mo grong rdal}}
| {{MongolUnicode|ᠭᠣᠣᠯᠮᠤᠳ ᠪᠠᠯᠭᠠᠰᠤᠨ|style=max-height:2em;word-wrap:normal}}
| {{lang|mn|Голмд балгас}}
| 632801100
|-
| [Dangla Town](/source/Tanggulashan)
| {{lang|zh-hans|唐古拉镇}}
| {{Transliteration|zh|Tánggǔlā Zhèn}}
| {{bo-textonly|ལྡང་ལ་གྲོང་རྡལ།}}
| {{Transliteration|bo|ldang la grong rdal}}
| <!-- {{MongolUnicode||style=max-height:2em;word-wrap:normal}} -->
| <!-- {{lang|mn|}} -->
| 632801101
|-
| colspan="8"  style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;"|'''Townships'''
|----------
| [Gêlêg Qênboi Township](/source/G%C3%AAl%C3%AAg_Q%C3%AAnboi_Township)
| {{lang|zh-hans|大格勒乡}}
| {{Transliteration|zh|Dàgélè Xiāng}}
| {{bo-textonly|དགེ་ལེགས་ཆེན་པོའི་ཡུལ་ཚོ།}}
| {{Transliteration|bo|dge legs chen po'i yul tsho}}
| {{MongolUnicode|ᠳᠠᠭᠤᠷ ᠰᠤᠮᠤᠨ|style=max-height:2em;word-wrap:normal}}
| {{lang|mn|Дагуур суман}}
| 632801200
|-
| [Urt Moron Township](/source/Urt_Moron_Township)
| {{lang|zh-hans|乌图美仁乡}}
| {{Transliteration|zh|Wūtúměirén Xiāng}}
| {{bo-textonly|བུ་ཐུར་མེད་རིན་ཡུལ་ཚོ།}}
| {{Transliteration|bo|bu thur med rin yul tsho}}
| {{MongolUnicode|ᠤᠷᠲᠤᠮᠥ᠋ᠷᠡᠨ ᠰᠤᠮᠤᠨ|style=max-height:2em;word-wrap:normal}}
| {{lang|mn|Уртмран суман}}
| 632801201
|-
|}
Others:
* Qairhan Administrative Committee (察尔汗行政委员会)
* Golmud Agricultural Reclamation Co., Ltd (格尔木农垦有限公司)

== Demographics ==
In 2017, the population of the total area of Golmud was approximately 240,494.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} A 2018 publication by the [National Ethnic Affairs Commission](/source/State_Ethnic_Affairs_Commission) reported that ethnic [Han Chinese](/source/Han_Chinese) comprise 69.82% of the city's population, and [minority ethnic groups](/source/Ethnic_minorities_in_China) comprise 30.18%.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2018-02-28|title=|script-title=zh:青海海西蒙古族藏族自治州格尔木市|trans-title=Qinghai Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Golmud|url=https://www.neac.gov.cn/seac/mztj/201802/1012490.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211021191702/https://www.neac.gov.cn/seac/mztj/201802/1012490.shtml|archive-date=21 October 2021|access-date=2021-10-21|website=www.neac.gov.cn|publisher=[National Ethnic Affairs Commission](/source/State_Ethnic_Affairs_Commission)|language=zh}}</ref> The city's is home to 33 ethnic minorities, of which, the largest are the [Mongols](/source/Mongols), [Tibetans](/source/Tibetan_people), and [Hui](/source/Hui_people) people.<ref name=":1" />

==Geography==
Golmud is part of [Haixi Prefecture](/source/Haixi_Prefecture) in western [Qinghai Province](/source/Qinghai_Province). Despite being nominally a "city", the built-up urban area of Golmud comprises only {{convert|72|km2|abbr=on|sp=us}} of the county's {{convert|124500|km²}}. Most of the county lies in the southern [Qaidam Basin](/source/Qaidam_Basin) and in the foothills of the [Kunlun Mountains](/source/Kunlun_Mountains). A large southern [exclave](/source/exclave) is administered as the "[town](/source/town_(China))" of [Tanggula](/source/Tanggula_Town), separated from the rest of the county by the western panhandle of the [Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture](/source/Yushu_Tibetan_Autonomous_Prefecture). The northern part borders [Xinjiang](/source/Xinjiang) to its northwest; the southern exclave borders the [Tibetan Autonomous Region](/source/Tibetan_Autonomous_Region) to its southwest.

Golmud proper is at an elevation of {{convert|2809|m|sp=us|abbr=on}}. It grew up alongside the [Golmud River](/source/Golmud_River), which gave it its name.

North of Golmud is the [Qarhan Playa](/source/Qarhan_Playa), a {{convert|5856|km2|abbr=on}} [salt flat](/source/salt_pan_(geology)) with about ten perennial [salt lake](/source/salt_lake_(geography))s. The largest is [Dabusun Lake](/source/Dabusun_Lake), which receives the waters of the Golmud. The more important smaller lakes are [Suli](/source/Suli_Lake), [South Suli](/source/South_Suli_Lake), [Dabiele](/source/Dabiele_Lake), [Xiaobiele](/source/Xiaobiele_Lake), [Tuanjie](/source/Tuanjie_Lake), [Xiezuo](/source/Xiezuo_Lake), [Dongling](/source/Dongling_Lake), and [North](/source/North_Hulsan_Lake) and [South Hulsan](/source/South_Hulsan_Lake), which receive the waters of smaller inflowing streams. Qarhan is part of the larger [Sanhu Depression](/source/Sanhu_Depression), which includes [East](/source/East_Taijinar_Lake) and [West Taijinar Lake](/source/West_Taijinar_Lake)s. Other major lakes in the southern exclave of Golmud include {{Interlanguage link|Ulan Ul Lake|zh|乌兰乌拉湖}} ({{Lang-zh|c=乌兰乌拉湖|p=Wūlán Wūlā Hú}})<ref name="GNISulanul">{{GEOnet2|32FA882681413774E0440003BA962ED3|Ulan Ul Hu (Approved - N)}}, [United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency](/source/National_Geospatial-Intelligence_Agency)</ref> and {{Interlanguage link|Migriggyangzham Co|zh|赤布张错|ru|Мигриггъянгджам-Цо}} ({{Lang-zh|c=赤布张错|p=Chìbùzhāng Cuò}}, {{Langx|bo|མི་རིག་རྒྱང་གྲམ་མཚོ}}).<ref name="GNISmigriggyangzham">{{GEOnet2|32FA8826E9573774E0440003BA962ED3|Migriggyangzham Co (Approved - N)}}, [United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency](/source/National_Geospatial-Intelligence_Agency)</ref>

===Climate===
Golmud has a cold [arid climate](/source/Desert_climate) ([Köppen](/source/K%C3%B6ppen_climate_classification) ''[BWk](/source/Desert_climate)''), with long, cold winters, and warm summers. The monthly 24-hour average temperature drops to {{convert|−8.4|°C|1}} in January and rises to {{convert|18.5|°C|0}} in July, while the annual mean is {{convert|5.76|°C|1}}. Precipitation is very low, totaling only {{convert|45|mm|2}} per annum, falling on 28 days, most of which are during the summer. [Relative humidity](/source/Relative_humidity) averages only 32%, with all months below 40%, some of the lowest levels nationally. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 62% in July to 81% in November, the city receives 3,096 hours of bright sunshine annually.
 
{{Weather box
| width = auto
| location = Golmud, elevation {{convert|2808|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–2020)
| metric first = Y
| single line = Y
| collapsed = Y
| Jan high C = -0.5
| Feb high C = 4.4
| Mar high C = 9.7
| Apr high C = 15.6
| May high C = 19.7
| Jun high C = 23.2
| Jul high C = 25.7
| Aug high C = 25.0
| Sep high C = 20.4
| Oct high C = 13.7
| Nov high C = 6.4
| Dec high C = 0.4
| Jan mean C = -7.9
| Feb mean C = -3.5
| Mar mean C = 1.9
| Apr mean C = 8.0
| May mean C = 12.6
| Jun mean C = 16.6
| Jul mean C = 18.8
| Aug mean C = 18.0
| Sep mean C = 13.2
| Oct mean C = 5.8
| Nov mean C = -1.5
| Dec mean C = -7.1
| Jan low C = -13.6
| Feb low C = -9.8
| Mar low C = -4.5
| Apr low C = 1.3
| May low C = 5.9
| Jun low C = 10.5
| Jul low C = 12.6
| Aug low C = 12.1
| Sep low C = 7.5
| Oct low C = -0.1
| Nov low C = -7.3
| Dec low C = -12.6
| Jan record high C = 13.9
| Feb record high C = 18.0
| Mar record high C = 24.7
| Apr record high C = 31.3
| May record high C = 31.0
| Jun record high C = 32.7
| Jul record high C = 34.0
| Aug record high C = 35.5
| Sep record high C = 31.0
| Oct record high C = 26.4
| Nov record high C = 20.6
| Dec record high C = 10.0
| Jan record low C = −33.6
| Feb record low C = −26.6
| Mar record low C = −26.1
| Apr record low C = −13.4
| May record low C = −7.8
| Jun record low C = −5.2
| Jul record low C = 1.9
| Aug record low C = −1.4
| Sep record low C = −8.2
| Oct record low C = −20.2
| Nov record low C = −25.4
| Dec record low C = −28.5
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 1.0
| Feb precipitation mm = 0.6
| Mar precipitation mm = 0.9
| Apr precipitation mm = 1.6
| May precipitation mm = 5.0
| Jun precipitation mm = 9.3
| Jul precipitation mm = 13.4
| Aug precipitation mm = 7.8
| Sep precipitation mm = 4.9
| Oct precipitation mm = 0.7
| Nov precipitation mm = 0.8
| Dec precipitation mm = 0.7
| Jan humidity = 38
| Feb humidity = 29
| Mar humidity = 25
| Apr humidity = 23
| May humidity = 27
| Jun humidity = 34
| Jul humidity = 37
| Aug humidity = 35
| Sep humidity = 34
| Oct humidity = 31
| Nov humidity = 32
| Dec humidity = 38
| unit precipitation days = 0.1&nbsp;mm
| Jan precipitation days = 1.9
| Feb precipitation days = 1.0
| Mar precipitation days = 1.4
| Apr precipitation days = 1.3
| May precipitation days = 3.1
| Jun precipitation days = 4.8
| Jul precipitation days = 6.4
| Aug precipitation days = 4.1
| Sep precipitation days = 3.2
| Oct precipitation days = 0.8
| Nov precipitation days = 1.0
| Dec precipitation days = 1.2
| year precipitation days = 
| Jan sun = 211.4
| Feb sun = 207.6
| Mar sun = 258.2
| Apr sun = 275.4
| May sun = 289.6
| Jun sun = 260.2
| Jul sun = 270.3
| Aug sun = 269.8
| Sep sun = 249.5
| Oct sun = 269.5
| Nov sun = 234.4
| Dec sun = 217.6
| year sun = 
| Jan percentsun = 68
| Feb percentsun = 67
| Mar percentsun = 69
| Apr percentsun = 69
| May percentsun = 66
| Jun percentsun = 60
| Jul percentsun = 61
| Aug percentsun = 65
| Sep percentsun = 68
| Oct percentsun = 79
| Nov percentsun = 77
| Dec percentsun = 73
| year percentsun = 
| Jan snow days = 3.2
| Feb snow days = 2.5
| Mar snow days = 2.6
| Apr snow days = 2.0
| May snow days = 0.8
| Jun snow days = 0
| Jul snow days = 0
| Aug snow days = 0
| Sep snow days = 0.1
| Oct snow days = 1.1
| Nov snow days = 1.5
| Dec snow days = 2.0
| year snow days = 
| source 1 = [China Meteorological Administration](/source/China_Meteorological_Administration),<ref name="cma graphical">{{cite web |url=http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data |publisher=[China Meteorological Administration](/source/China_Meteorological_Administration) |language = zh-hans |access-date=27 August 2023}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web|url=https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网|publisher=[China Meteorological Administration](/source/China_Meteorological_Administration) |language = zh-hans | access-date =27 August 2023 |title=Experience Template }}</ref><ref name="CMA old">
{{cite web|url=http://old-cdc.cma.gov.cn/shuju/search1.jsp?dsid=SURF_CLI_CHN_MUL_MMON_19712000_CES&tpcat=SURF&type=table&pageid=3 |script-title=zh:中国地面国际交换站气候标准值月值数据集（1971－2000年）|publisher=[China Meteorological Administration](/source/China_Meteorological_Administration) |access-date=2010-05-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055035/http://old-cdc.cma.gov.cn/shuju/search1.jsp?dsid=SURF_CLI_CHN_MUL_MMON_19712000_CES&tpcat=SURF&type=table&pageid=3 |archive-date=2013-09-21 
}}</ref> [NOAA](/source/NOAA)<ref>{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/5.5/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/China/CSV/GOLMUD_52818.csv
|title = Golmud Climate Normals 1991-2020
|publisher = [NOAA](/source/NOAA)
|language =en-us}}
</ref>
| source = 
}}

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Xiaozaohuo, Golmud, elevation {{convert|2767|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals)
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|collapsed = Y
|Jan high C = 	-0.8
|Feb high C = 	4.1
|Mar high C = 	9.6
|Apr high C = 	15.6
|May high C = 	20.0
|Jun high C = 	23.8
|Jul high C = 	26.3
|Aug high C = 	25.4
|Sep high C = 	20.7
|Oct high C = 	13.6
|Nov high C = 	6.2
|Dec high C = 	0.1
|Jan mean C = 	-10.3
|Feb mean C = 	-5.6
|Mar mean C = 	0.5
|Apr mean C = 	6.8
|May mean C = 	11.9
|Jun mean C = 	16.1
|Jul mean C = 	18.2
|Aug mean C = 	17.2
|Sep mean C = 	12.2
|Oct mean C = 	4.0
|Nov mean C = 	-3.7
|Dec mean C = 	-9.7
|Jan low C = 	-18.4
|Feb low C = 	-14.1
|Mar low C = 	-7.8
|Apr low C = 	-1.5
|May low C = 	3.9
|Jun low C = 	8.5
|Jul low C = 	10.6
|Aug low C = 	9.7
|Sep low C = 	4.8
|Oct low C = 	-3.8
|Nov low C = 	-11.5
|Dec low C = 	-17.4
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 	0.5
|Feb precipitation mm = 	0.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 	0.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 	0.7
|May precipitation mm = 	3.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 	7.1
|Jul precipitation mm = 	7.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 	5.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 	3.6
|Oct precipitation mm = 	0.6
|Nov precipitation mm = 	0.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 	0.3
|Jan humidity = 	38
|Feb humidity = 	29
|Mar humidity = 	27
|Apr humidity = 	27
|May humidity = 	28
|Jun humidity = 	33
|Jul humidity = 	38
|Aug humidity = 	36
|Sep humidity = 	35
|Oct humidity = 	33
|Nov humidity = 	36
|Dec humidity = 	39
|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 	1.1
|Feb precipitation days = 	0.6
|Mar precipitation days = 	0.8
|Apr precipitation days = 	0.7
|May precipitation days = 	2.7
|Jun precipitation days = 	4.0
|Jul precipitation days = 	5.6
|Aug precipitation days = 	3.5
|Sep precipitation days = 	2.4
|Oct precipitation days = 	0.5
|Nov precipitation days = 	0.7
|Dec precipitation days = 	0.7
|year precipitation days = 
|Jan sun = 	227.6
|Feb sun = 	216.6
|Mar sun = 	262.8
|Apr sun = 	276.4
|May sun = 	291.0
|Jun sun = 	264.2
|Jul sun = 	271.7
|Aug sun = 	272.6
|Sep sun = 	256.2
|Oct sun = 	276.7
|Nov sun = 	243.8
|Dec sun = 	231.3
|year sun = 
| Jan percentsun = 	73
| Feb percentsun = 	70
| Mar percentsun = 	70
| Apr percentsun = 	70
| May percentsun = 	66
| Jun percentsun = 	60
| Jul percentsun = 	61
| Aug percentsun = 	66
| Sep percentsun = 	70
| Oct percentsun = 	81
| Nov percentsun = 	81
| Dec percentsun = 	78
| year percentsun =
|Jan snow days = 	2.2
|Feb snow days = 	1.3
|Mar snow days = 	2.0
|Apr snow days = 	1.4
|May snow days = 	0.8
|Jun snow days = 	0
|Jul snow days = 	0
|Aug snow days = 	0
|Sep snow days = 	0
|Oct snow days = 	0.9
|Nov snow days = 	1.2
|Dec snow days = 	1.3
|year snow days = 
|source 1 = [China Meteorological Administration](/source/China_Meteorological_Administration)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data |publisher=[China Meteorological Administration](/source/China_Meteorological_Administration) |language = zh-hans |access-date=27 September 2023}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web|url=https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网|publisher=[China Meteorological Administration](/source/China_Meteorological_Administration) |language = zh-hans | access-date =27 September 2023 |title=Experience Template }}</ref>
}}

== Economy ==
thumb|250px|Salt harvesting in Golmud (Qinghai) in summer 1993
The [Qarhan Playa](/source/Qarhan_Playa) has China's largest reserves of [salt](/source/salt), [potassium](/source/potassium), and [magnesium](/source/magnesium),<ref name=aimhigh/> as well as other valuable minerals. Taken together, the mineral resources in the playa were estimated to be worth over 15 trillion [renminbi](/source/renminbi) (RMB) as of 2002.<ref name=aimhigh>{{citation |contribution-url=http://edu.sina.com.cn/en/2002-07-10/4210.html |contribution=City in Gobi Desert Aims High |title=Shanghai Daily |date=10 July 2002 |location=Shanghai }}.</ref> The area's salt has also trapped valuable hydrocarbons. The Sebei-1 and Sebei-2 fields near [Suli Lake](/source/Suli_Lake) are also China's 4th-largest onshore reserves of [natural gas](/source/natural_gas){{sfn|CNPC|p=19}} and the entire area may have reserves as high as 1 trillion m<sup>3</sup> (35 trillion cu. ft.).<ref name=aimhigh/> The larger [Sanhu Depression](/source/Sanhu_Depression) includes [East](/source/East_Taijinar) and [West Taijinar](/source/West_Taijinar), which hold China's largest reserves of [lithium](/source/lithium).

The surrounding countryside also produces [gold](/source/Gold_mining_in_China), [copper](/source/copper_in_China), [jade](/source/jade_in_China), [lead](/source/lead), and [zinc](/source/zinc).<ref name=aimhigh/>

A pipeline delivers [crude oil](/source/crude_oil) from Huatugou Oilfield to a [refinery](/source/oil_refinery) at Golmud.{{sfn|CNPC|p=19}} The refinery has a capacity of 1 million metric tons a year; is able to produce 100,000 metric tons a year of [methanol](/source/methanol) and 20,000 MT/yr of [polypropylene](/source/polypropylene); and has a 100,000 MT/yr [gas fractionator](/source/natural-gas_processing).{{sfn|CNPC|p=19}}

According to the [National Ethnic Affairs Commission](/source/State_Ethnic_Affairs_Commission), the [per capita](/source/per_capita) [disposable income](/source/Disposable_and_discretionary_income) in Golmud was 6,852 yuan in the first quarter of 2017, a 9.3% increase from the one year prior.<ref name=":1" /> Golmud has been one of the areas included in China's [Targeted Poverty Alleviation program](/source/Targeted_Poverty_Alleviation), which the Commission states has entailed the reconstruction of houses in the city with subpar living conditions, and subsidizing low-income students in the city.<ref name=":1" /> The commission also states that the government has been developing the production of traditional woodworking, embroidery, and other local crafts through designated "demonstration areas" ({{Lang-zh|c=示范区|p=shìfàn qū}}).<ref name=":1" />

Statistics for 2001 show that the city's nominal GDP totaled 2.213 billion RMB, a rise of 31.9% from the previous year<ref name="aimhigh" />{{why|date=August 2019}} and the highest growth rate since 1990.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/nts23296.htm |title=Golmud City Set to Become China's Salt Lake City |work=Alexander's Gas and Oil Connections |date=28 June 2002 |agency=Xinhua News Agency |access-date=30 January 2006 |archive-date=10 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310141650/http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/nts23296.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Transportation ==

=== Railway ===
{{see also|Golmud railway station|Golmud South railway station}}
Golmud lies along the [Qinghai–Tibet railway](/source/Qinghai%E2%80%93Tibet_railway), a {{convert|1956|km|abbr=on}} railway that starts from [Xining](/source/Xining) and ends at [Lhasa](/source/Lhasa) in the [Tibet Autonomous Region](/source/Tibet_Autonomous_Region). The Golmud-Lhasa section, with a length of {{convert|1142|km|abbr=on}}, was the last and most challenging part of the railway to be completed. After five years of construction, the first train for Lhasa left Golmud on 1 July 2006.

In October 2012 construction started on the [Golmud–Dunhuang Railway](/source/Golmud%E2%80%93Dunhuang_Railway). It will actually branch off the [Qinghai–Tibet Railway](/source/Qinghai%E2%80%93Tibet_Railway) at the [Yinmaxia station](/source/Yinmaxia_railway_station) north of Golmud, and will cross the [Qaidam Basin](/source/Qaidam_Basin) and the [Altyn-Tagh](/source/Altyn-Tagh)/[Qilian](/source/Qilian_Mountains) system on the way to Dunhuang in the neighboring [Gansu](/source/Gansu) province.<ref name=hcp20121020>{{cite web |url=http://news.huochepiao.com/2012-10/2012102013240934.htm |script-title=zh:格尔木至敦煌铁路开工 |publisher=Huochepiao.com |date=2012-10-20 |access-date=26 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121209023055/http://news.huochepiao.com/2012-10/2012102013240934.htm |archive-date=9 December 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [Golmud-Korla Railway](/source/Golmud-Korla_Railway) running north west from Golmud into [Korla](/source/Korla), [Xinjiang](/source/Xinjiang) began construction in November 2014 and was completed in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.peoplerail.com/rail/show-456-184719-1.html|script-title=zh:人民铁道网 - 中国铁路新闻门户新疆库尔勒至格尔木铁路拟11月开建 - 运输 -|work=[Tianshannet](/source/Tianshannet) |via=peoplerail.com |date=2014-05-23 |access-date=2020-05-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=首趟列车出发！12月9日格库铁路新疆段正式通车运营_【高铁网】|url=http://news.gaotie.cn/yunying/2020-12-09/560565.html|access-date=2020-12-09|website=news.gaotie.cn}}</ref>

=== Highways ===
*The Golmud-Lhasa [highway](/source/National_Trunk_Highway_System), extending {{convert|1050|km|abbr=on}}, is part of the 1,930-km Qinghai-Tibet highway ([China National Highway 109](/source/China_National_Highway_109)) connecting Xining and Lhasa.
*[China National Highway 215](/source/China_National_Highway_215), runs north from Golmud to [Dunhuang](/source/Dunhuang), [Gansu](/source/Gansu)

===Airport===
{{expand section|date=February 2013}}
* [Golmud Airport](/source/Golmud_Airport)

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in China}}
Golmud is [twinned](/source/Twin_towns_and_sister_cities) with:

*{{flagdeco|Nepal}} [Bharatpur](/source/Bharatpur%2C_Nepal), [Nepal](/source/Nepal)
*{{flagdeco|Bulgaria}} [Dobrich](/source/Dobrich), [Bulgaria](/source/Bulgaria)
*{{flagdeco|Israel}} [Kiryat Malakhi](/source/Kiryat_Malakhi), [Israel](/source/Israel)<ref>{{cite web |script-title=zh:格尔木市戮力打造丝路开放新高地 |url=http://wknzy.com/html/info100517327.html |publisher=Haixi Prefecture Science and Technology Bureau |access-date=26 July 2018 |date=11 April 2017 |archive-date=26 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726135051/http://wknzy.com/html/info100517327.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{citation |contribution=20: Qaidam Basin |contribution-url=https://www.cnpc.com.cn/en/xhtml/pdf/20-Qaidam%20Basin.pdf |publisher=China National Petroleum Corporation |location=Beijing |url=http://www.cnpc.com.cn/en/brochures/brochures_index.shtml |title=Brochures |ref={{harvid|CNPC}} }}.
* {{citation |last=Stanford |first=Edward |author-link=Edward Stanford |url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924023258241#page/n3/mode/2up |title=Complete Atlas of China, ''2nd ed.'' |date=1917 |publisher=China Inland Mission |location=London }}.

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090408082218/http://www.gem.gov.cn/ Official website (Chinese)]

{{Commons category|Golmud}}

{{County-level divisions of Qinghai}}
{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Qinghai
Category:Populated places in Tibet
Category:Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Category:National Sanitary City
Category:Populated places established in 1954
Category:Socialist planned cities

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Golmud](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golmud) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golmud?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.