{{About|city in Sichuan|a municipality in Chonburi Province, Thailand|Ko Sichang District}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Xichang |native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|zh|西昌市}}}} · {{lang|ii|ꀒꎂꏃ}} |official_name = |other_name = |settlement_type = County-level city |image_skyline = 00 Xichang Qionghai Lake.jpg |image_map = Location of Xichang within Sichuan (China).png |map_caption = Location of Xichang City jurisdiction (red) within Liangshan Prefecture (yellow) and Sichuan |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = China |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = Sichuan |subdivision_type2 = Prefecture |subdivision_name2 = Liangshan |seat = Beicheng Subdistrict |seat_type = Municipal seat |area_total_km2 = 2655 |population_as_of = 2020 |population_density_km2 = auto |population_total = 955041 |population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |url = http://tjj.lsz.gov.cn/sjfb/lstjgb/202106/t20210602_1924541.html |title = 凉山州第七次全国人口普查公报（第二号）——县（市）人口情况 |publisher = Government of Liangshan Prefecture |language = zh |date = 2021-06-02 |access-date = August 8, 2023 |archive-date = June 12, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220612104527/http://tjj.lsz.gov.cn/sjfb/lstjgb/202106/t20210602_1924541.html |url-status = dead }}</ref> |pushpin_map = Sichuan#China |pushpin_label_position = bottom |pushpin_map_caption = Location in Sichuan |coordinates = {{coord|27|53|40|N|102|15|52|E|region:CN-51|display=it}} |elevation_m = 1542 |timezone = China Standard |utc_offset = +8 |postal_code = 615000 |postal_code_type = Postal code |area_code = 0834 |website = {{URL|http://www.xichang.gov.cn/}} }} {{Infobox Chinese | pic = XC name.svg | piccap = | picsize = 125px | c = {{linktext|西昌}} | p = Xīchāng | l = Western Prosperity | lang1 = Yi | lang1_content = {{lang|ii|ꀒꎂ}}<br><small>Romanisation: Op Rro</small> }} {{Infobox Chinese |title=Former names |altname=Jiandu |c2={{linktext|建都}} |p2=Jiàndū |l2=Establishing Capital |w2=Chien-tu |altname3=Jianchang |c3= {{linktext|建昌}} |p3=Jiànchāng |l3=Establishing Prosperity |w3=Chien-ch{{wg-apos}}ang }} '''Xichang''' (Northern Yi: /o̝˨˩dʐo̝˧/) is a city in and the seat of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in the south of Sichuan, China.
==History== The Qiongdu were the local people at the time of contact with China. The county of Qiongdu is attested in the area from the Han dynasty. Under the Song dynasty, a local lord was given the title of "King of the Qiongdu" (''Qiongdu Wang''). The area formed part of the medieval Kingdom of Dali and was subdued by the Mongolians from 1253 to 1256, after which it was incorporated into Yunnan of the Yuan dynasty. It was organized as the Jiandu Ningyuan duhufu, qianhufu, or wanhufu but continued to be often known as Jiandu.{{sfn|Haw|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=DSfvfr8VQSEC&pg=PA99 99–100]}} In the book of his travels, Marco Polo recorded that the people of Jiandu and its hinterland used no coins but rods of gold bullion reckoned in ''{{lang|it|saggi}}''. A small change was made using half-catty pieces of molded salt, each reckoned as one-eightieth of a ''{{lang|it|saggio}}'' of pure gold.{{sfnp|Polo|1903|loc=Vol. II, p. 54}} Under the Qing, it was officially known as Ningyuan Commandery{{sfn|Haw|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=DSfvfr8VQSEC&pg=PA99 99–100]}} but also continued to be referenced under the old name Jianchang. In the 19th century, it was the center of Sichuan's production of "white wax".{{sfnp|''EB''|1878|loc=Vol. V, "China"}}
In 1850, a magnitude-7.5 earthquake killed more than 20,600 people in Xichang. The city walls in Xichang County, three gate towers—the west, south and north—and some prisons collapsed.<ref name="NGDC">{{cite web |title=Significant Earthquake Information |url=https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/earthquake/event-more-info/1905 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419000247/https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/earthquake/event-more-info/1905 |archive-date=April 19, 2023 |access-date=18 October 2021 |website= |publisher=NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}}</ref>
Roman Catholicism was introduced to Ningyuan in the 18th century by the Paris Foreign Missions Society. The Apostolic Vicariate of Kienchang was established in 1910 and was elevated to a diocese in 1946.<ref>{{cite web |author= |date= |title=Diocese of Xichang |url=https://www.ucanews.com/directory/dioceses/china-xichang/258 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200510210807/https://www.ucanews.com/directory/dioceses/china-xichang/258 |archive-date=May 10, 2020 |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=Union of Catholic Asian News}}</ref> The episcopal residence is located next to the Cathedral of the Angels, Xichang.
In the 1980s, its population was thought to be around 140,000 people.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Terrill |first=Ross |date=1987-12-20 |title=A World Away From Beijing |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/20/travel/a-world-away-from-beijing.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422174238/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/20/travel/a-world-away-from-beijing.html |archive-date=April 22, 2009 |access-date=2024-05-20 |work=The New York Times |page=9 |language=en-US |type=a transcribed text from a newspaper |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 2012, it had an estimated population of 481,796.<ref>{{Cite web |title=M 6.6 - 59 km N of Xichang, China |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/iscgem893478/region-info |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=United States Geological Survey |at=Nearby Places |format=from the GeoNames database}}</ref>
==Geography== Xichang lies in a mountainous region of far southern Sichuan. The city is just northeast of the prefecture-level city of Panzhihua. The Anning River is the main river in the area. It is an affluent of the Yalong, Jinsha, and Yangtze rivers. It lies near Qiong Lake.
thumb|center|Xichang (labelled as ''HSI-CH'ANG'' (''NING-YÜAN'') {{lang|zh-hant|西昌 (寧遠)}}) (1954)
===Climate=== Owing to its low latitude and high elevation, Xichang has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen ''Cwa'') milder and far sunnier than the Sichuan Basin, with mild, very sunny and dry winters, and very warm, rainy summers. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from {{convert|9.9|°C|1}} in January to {{convert|22.6|°C|1}} in July, and the annual mean is {{convert|17.15|°C|1}}. Over 60% of the {{convert|1025|mm|1|abbr=on}} annual precipitation occurs from June to August. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 36% in September to 72% in January, the city receives 2,367 hours of bright sunshine annually.
{{Weather box | width = auto | metric first = y | single line = y | collapsed = Y | location = Xichang, elevation {{convert|1591|m|ft|abbr=on}} (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present) | Jan high C = 17.5 | Feb high C = 20.3 | Mar high C = 24.6 | Apr high C = 27.4 | May high C = 28.5 | Jun high C = 27.7 | Jul high C = 28.2 | Aug high C = 28.5 | Sep high C = 25.8 | Oct high C = 22.8 | Nov high C = 20.3 | Dec high C = 17.1 | Jan mean C = 10.2 | Feb mean C = 12.8 | Mar mean C = 16.6 | Apr mean C = 19.6 | May mean C = 21.5 | Jun mean C = 22.0 | Jul mean C = 22.8 | Aug mean C = 22.6 | Sep mean C = 20.3 | Oct mean C = 17.2 | Nov mean C = 13.6 | Dec mean C = 10.2 | year mean C = | Jan low C = 4.8 | Feb low C = 7.0 | Mar low C = 10.3 | Apr low C = 13.4 | May low C = 16.3 | Jun low C = 18.2 | Jul low C = 19.1 | Aug low C = 18.8 | Sep low C = 16.9 | Oct low C = 13.8 | Nov low C = 9.2 | Dec low C = 5.5 | Jan record high C = 26.0 | Jan record low C = −3.4 | Feb record high C = 29.3 | Feb record low C = −3.8 | Mar record high C = 33.5 | Mar record low C = 0.2 | Apr record high C = 35.5 | Apr record low C = 2.7 | May record high C = 39.4 | May record low C = 7.1 | Jun record high C = 36.0 | Jun record low C = 10.7 | Jul record high C = 39.7 | Jul record low C = 12.7 | Aug record high C = 35.5 | Aug record low C = 13.0 | Sep record high C = 34.9 | Sep record low C = 8.9 | Oct record high C = 33.2 | Oct record low C = 0.0 | Nov record high C = 27.8 | Nov record low C = −1.8 | Dec record high C = 24.8 | Dec record low C = −2.8 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 4.6 | Feb precipitation mm = 5.8 | Mar precipitation mm = 13.6 | Apr precipitation mm = 32.3 | May precipitation mm = 83.0 | Jun precipitation mm = 234.5 | Jul precipitation mm = 234.8 | Aug precipitation mm = 179.6 | Sep precipitation mm = 163.3 | Oct precipitation mm = 67.5 | Nov precipitation mm = 16.8 | Dec precipitation mm = 5.0 | Jan humidity = 49 | Feb humidity = 43 | Mar humidity = 41 | Apr humidity = 45 | May humidity = 54 | Jun humidity = 71 | Jul humidity = 74 | Aug humidity = 71 | Sep humidity = 74 | Oct humidity = 71 | Nov humidity = 63 | Dec humidity = 59 | unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm | Jan precipitation days = 2.6 | Feb precipitation days = 2.9 | Mar precipitation days = 5.0 | Apr precipitation days = 8.7 | May precipitation days = 13.0 | Jun precipitation days = 19.0 | Jul precipitation days = 17.9 | Aug precipitation days = 15.9 | Sep precipitation days = 15.6 | Oct precipitation days = 11.7 | Nov precipitation days = 4.2 | Dec precipitation days = 2.0 | year precipitation days = | Jan sun = 221.5 | Feb sun = 216.7 | Mar sun = 247.4 | Apr sun = 235.9 | May sun = 207.2 | Jun sun = 136.6 | Jul sun = 142.8 | Aug sun = 163.5 | Sep sun = 126.6 | Oct sun = 142.2 | Nov sun = 186.0 | Dec sun = 198.3 | year sun = | Jan percentsun = 67 | Feb percentsun = 68 | Mar percentsun = 66 | Apr percentsun = 61 | May percentsun = 49 | Jun percentsun = 33 | Jul percentsun = 34 | Aug percentsun = 41 | Sep percentsun = 35 | Oct percentsun = 40 | Nov percentsun = 58 | Dec percentsun = 62 | year percentsun = | Jan snow days = 1.1 | Feb snow days = 1.0 | Mar snow days = 0.1 | Apr snow days = 0 | May snow days = 0 | Jun snow days = 0 | Jul snow days = 0 | Aug snow days = 0 | Sep snow days = 0 | Oct snow days = 0 | Nov snow days = 0.1 | Dec snow days = 0.6 | year snow days = | source 1 = 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 |language = zh-cn |access-date=2020-04-15}}</ref><ref> {{cite web|title=Experience Template |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 |language = zh-hans | access-date =14 April 2023}}</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 |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> all-time extreme temperature<ref name = Mherrera>{{cite web |url= http://www.mherrera.org/temp.htm |title= Extreme Temperatures Around the World |access-date= 2024-10-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://weibo.com/1920136013/PEi8B9y9r |script-title=zh:【高温】今天重庆四川包揽高温榜前十，重庆巫溪44.2℃不仅拿下今天全国第一，也打破当地观测史最高纪录。今天重庆四川陕西湖北海南云南有13站打破8月最高气温纪录，海口37.6℃也在列。除了重庆巫溪，四川苍溪41℃、湖北孝感39.5℃、陕西留坝37.8℃，共4站打破观测史最高气温纪录。 今天12个省会首府直辖市出现高温，海口和重庆沙坪坝创出今年气温新高。通常重庆最热在8月，这个不意外。海口最热往往是4-5月，今年最高气温落在8月，也是相当少见。今天郑州拿下第47个高温日，打破全年最多纪录。明天高温依然处于鼎盛阶段，但6-7日随着冷空气南下，降雨发展，高温缩减。 明天四川东部、重庆一带，还是40℃的核心高温区。重庆沙坪坝报出41℃。之后重庆的连续40℃可能暂时告一段落，到了11日重庆都有机会退出高温区。而未来高温最持久的可能是海口。又连续报出7天，这样在8月的连续高温不多见。8日以后两广一带随着降雨减少，广州和南宁的高温会增多。 |publisher=weatherman_信欣 on Weibo |language = zh-hans | access-date = 4 August 2025 |title=Sina Visitor System }}</ref> All-time October high<ref>{{cite web|url=https://weibo.com/1920136013/Q7UqAvBFO |script-title=zh:【离谱的气温】今天南方高温继续发展，福建江西浙江站点包揽高温榜前十，上榜门槛提升到了38.2℃，福建建宁39.3℃排名第一。浙江上海安徽四川云南有28站气温打破10月最高气温纪录。杭州福州南昌长沙南京武汉上海共7个省会直辖市，创最晚高温日纪录。杭州南昌武汉上海刷新1951年以来全年高温日数最多纪录。南昌未来7天高温不断，今年高温日数将达到80天，就算兑现5天，高温日数也将达到78天，将创造新的省会首府直辖市全年高温日数纪录——2022年福州74天，已经觉得不可思议，2024年重庆77天，感觉是神迹。结果转眼今年又要见证新纪录诞生。而且福州未来再加5天，也将达到75天，创造当地全年高温日数新纪录。并且南方未来多个城市的高温，也将继续改写最晚高温日纪录。武汉长沙福州报出12日还有高温，杭州和南昌在13日还有高温。而且看最低气温，南昌和杭州报7日晨28℃，也是10月罕见，可能破纪录。总之，异常强的副热带高压，让南方热得一点不像10月，依然像盛夏的7-8月。而北方地区，在冷空气和阴雨影响，气温明显偏低，并创立秋后新低。白天最高气温的偏低程度尤其明显。华北等地，8-9日的白天，冷得也不像10月，更像11月。总之，未来气温就是主打一个离谱，南方热到怀疑人生，北方冷得有些发蒙。|publisher=weatherman_信欣 on Weibo |language = zh-hans | access-date =6 October 2025 |title=Sina Visitor System }}</ref>extremes<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.roostweather.com/worldclimate/graphs.php?code=CHM00056571 |title=Xichang Climate: 1991–2020 |publisher=Starlings Roost Weather |access-date=18 April 2026 }}</ref> | source = }}
==Administrative divisions== Xichang comprises 7 subdistricts, 11 towns, 6 townships and 2 ethnic townships.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" align="center" style="width:50%; border=" 1" |- ! Name ! Simplified Chinese ! Hanyu pinyin ! Yi ! Romanized Yi ! Administrative division code |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;"|'''Subdistricts''' |---------- | Beicheng Subdistrict |{{lang|zh-hans|北城街道}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Běichéng Jiēdào}} |{{lang|ii|ꀙꍰꏦꈜ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|bip chep jie gga}} | 513401001 |- | Xicheng Subdistrict |{{lang|zh-hans|西城街道}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Xīchéng Jiēdào}} |{{lang|ii|ꑟꍰꏦꈜ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|xi chep jie gga}} | 513401002 |- | Dongcheng Subdistrict |{{lang|zh-hans|东城街道}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Dōngchéng Jiēdào}} |{{lang|ii|ꄏꍰꏦꈜ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|do chep jie gga}} | 513401003 |- | Chang'an Subdistrict |{{lang|zh-hans|长安街道}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Cháng'ān Jiēdào}} |{{lang|ii|ꍤꉢꏦꈜ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|chap nga jie gga}} | 513401004 |- | Xincun Subdistrict |{{lang|zh-hans|新村街道}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Xīncūn Jiēdào}} |{{lang|ii|ꑟꋂꏦꈜ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|xi ce jie gga}} | 513401005 |- | Hainan Subdistrict |{{lang|zh-hans|海南街道}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Hǎinán Jiēdào}} |{{lang|ii|ꉰꇂꏦꈜ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|hie lap jie gga}} | 513401007 |- | Madao Subdistrict |{{lang|zh-hans|马道街道}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Mǎdào Jiēdào}} |{{lang|ii|ꂶꄐꏦꈜ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|max dop jie gga}} | 513401008 |---------- | colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;"|'''Towns''' |---------- | Lizhou Town |{{lang|zh-hans|礼州镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Lǐzhōu Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꇉꂾꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|lo mox zhep}} | 513401101 |- | Anning Town |{{lang|zh-hans|安宁镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Ānníng Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꉢꆀꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|nga nip zhep}} | 513401102 |- | Chuanxing Town |{{lang|zh-hans|川兴镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Chuānxīng Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꍧꑟꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|chuo xi zhep}} | 513401103 |- | Huanglianguang Town |{{lang|zh-hans|黄联关镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Huángliánguān Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꉸꆃꇨꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|huop niep guo zhep}} | 513401104 |- | Youjun Town |{{lang|zh-hans|佑君镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Yòujūn Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꒀꏢꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|yop ji zhep}} | 513401105 |- | Taihe Town |{{lang|zh-hans|太和镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Tàihé Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꄠꉼꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|tiep hop zhep}} | 513401106 |- | Anha Town |{{lang|zh-hans|安哈镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Ānhā Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꉢꉳꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|nga ha zhep}} | 513401107 |- | Aqi Town |{{lang|zh-hans|阿七镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Āqī Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꀈꐕꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|at qyp zhep}} | 513401108 |- | Zhangmuqing Town |{{lang|zh-hans|樟木箐镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Zhāngmùqìng Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꍈꃆꏿꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|zha mup qip zhep}} | 513401109 |- | Langhuan Town |{{lang|zh-hans|琅环镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Lánghuán Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꇂꉸꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|lap huop zhep}} | 513401110 |- | Baru Town |{{lang|zh-hans|巴汝镇}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Bārǔ Zhèn}} |{{lang|ii|ꀠꌼꍔ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|ba ssut zhep}} | 513401111 |---------- | colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;"|'''Townships''' |---------- | Sihe Township |{{lang|zh-hans|四合乡}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Sìhé Xiāng}} |{{lang|ii|ꌧꉼꑣ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|syp hop xie}} | 513401203 |- | Kaiyuan Township |{{lang|zh-hans|开元乡}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Kāiyuán Xiāng}} |{{lang|ii|ꇽꑸꑣ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|kie yiep xie}} | 513401211 |- | Daxing Township |{{lang|zh-hans|大兴乡}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Dàxīng Xiāng}} |{{lang|ii|ꄉꑟꑣ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|da xi xie}} | 513401212 |- | Jingjiu Township |{{lang|zh-hans|经久乡}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Jīngjiǔ Xiāng}} |{{lang|ii|ꏢꏭꑣ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|ji jox xie}} | 513401215 |- | Ma'anshan Township |{{lang|zh-hans|马鞍山乡}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Mǎ'ānshān Xiāng}} |{{lang|ii|ꂶꉢꎭꑣ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|max nga sha xie}} | 513401228 |---------- | colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;"|'''Ethnic townships''' |---------- | Yulong Hui Ethnic Township |{{lang|zh-hans|裕隆回族乡}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Yùlóng Huízú Xiāng}} |{{lang|ii|ꒄꇊꉇꉈꑣ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|yup lop hxix hxi xie}} | 513401219 |- | Gaocao Hui Ethnic Township |{{lang|zh-hans|高草回族乡}} |{{Transliteration|zh|Gāocǎo Huízú Xiāng}} |{{lang|ii|ꇨꊿꉇꉈꑣ}} |{{Transliteration|ii|guo co hxix hxi xie}} | 513401220 |- |}
==Transportation== Xichang Railway Station (西昌站) is a main station on the Chengdu–Kunming railway. Construction of a fast express train line has been completed. It connected Panzhihua, Chengdu and Guangyuan. There are also some other stations in the city, including the Xichang North railway station and Xichang South railway station.
The city possesses its own airport, Xichang Qingshan Airport, which is attached to the spaceport by a railroad line and a motorway directly.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wade |first=Mark |date=February 7, 2005 |title=Xichang |url=http://www.astronautix.com/sites/xichang.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050129090651/http://www.astronautix.com/sites/xichang.htm |archive-date=January 29, 2005 |website=Encyclopedia Astronautica}}</ref>
Xichang lies on the G5 Beijing–Kunming Expressway.
==Spaceport== {{main|Xichang Satellite Launch Center}}
Xichang's spaceport is located about {{convert|64|km}} northwest of the city and went into operation in 1984. Communications satellites are the most common payload to be inserted into orbit from the Xichang spaceport.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2011 |title=Xichang - Chinese Space Facilities |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/space/world/china/xichang.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018024157/https://www.globalsecurity.org/space/world/china/xichang.htm |archive-date=October 18, 2023 |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=globalsecurity.org}}</ref>
==References== ===Citations=== {{Reflist|30em}}
=== General and cited references === {{Commons category|Xichang}} {{Wiktionary|Xichang}} * {{cite EB9|mode=cs2|wstitle=China|ref={{harvid|''EB''|1878}}|volume=5}}. * {{cite book |last=Haw |first=Stephen G. |title=Marco Polo's China: A Venetian in the Realm of Khubilai Khan |date=22 November 2006 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1134275427 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DSfvfr8VQSEC}} * {{cite book |last=Polo |first=Marco |author-link=Marco Polo |editor-last=Yule |editor-first=Henry |editor-link=Henry Yule |title=The Travels of Marco Polo |date=1903 }} * {{cite book |last=Vogel |first=Hans Ulrich |title=Marco Polo Was in China: New Evidence from Currencies, Salts, and Revenues |date=21 November 2012 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-9004231931 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ydo_9TEmuVQC }} * {{cite web |url= http://www.house.gov/coxreport/body/ch6bod.html |title=Satellite Launches in the PRC: Loral |access-date=2007-06-30 |author=Select Committee of the United States House of Representatives |date=1999-01-03 |work=U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China }} (Congressional report discussing Intelsat 708 launch failure and possible technology transfer.) * {{cite web|url=http://www.softwar.net/hughes2.html |title=2002 State Dept. Charge Letter to Hughes |access-date=2007-06-30 |year=2005 |publisher=Softwar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703002707/http://www.softwar.net/hughes2.html |archive-date=July 3, 2007 |url-status=dead }} (Documents on Intelsat 708 and export controls, including State Department letter charging two companies with export law violations.) * {{cite web |url= http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/Disaster-at-Xichang-187496561.html |title=Disaster at Xichang |access-date=2013-04-21 |author=Anatoly Zak |date= February 2013 |work=Air & Space Magazine }} (Article on the crash of a rocket carrying a commercial payload on February 15, 1996.) {{Sichuan}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Xichang Category:County-level cities in Sichuan Category:Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture Category:National forest cities in China