The county seat is in the town of Niya, which is often referred to by the county name (Minfeng) as well. The Niya ruins are located 115km north of Niya.
History
The earliest known political entities within the territory of the present-day county can be traced back to the ancient kingdoms of Jingjue and Ronglu during the Western Han dynasty. In 59 BCE, during the third year of the Shenjue era of the Western Han, the area was incorporated into the jurisdiction of the Protectorate of the Western Regions. During the Eastern Han dynasty, it was absorbed into the Shanshan kingdom and administered by the Chief Official of the Western Regions. During the Three Kingdoms period, the area became part of the Kingdom of Khotan.
It subsequently came under the control of the Western Jin, Former Liang, and Northern Liang regimes. In 649 CE, during the twenty-third year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang dynasty, the Pisha Dudufu (Protectorate Command) was established to govern the region. During the Northern Song dynasty, the area belonged to the Kingdom of Dabao Khotan before later coming under the rule of the Kara-Khanid Khanate.
During the Yuan dynasty, the area was initially administered by the Marshal Office of the Khotan Pacification Commission (Chinese:斡端宣慰使元帅府) and was later incorporated into Beshbalik. During the Ming dynasty, the city of Niyang gradually declined, and residents moved upstream along the river, establishing a new settlement in the area of present-day Niya Town. The modern Uyghur name “Niya” is derived from this settlement. In 1757 in Qing dynasty, an aqsaqal administration was established in Kingdom of Khotan, and the settlement was officially named Niya Zhuang (Chinese:尼雅庄). The area later came under the administration of Hotan County.
In the early 20th century, Aurel Stein carried out several expeditions in the area including exploration of the ancient Niya ruins. Following the establishment of the Republic of China, the area became the Eighth District of Hotan County in 1943, with two subordinate townships. In November 1943, the Eighth District was separated from Hotan County and reorganized as the Niya Administrative Bureau, directly subordinate to the Hotan Administrative Inspectorate. In April 1944, the Niya Administrative Bureau (民豐設治局) was abolished and upgraded to county status under the name Minfeng County, meaning “prosperous people and abundant resources,” while the Uyghur name “Niya” continued in local usage. The county was placed under the jurisdiction of the Seventh Administrative Inspectorate of Xinjiang Province.
After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the county came under the administration of the Hotan Prefectural Commissioner's Office (Chinese:和阗专员公署) in 1950. In 1953, the Andir Ranch (Chinese:安迪尔牧场) was established. Since 1979, the county has remained under the administration of Hotan Prefecture (Chinese:和田地区行政公署).
In 2012, the township of Yawatongguz (Yawatongguzi) was established.
Geography
The northern part of the county is located in the Taklamakan Desert and consists of large areas of sand dunes. The population centers on oases around rivers flowing down from the mountains in the southern part of the county.
Climate
Minfeng has a typical Xinjiang cool arid climate (KöppenBWk), featuring hot summers, freezing winters, substantial diurnal temperature ranges and minimal precipitation year-round. As of 1997[update], on average, Minfeng experienced blowing dust or sand on 189 days in a year and visibility below 4.8 kilometres or 3.0 miles for more than half of winter and summer as well as for thirty to forty percent of spring. The lowest spring time temperature recorded in Minfeng was −22°C or −7.6°F.
Climate data for Niya, elevation 1,410m (4,630ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)
The economy is primarily based on agriculture and livestock farming. Products of the county include corn, wheat, cotton and sheep wool. Industries in the county include electronics, agriculture technology, food processing, carpets and construction.
Demographics
As of 2015, out of the 38,492 residents, 34,900 of the county were Uyghur, 3,509 were Han Chinese and 83 were from other ethnic groups.
As of 1999, 90.94% of the population of Niya (Minfeng) County was Uyghur and 8.91% of the population was Han Chinese. By the end of 2020, the results of China's Seventh National Population Census showed that the county had a permanent resident population of 42,649.
↑From map: "The representation of international boundaries is not necessarily authoritative."
References
123民丰县历史沿革[Minfeng County Historical Development] (in Simplified Chinese). XZQH.org. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2019. 2003年，民丰县总面积56759.86平方千米，{...}2010年第六次人口普查，民丰县常住总人口33932人，其中：尼雅镇3486人，尼雅乡6373人，若克雅乡6895人，萨勒吾则克乡4195人，叶亦克乡3751人，安迪尔乡343人，安迪尔牧场2165人，城镇街道6724人。 2012年，设立亚瓦通古孜乡，乡政府驻亚瓦通古孜村（新政函[2012]90号）。调整后，全县辖1个镇、6个乡：尼雅镇、尼雅乡、若克雅乡、萨勒吾则克乡、叶亦克乡、安迪尔乡、亚瓦通古孜乡。
↑The Silk Road - China and the Karakorum Highway: A Travel Companion 1780763565 Jonathan Tucker - 2015 - Niya, north of Minfeng, Xinjiang province (photograph by Antonia Tozer) Wooden tablet written in Kharosthi (Spink and Son Ltd.) The Shanpula cemetery, Luopu county, near Khotan, Xinjiang province (photograph by Antonia Tozer) Remains.
↑2012年统计用区划代码和城乡划分代码：民丰县[2012 Statistical Area Numbers and Rural-Urban Area Numbers: Minfeng County] (in Simplified Chinese). National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China. 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2020. 代码 名称 653227100000 尼雅镇 653227200000 尼雅乡 653227201000 若克雅乡 653227202000 萨勒吾则克乡 653227203000 叶亦克乡 653227204000 亚瓦通古孜乡 653227205000 安迪尔乡
↑MSgt Donald E. Carey; Melody L. Higdon; Robert S. Lilianstrom; MSgt Charles D. Surls (September 1997). "East Asia A Climatological Study". Air Force Combat Climatology Center. pp.4–7, 4–11, 4–29, 4–44 – via Internet Archive.
↑2018年统计用区划代码和城乡划分代码：民丰县[2018 Statistical Area Numbers and Rural-Urban Area Numbers: Minfeng County] (in Simplified Chinese). National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China. 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2019. 统计用区划代码 名称 653227100000 尼雅镇 653227200000 尼雅乡 653227201000 若克雅乡 653227202000 萨勒吾则克乡 653227203000 叶亦克乡 653227204000 安迪尔乡 653227205000 亚瓦通古孜乡
↑首页. 尼雅网-民丰县政府门户网站 (in Simplified Chinese). Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2020. 乡镇 尼雅乡 尼雅镇 若克雅乡 叶亦克乡 萨勒吾则克乡 亚瓦通古孜乡 安迪尔乡 街道办事处
↑3-7 各地、州、市、县(市)分民族人口数 (in Simplified Chinese). شىنجاڭ ئۇيغۇر ئاپتونوم رايونى新疆维吾尔自治区统计局 Statistic Bureau of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 15 March 2017. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
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