Midong, Ürümqi

Midong District (مىچۈەن-كۆكتاغ رايونى, Мичүән-Көктағ Райони) is one of 7 urban districts of the prefecture-level city of Ürümqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Northwest China. Its land area is 3408 km2; it has a population of 296,000.

History
Midong District was formed in 2007 by merging the former "Dongshan District" (دۇڭسەن رايونى, Дуңсән Раүони) of Ürümqi (244 km2, population of 100,000, as per the 2002 Census) with the "Miquan City" (مىچۈەن شەھىرى; formerly part of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture).

Geography
Midong District includes northern and eastern suburbs of Ürümqi, as well as a large slice of the Gurbantünggüt Desert north of the city which is administratively included into Ürümqi.

The natural water sources in the Ürümqi area mostly consist of streams that flow from the snow-capped Tian Shan mountains south of the city. Since Midong District is located north and therefore downstream, of the main urban area, the water supply problems there are particularly acute. To enable the area's economic development, the Irtysh–Ürümqi Canal was brought to Midong during the first decade of the 20th century. Its main terminal is the so-called "Reservoir 500", constructed at the border of Midong District and Fukang County-level City (44.2°N, 87.81667°W).

Administrative divisions
Midong District contains 7 subdistricts, 5 towns, 1 township and 1 ethnic township: