Northern Xinjiang, Ili region, the Kazakh region of Xinjiang, China

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Northern Xinjiang, Ili region, the Kazakh region of Xinjiang, China

This part of Xinjiang was annexed by Russia and China didn't recover the land until 1881, so today's Ili has a lot of Russian elements in its local culture, many ethnic Russian Chinese also live in this region. The majority of the population in this region are Kazakhs with considerable number of Uighurs , Hans, Uzbegs, Tartars, Russians...

The Ili Valley is located in the northwest part of Xinjiang, about 60 kilometers east of the Kazakhstan border. Endowed with a pleasant climate, breathtaking natural beauty and colorful ethnic customs, it has become one of the most popular tourist spots in Xinjiang.

 

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Northern Xinjiang, Ili region, the Kazakh region of Xinjiang, China

 

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Different ethnic groups live side by side in Ili

 

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Ethnic Uzbeg girl from town of Ili, northern Xinjiang bordering Kazakhstan. Uzbeg traditional dress is very similar to that of Uighur's.

 

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Small border town Ili suburbs in Xinjiang amid Covid-19 early summer in 2020, quiet, nice and clean, everyone follows the govenrment social distancing order and wears masks, no big crowds and gatherings, cleaners constantly clean and disinfect the streets and public facilities, what a nice and idyllic small town to live in.