The Population Landscape of Xinjiang/East Turkestan
The demographic structure of East Turkestan (Xinjiang) has undergone enormous change since the 1980s. This article profiles several factors affecting demographic change including migration, social and economic issues as well as policy implementation. The regional distinctiveness of East Turkestan (North, South, and Central) is examined through the use of maps from 1991 and 1995 that tabulate data for each county in the region. The resultant population landscape of East Turkestan is the local response to Urumqi’s regional implementation of China’s national policies in the face of international forces.