Shihezi (Chinese: 石河子; pinyin: Shíhézǐ; literally: "Stony river banks"; Uyghur: شىخەنزە, ULY: Shixenze, UYY: Xihənzə?) is a sub-prefecture-level city in northern Xinjiang, People's Republic of China.
Shihezi is located at the northern foothills of the middle part of the Tian Shan range approximately 136 kilometres (85 mi) from the regional capital of Ürümqi.
Ürümqi (/uːˈruːmtʃi/, literally "beautiful pasture", from Mongolian), is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China in the northwest of the country. Urumqi was a major hub on the Silk Road during China's Tang dynasty, and developed its reputation as a leading cultural and commercial center during the Qing dynasty.
With a built-up (or metro) population of 2,988,715 as of 2010 census (6 urban and suburban districts but Dabancheng not yet urbanized) and 3.03 million in 7 urban and suburban districts, Ürümqi is the largest city in China's western interior. Since the 1990s Ürümqi has developed economically and now serves as a regional transport node, cultural, and commercial centre.