Qira County

The sixth century Dandan Oilik oasis town archaeological site where Buddhist shrines and texts were discovered is located in the desert of northern Qira (Chira) County.

Qira town (Chira), the town that is the current county seat of Qira County, has been forced to change locations on three occasions due to encroachment by the sands of the Taklamakan Desert.

In his 1900-01 expedition in the region, Aurel Stein travelled across the northern section of today's Qira County, a section of the Taklamakan Desert between today's Lop County and the Keriya River. There were several wells along the course he took.{{cite web|location=Washington, D. C.|url=http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/imw/txu-oclc-6654394-nj-44-3rd-ed.jpg|language=en|title=NJ 44 Ho-tien|date=1971|via=Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection|publisher=U.S. Army Topographic Command|quote=DUNES{...}STEIN 1900-01{...}WELL{...}Ts'e-lo Ho{...}WU-LU-KO HO SHAN (MO-SHIH SHAN)}}

Qira County was divided from Yutian / Keriya County in 1928/9.{{cite book|editor1=夏征农|editor2=陈至立|script-title=zh:辞海：第六版彩图本 |trans-title=Cihai (Sixth Edition in Color) |date=September 2009|location=上海. Shanghai|publisher=上海辞书出版社. Shanghai Lexicographical Publishing House.|isbn=978-7-5326-2859-9| language=zh|page=230|quote={{lang|zh-hans|1929年由于阗县（今于田县）析置。{...}农产有小麦、玉米、小麦、棉花、油料作物及甜瓜、石榴、核桃、桃、杏等。畜产以马、牛、羊为主。工业有电力、建材、轧花、食品加工（果脯）等。}}}}

In the thirty years between the 1950s and 1980s, a significant area of farmland near the county seat was taken into the desert by blown sand.{{cite book|date=2001 |chapter=The Control of Drift Sand on the Southern Fringe of the Taklamakan Desert — an Example from the Cele Oasis |author1=Ximing Zhang |author2=Xiaoming Li |author3=Henian Zhang|title=Sustainable Land Use in Deserts|pages=350–356 |doi=10.1007/978-3-642-59560-8_37|isbn=978-3-642-64027-8|quote=In the 30 years from the 1950s to the 1980s, shifting sand had moved about 5 km in the village of Cele located on the margin of the Cele county oasis, so that 1.333 ha farmland was desertified.}}

Since the founding of Xinjiang Autonomous Region in 1955, Qira County has been part of Hotan Prefecture.{{cite web|script-title=zh:历史沿革 |language=zh-hans|url=http://xjcl.gov.cn/zjcl/lsyg.htm |access-date=14 December 2019 |website=چىرا ناھىيىسى 策勒县人民政府|quote={{lang|zh-hans|民国17年(公元1928年)2月23日，中华民国政府批准将策勒县佐升格为策勒县治，同年，和阗行政长官制改为和田行政长官公署，策勒县隶属新疆省和阗行政长官公署管辖。中华人民共和国成立初，策勒县隶属新疆省和阗行政公署；1955年10月1日，新疆维吾尔自治区成立，策勒县隶属新疆维吾尔自治区和田地区。}}}}

In the 1980s, 446 households living in the county seat were forced to relocate due to the effects of desertification which had brought the Taklamakan Desert within {{convert|1.5|km|mi}} km of their homes, sometimes burying homes in sand overnight.{{cite web|title=Holding back the sands of time|date=27 May 2013|website=China Daily |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2013-05/27/content_16536602.htm|access-date=15 December 2019 |quote=Qira county was once a kingdom on the ancient Silk Road in the days of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). The county seat has relocated north three times because the sands have eaten up the cultivatable land. The first relocation occurred more than 2,000 years ago and the most recent about 620 years ago. In the 1980s, the county seat faced yet another relocation because the desert was only about 1.5 km away. Many locals were forced to move because their houses were buried under sand, often overnight.{...}Memet Simay's household was one of 446 in Qira township forced to relocate in the 1980s, although the family has since returned to the area. "When I woke up one morning, I found I couldn't open the door because of the weight of sand that had accumulated overnight. My crops were buried too, so I had no choice but to move," he recalled.}}

{{blockquote|"When I woke up one morning, I found I couldn't open the door because of the weight of sand that had accumulated overnight. My crops were buried too, so I had no choice but to move" -Memet Simay, area resident}}

In 1983, the Qira research station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was founded to combat drift sand.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EvfsCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA351|title=Sustainable Land Use in Deserts|page=351|via=Google Books|editor1=Siegmar-W. Breckle |editor2=Maik Veste |editor3=Walter Wucherer|isbn=978-3-642-64027-8|last1=Breckle|first1=Siegmar-W|last2=Veste|first2=Maik|last3=Wucherer|first3=Walter|date=2012-12-06|publisher=Springer }} A transitional zone was established with help from the scientists at the station, and the sands were pushed back over {{convert|5|km|mi}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-09/16/content_16971364.htm|title=Scientists make land arable again|author=Cheng Yingqi|date=16 August 2013|access-date=15 December 2019|publisher=China Daily}}{{better source needed|date=December 2019|reason=Could be true in some sense, but a report from the station confirming the particulars of these efforts and their confirmable effects and results is needed.}}

In 2005, a small 1,500 year-old Buddhist temple was discovered {{convert|7|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Damiku (Damagou).{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Worlds-smallest-temple-discovered-in-China/articleshow/1282270.cms|title=World's smallest temple discovered in China|website=Times of India|date=2 November 2005|access-date=16 December 2019|quote=The temple, dating back more than 1,500 years, was located about seven kilometres from the Damagou Township of Cele County.}}

On October 20, 2014, Damiku (Damagou) was changed from a township to a town.

On January 7, 2016, areas near Nur, Bostan and Ulughsay townships in Qira County were made part of the newly created Kunyu.{{cite web|url=http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/xj/37700.html|script-title=zh:昆玉市概况地图|language=zh-hans|date=24 February 2016|access-date=15 December 2019|quote=辖4个农牧团场（皮山农场、一牧场、47团、224团），其中{...}一牧场驻策勒县、}}{{cite web|url=http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/xj/37699.html|script-title=zh:昆玉市历史沿革|date=24 February 2016|access-date=15 December 2019}}

On February 28, 2017, it was announced by the county government that those who reported others for stitching the 'star and crescent moon' insignia on their clothing or personal items or having the words 'East Turkestan' on their mobile phone case, purse or other jewelry, would be eligible for cash payments.{{cite web|title=Xinjiang Police Search Uyghur Homes For 'Illegal Items'|website=Radio Free Asia|date=4 April 2017|url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/searches-04042017172301.html|access-date=16 December 2019 |quote=A second announcement, issued Feb. 28 by the Chira (Cele) county government, said those who report individuals for having "stitched the 'star and crescent moon' insignia on their clothing or personal items" or the words "East Turkestan"—referring to the name of a short-lived Uyghur republic—on their mobile phone case, purse or other jewelry, were also eligible for cash payments. |translator=Mamatjan Juma|author1=Joshua Lipes |author2=Jilil Kashgary}}

In March 2017, Salamet Memetimin, the Communist Party secretary for Chaka township's Bekchan village and ethnic Uyghur, was relieved of her duties for taking her nikah marriage vows at her home. According to the Hotan Daily, 97 officials were charged with disciplinary violations at this time.{{cite web|title='No Sign' of Kazakh Imam Scheduled For Release From Prison in July|website=Radio Free Asia|date=9 August 2017 |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/kazakh-imam-08092017121527.html|access-date=16 December 2019 |quote=In March, Xinjiang authorities fired an ethnic Uyghur official for holding her wedding ceremony at home according to Islamic traditions instead of at a government-sanctioned venue. Salamet Memetimin, the communist party secretary for Chaka township's Bekchan village, in Hotan (in Chinese, Hetian) prefecture's Chira (Cele) county, was among 97 officials recently charged with disciplinary violations, according to an April 10 report by the state-run Hotan Daily newspaper. Local residents said the woman was relieved of her duties for taking her "nikah" marriage vows in her own home. "I think this may be a local policy unique to Xinjiang," the source said. "You have to first apply for a marriage certificate and then carry out the Islamic practice of nikah." "The imams aren't allowed to perform nikah if there is no marriage certificate, or they will be sent to prison."}}

In 2018, local government authorities in the county expected to have almost 12,000 detainees in vocational camps and detention centres and some projects related to the centres outstripped budgetary limits.{{cite web|author=Lily Kuo |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/11/if-you-enter-a-camp-you-never-come-out-inside-chinas-war-on-islam |title='If you enter a camp, you never come out': inside China's war on Islam|website=The Guardian|date=11 January 2019 |access-date=16 December 2019|language=zh-hans|quote=Some local governments are struggling to maintain this pace of spending. In neighbouring Cele county, where authorities expected to have almost 12,000 detainees in vocational camps and detention centres, a budget for 2018 says: "There are still many projects not included in the budget due to a lack of funds. The financial situation in 2018 is very severe."}}

According to the Chinese Government, by the end of 2018, construction of Jinnan New Village ({{lang|zh-hans|{{linktext|津南|新村}}}}) in Qira Town (Cele) was completed.{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/tjbz/tjyqhdmhcxhfdm/2019/65/32/25/653225100.html |script-title=zh:2019年统计用区划代码和城乡划分代码：策勒镇 |trans-title=2019 Statistical Area Numbers and Rural-Urban Area Numbers: Qira Town |language=zh-hans |publisher=National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China |date=2019 |access-date=4 May 2020 |quote={{lang|zh-hans|653225100210 220 津南新村村委会|}}}}

To increase aid delivery to Xinjiang, places in Xinjiang are paired with other areas of China which can provide aid. Tianjin and Hotan are paired in this program. Through assistance from the Tianjin government, a standard football field and training center was constructed at the No. 1 Primary School in the county.{{cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-07/08/c_138208976.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708134056/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-07/08/c_138208976.htm|archive-date=July 8, 2019|title=Tianjin helping Xinjiang's football development in China|date=8 July 2019|access-date=16 December 2019|website=Xinhua News Agency|editor=Shi Yinglun|quote=Memet Azizi, director of Cele County's bureau of education, said that Tianjin's help had brought them hope for the future. With support from Tianjin, a standard football field and training center was constructed at Cele County's No. 1 Primary School.}}

The northern part of Qira County is made up of sand dunes and ends in a straight line drawn in the Taklamakan Desert that forms part of the boundary between Hotan Prefecture and Aksu Prefecture. The area is between {{convert|1500|m|ft|abbr=on}} and {{convert|1800|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.

Oasis areas occupy 2.9% of the total area of the county. The oasis areas along China National Highway 315 include the Qira County county seat area, Gulahma and Damiku. Qaka, Ulughsay, Nur, Bostan and Kunyu's small exclaves in Qira County are located close to the Kunlun Mountains.

The southern part of Qira County is mountainous with an average elevation of {{convert|3200|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. The upper reaches of the White Jade River (Yurung Kash), which provide water for Hotan (Khotan), are found in the Kunlun Mountains of southern Qira County. Mountain passes in the area include Mandar Kol Dawan, Shalgon Dawan, Kuchkash Bulak Dawan, and Art Dawan. One of the prominent mountains in the county is Muztag{{GEOnet2|32FA8826E5343774E0440003BA962ED3|Muztag (Approved - N)}}, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (K5,{{GEOnet2|32FA8826E53A3774E0440003BA962ED3|K5 (Variant - V)}}, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Wu-lu-ko Ho Shan, Mo-shih Shan, Mu-shih Shan,{{GEOnet2|32FA8826E5393774E0440003BA962ED3|Mu-shih Shan (Variant - V)}}, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Muztagh Jilga; {{lang|zh|慕士山}},{{GEOnet2|AD4CEC26540D4485866711038E92B7DD|慕士山 (Non-Roman Script - NS)}}, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency {{lang|zh|木斯山}}{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/shijiedituji00ditu/page/66|script-title=zh:世界地图集|language=zh |date=1958|publisher=地圖出版社|edition=1st|id = 统一书号 (National Standard Book Number of China) 12014·449 |location= Beijing|page=66|quote=策勒{...}木斯山}}) which is {{convert|7282|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. The meltwater from this mountain creates the Qira River (Cele River, Ts'e-lo Ho; {{lang|zh|策勒河}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sn.xinhuanet.com/2019-07/20/c_1124777517.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724003331/http://www.sn.xinhuanet.com/2019-07/20/c_1124777517.htm|archive-date=July 24, 2019|website=Xinhua News Agency |date=20 July 2019|access-date=16 December 2019|language=zh-hans|script-title=zh:【新疆是个好地方】 "飞'阅'新疆"之八：昆仑山下"世外桃源"卧龙谷 托起村民致富新希望|quote={{lang|zh-hans|卧龙谷位于新疆和田策勒县恰哈乡玉如克塔什村，在它的怀抱里，策勒河带着这里人的喜怒哀乐悠悠地流向远方。}}}}) which flows through Qaka into the Qira county seat.

In the mid-20th century, camping grounds in the sparsely populated southern mountainous area of the county included Chotma, Yangi kan, Zaiuk, Yaskako Tagh, Mandar Chap, and Chumik.{{cite web |url=http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/imw/txu-oclc-6654394-ni-44-3rd-ed.jpg |language=en |title=NI 44 Pangong Tso |date=1950 |via=Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection |location=Washington, DC |publisher=Army Map Service |quote=Muztagh Jilga{...}Yurung Kash{...}Chotma (Camping ground){...}Yangi kan (Camping ground){...}Zaiuk (Camping ground){...}Yaskako Tagh (Camping ground){...}Mandar Chap (Camping ground){...}Chumik (Camping ground){...}Mandar Kol Dawan{...}Shalgon Dawan{...}Kuchkash Bulak Dawan{...}Art Dawan}}

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|collapsed = Y

|location = Qira, elevation {{convert|1337|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)

|Jan record high C = 20.0 |Jan record low C = -21.8

|Feb record high C = 23.7 |Feb record low C = -20.7

|Mar record high C = 32.3 |Mar record low C = -9.3

|Apr record high C = 36.9 |Apr record low C = -0.7

|May record high C = 38.0 |May record low C = 2.6

|Jun record high C = 40.5 |Jun record low C = 8.0

|Jul record high C = 42.0 |Jul record low C = 11.5

|Aug record high C = 40.9 |Aug record low C = 7.4

|Sep record high C = 36.8 |Sep record low C = 1.9

|Oct record high C = 32.1 |Oct record low C = -4.7

|Nov record high C = 25.1 |Nov record low C = -13.7

|Dec record high C = 19.6 |Dec record low C = -20.5

|year high C = |year low C =

|year high F = |year low F =

|Jan high C = 1.8

|Feb high C = 8.0

|Mar high C = 17.4

|Apr high C = 25.0

|May high C = 29.1

|Jun high C = 32.1

|Jul high C = 33.7

|Aug high C = 32.5

|Sep high C = 28.5

|Oct high C = 21.8

|Nov high C = 12.6

|Dec high C = 3.9

|Jan mean C = -4.4

|Feb mean C = 1.5

|Mar mean C = 10.4

|Apr mean C = 17.4

|May mean C = 21.5

|Jun mean C = 24.7

|Jul mean C = 26.1

|Aug mean C = 24.9

|Sep mean C = 20.4

|Oct mean C = 12.6

|Nov mean C = 4.6

|Dec mean C = -2.5

|Jan low C = -9.5

|Feb low C = -4.4

|Mar low C = 3.6

|Apr low C = 10.2

|May low C = 14.5

|Jun low C = 18.1

|Jul low C = 19.8

|Aug low C = 18.7

|Sep low C = 13.5

|Oct low C = 5.1

|Nov low C = -1.6

|Dec low C = -7.4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 1.3

|Feb precipitation mm = 1.5

|Mar precipitation mm = 2.3

|Apr precipitation mm = 4.8

|May precipitation mm = 8.4

|Jun precipitation mm = 10.5

|Jul precipitation mm = 7.7

|Aug precipitation mm = 3.7

|Sep precipitation mm = 6.9

|Oct precipitation mm = 0.5

|Nov precipitation mm = 0.5

|Dec precipitation mm = 0.7

|Jan humidity = 52

|Feb humidity = 41

|Mar humidity = 28

|Apr humidity = 27

|May humidity = 32

|Jun humidity = 38

|Jul humidity = 42

|Aug humidity = 44

|Sep humidity = 44

|Oct humidity = 42

|Nov humidity = 43

|Dec humidity = 52

|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 1.9

|Feb precipitation days = 1.3

|Mar precipitation days = 0.6

|Apr precipitation days = 1.3

|May precipitation days = 1.9

|Jun precipitation days = 3.6

|Jul precipitation days = 2.9

|Aug precipitation days = 1.8

|Sep precipitation days = 1.0

|Oct precipitation days = 0.3

|Nov precipitation days = 0.3

|Dec precipitation days = 1.3

|year precipitation days =

|Jan sun = 180.4

|Feb sun = 180.9

|Mar sun = 202.3

|Apr sun = 223.7

|May sun = 260.5

|Jun sun = 257.4

|Jul sun = 246.6

|Aug sun = 233.9

|Sep sun = 237.8

|Oct sun = 258.1

|Nov sun = 216.7

|Dec sun = 185.0

|year sun =

| Jan percentsun = 58

| Feb percentsun = 58

| Mar percentsun = 54

| Apr percentsun = 56

| May percentsun = 59

| Jun percentsun = 59

| Jul percentsun = 56

| Aug percentsun = 57

| Sep percentsun = 65

| Oct percentsun = 76

| Nov percentsun = 72

| Dec percentsun = 62

| year percentsun =

|Jan snow days = 4.5

|Feb snow days = 2.2

|Mar snow days = 0.5

|Apr snow days = 0

|May snow days = 0

|Jun snow days = 0

|Jul snow days = 0

|Aug snow days = 0

|Sep snow days = 0

|Oct snow days = 0

|Nov snow days = 0.5

|Dec snow days = 3.0

|year snow days =

|source 1 = China Meteorological Administration{{cite web |url=http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data |publisher=China Meteorological Administration |language = zh-hans |access-date=10 October 2023}}

{{cite web|url=https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网|publisher=China Meteorological Administration |language = zh-hans | access-date =10 October 2023 |title=Experience Template }}

}}

Qira County includes two towns and six townships :{{cite web|url=http://xjcl.gov.cn/zjcl/clgk.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214111352/http://xjcl.gov.cn/zjcl/clgk.htm|archive-date=14 December 2019|via=Internet Archive|script-title=zh:策勒概况|language=zh-hans|access-date=14 December 2019|quote={{lang|zh-hans|策勒县位于新疆最南端，南枕昆仑山、北临塔克拉玛干大沙漠，县域总面积3.16万平方公里。全县地势总体南高北低，山区平均海拔3200米，平原区海拔1500—1800米。{...}县境内可供人类生存的绿洲面积仅占2.9%，且被沙漠和戈壁分割包围成大小不等的72块，历史上策勒县城因风沙侵袭三次被迫搬迁。策勒县总人口16.8万人，维吾尔族占总人口的98%以上。全县辖6乡2镇1街道，}}|website=چىرا ناھىيىسى 策勒县人民政府}}{{cite web |url=http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/xj/22421.html|script-title=zh:策勒县历史沿革 |trans-title=Qira County Historical Development |publisher=XZQH.org |date=2 December 2014 |language=zh-hans |access-date=14 December 2019 |quote={{lang|zh-hans|2000年第五次人口普查，策勒县常住总人口132139人，{...}2003年，全县总面积31688.01平方千米，{...}2010年第六次人口普查，策勒县常住总人口147050人，其中：策勒镇14562人，策勒乡31123人，固拉哈玛乡26621人，达玛沟乡19250人，恰哈乡15010人，乌鲁克萨依乡4587人，奴尔乡11581人，博斯坦乡6626人，色日克街道15684人，兵团一牧场2006人。 2014年10月20日，自治区政府（新政函[2014]177号）同意撤销固拉合玛乡，设立固拉合玛镇。调整后，全县辖2个镇、6个乡：策勒镇、固拉哈玛镇、策勒乡、达玛沟乡、恰哈乡、乌鲁克萨依乡、奴尔乡、博斯坦乡。}}}}{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/tjbz/tjyqhdmhcxhfdm/2018/65/32/653225.html |script-title=zh:2018年统计用区划代码和城乡划分代码：策勒县 |trans-title=2018 Statistical Area Numbers and Rural-Urban Area Numbers: Qira County |language=zh-hans |publisher=National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China |date=2018 |access-date=15 December 2019 |quote={{lang|zh-hans|统计用区划代码 名称 653225100000 策勒镇 653225101000 固拉合玛镇 653225200000 策勒乡 653225202000 达玛沟乡 653225203000 恰哈乡 653225204000 乌鲁克萨依乡 653225205000 奴尔乡 653225206000 博斯坦乡 653225500000 兵团一牧场|}}}}

Agricultural products of the county include wheat, corn, cotton, petroleum products, melons, pomegranates, walnuts, peaches, and apricots. Livestock raised in the county include horses, cows and sheep. Industry in the country includes electronics, construction, cotton ginning and food processing (fruits).

{{Historical populations

|type=China

|percentages = pagr

|2000|132139

|2010|147050

|2015|166735

|footnote =

|}}

As of 2015, 163,705 of the 166,735 residents of the county were Uyghur, 2,921 were Han Chinese and 109 were from other ethnic groups.{{cite web |url= http://www.xjtj.gov.cn/sjcx/tjnj_3415/2016xjtjnj/rkjy/201707/t20170714_539450.html |script-title= zh:3-7 各地、州、市、县(市)分民族人口数 |language=zh-hans|publisher={{lang|ug|شىنجاڭ ئۇيغۇر ئاپتونوم رايونى}} {{lang|zh-hans|新疆维吾尔自治区统计局}} Statistic Bureau of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region |access-date= 2017-09-03 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171011101904/http://www.xjtj.gov.cn/sjcx/tjnj_3415/2016xjtjnj/rkjy/201707/t20170714_539450.html |archive-date= 2017-10-11 |url-status=live }}

As of the 2010s, the population of Qira County was more than 98% Uyghur.

As of 1999, 98.45% of the population of Qira (Cele) County was Uyghur and 1.51% of the population was Han Chinese.{{cite book|url=https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/bitstream/handle/1773/44961/9780295804057.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y|title=Governing China's Multiethnic Frontiers|date=2004|isbn=0-295-98390-6|editor=Morris Rossabi|editor-link=Morris Rossabi|publisher=University of Washington Press|page=180}}

• China National Highway 315 runs through the Qira County county seat, Gulahma and Damiku.
• Qira Railway Station is served by Hotan–Ruoqiang railway.

• Ismail Amat, former Chairman (Governor) of Xinjiang

File:Johnson-journey-ilchi1865-mapa.jpg|Map including Chira (1865)

File:Plate 23. Sect. II- Chinese Turkistan, Kashmir & Jamu of maps of Constables 1893 hand atlas.jpg|Map of the region including Chira (1893)

File:China West 1906-08 Sven Hedin.jpg|Map of the expeditions of Sven Hedin (1906-8) including Qira (labeled as Chira) (RGS, early 20th century)

File:Txu-oclc-6654394-ni-44-3rd-ed.jpg|Map including the southern part of Qira County and the county's border with Tibet (AMS, 1950){{efn|From map: "THE DELINEATION OF INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES ON THIS MAP MUST NOT BE CONSIDERED AUTHORITATIVE."}}

File:Txu-oclc-6654394-nj-44-3rd-ed.jpg|Map including Qira (labeled as TS'E-LO (CHIRA BAZAR)) and surrounding region (USATC, 1971){{efn|From map: "DELINEATION OF INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES MUST NOT BE CONSIDERED AUTHORITATIVE".}}

File:NJ-44-14 Chia-ha China.jpg|Map including Qira (labeled as TS'E-LE) (DMA, 1974)

File:Operational Navigation Chart G-7, 6th edition.jpg|From the Operational Navigation Chart; map including Qira (labeled as QIRA (TS'E-LE)) (DMA, 1980){{efn|From map: "The representation of international boundaries is not necessarily authoritative."}}

File:Txu-pclmaps-oclc-22834566 g-7a.jpg|Map including Qira (labeled as QIRA (TS'E-LE)) (DMA, 1984){{efn|From map: "The representation of international boundaries is not necessarily authoritative"}}

File:CHANTOS TAKING MELONS TO MARKET IN THE OASIS OF CHIRA.jpg|Traders in early 20th century Qira (Chira)

File:Mural excavated at Dandan-Uiliq CD-4.jpg|Buddhist Mural from Dandan Oilik

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{{Wiktionary|Qira|Chira|Cele|Ts'e-le}}

{{Xinjiang Administrative Divisions}}

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Category:County-level divisions of Xinjiang

Category:Hotan Prefecture