Wuhai

Wuhai is a compact industrial city in the far west of Inner Mongolia, formed in 1976 by merging mining settlements where the Yellow River cuts between the Zhuozi and Gandeer mountains. Coal, coking and chemicals built its economy, while completion of the Haibowan Dam created the vast Wuhai Lake, transforming the desert city into a water-sports and tourism destination. It is unusually devoted to Chinese calligraphy and is officially recognized as a national City of Calligraphy, with the art woven into its public spaces. Warm days and sandy soils also make it a noted producer of desert wine grapes. A towering statue of Genghis Khan overlooks the city from Gandeer Mountain. Wuhai Airport and rail lines connect it to Yinchuan and Hohhot.