Baotou is the largest city by urban population in Inner Mongolia, China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, as of the 2020 census, its built-up (or metro) area made up of its 5 urban districts is home to 2,261,089 people with a total population of 2,709,378 accounting for counties under its jurisdiction. The city's namesake, literally translated to "place with deer", is of Mongolic origin or "Lucheng" (Chinese: 鹿城; pinyin: Lùchéng), meaning "City of Deer".
Alternatively Baotou is known as the "City of Steel in Gobi" (草原钢城; Cǎoyuán Gāngchéng). Steel was a major industry in the city. Today, Baotou refines over half of the rare-earth minerals produced in the world.
This has led to environmental contamination near the industrial sites.
Try Mongolian hot pot with mutton, especially in the winter. Any mutton dish is worth trying as they raise sheep up in the mountains.
The largest city in Inner Mongolia, Baotou used to be an arid region inhabited by Mongolian herders and their sheep. The town that has since grown up has four main parts
The new city is bisected by Gangtie St, a large road that goes from the east in Qingshan to the west in Kunqu.
