Lanzhou

Lanzhou, formerly romanized Lanchow, is the capital and largest city of Gansu province in northwestern China, on the banks of the Yellow River. It serves as a key regional transportation hub connecting western China by rail to the eastern half of the country, and it was historically a major link on the Northern Silk Road; the city is also a center for heavy industry and petrochemicals. Lanzhou lies at the geographical center of China's land territory and is the third largest city in northwestern China after Xi'an and Urumqi, hosting research institutions including Lanzhou University, Northwest Normal University and Lanzhou University of Technology.