Shizuishan

Shizuishan used to be a center of local trade and eventually became a mining town. In 1934, Shizuishan was occupied by the army of warlord Sun Dianying during his attempt to conquer Ningxia from the Ma clique. Sun set up a rival provincial government in the town, but he was eventually defeated by Ningxia's official governor Ma Hongkui. Shizuishan was consequently returned to Ma's control.

Shizuishan is located on the western bank of the Yellow River between latitudes 38° 21′ and 39° 25′ N and longitudes 105° 58′ and 106° 39′ E, spanning 88.8 km (55.2 mi) from east to west and 119.5 km (74.3 mi) from south to north. Shizuishan experiences a cool arid climate (Köppen BWk) with freezing and very dry winters, alongside very warm to hot and somewhat wetter summers. Shizuishan was once described as the best place to make a film about the end of the world. In 2005, the Chinese government blacklisted the city for its pollution problem and told local leaders to shut down the worst polluting industrial plants. Recently, the city has attempted to reinvent itself by initiating eco-friendly programs to reduce pollution, improving medical services, increasing tourism, and improve certain industries but pollution is still taking its toll on the people.

As of 2025, Shizuishan had a GDP of CN¥57.984 billion (US$8.118 billion) and a GDP per capita of CN¥78,400 (US$10,976). The economy of Shizuishan is mainly based on coal mining, coking, and metallurgy. Agriculture, tourism, and viticulture also contribute to Shizuishan's economy.