Astronaut Don Pettit captured from ISS the night view of Xi’an, China.
Xi’an is the capital of the Chinese province of Shaanxi. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong plain, the city is the third-most populous city in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, as well as the most populous city in Northwestern China. Its total population was 12.95 million as of the 2020 census. Known as Chang’an throughout much of its history, Xi’an is one of China’s Four Great Ancient Capitals, having held the position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including the Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui, Northern Zhou and Tang. Xi’an is now the second-most popular tourist destination in China. The city was one of the terminal points on the Silk Road during the ancient and medieval eras, as well as the home of the 3rd-century BC Terracotta Army commissioned by Emperor Qin Shi Huang – both of which are listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Since the 1980s, as part of the economic growth of inland China especially for the central and northwest regions, Xi’an has matured into a cultural, industrial, political and educational, and research and development hub.
The local scenery on the ground is as follows.
Reference: Don Pettit’s Tweet
See earthview photo gallery: LiVEARTH