Xining, historically known as Qingtang City, Xiping Prefecture, or Shanzhou, and also nicknamed the "Summer Capital," is a prefecture-level city and the capital of Qinghai Province. It serves as the political, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, transportation, and communications center of the province. As of October 2022, the city administers 5 districts and 2 counties, covering a total area of 7,660 square kilometers. By the end of 2024, Xining had a permanent population of 2.4769 million, accounting for 41.77% of the province's total permanent population, with an urban permanent population of 2.0011 million.

Located in the northwest of China, in the eastern part of Qinghai Province within the Huangshui River Valley Basin, Xining is the eastern gateway to the Tibetan Plateau. It lies along the historic Southern Silk Road and the Tang-Tibet Ancient Road, and has long been a vital transportation route and military stronghold in northwestern China. Known as the "Key to the Western Sea" and the "Throat of the Tibetan Corridor," Xining is one of the world's high-altitude cities.