Hohhot means Green City in Mongolian, which is appropriate because it appears as an oasis in the vast grassland desert of the Tumuochuan Plain. Hohhot is the capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and is located on the Inner Mongolian plateau, 425 kilometers northwest of Beijing. The grasslands that can be found outside of Hohhot are a popular destination for travelers or for those on their way to Mongolia. The most interesting attractions are the grassland tours, Mongolian traditional dress, food, local customs, and the local houses, called yurts.  

Hohhot was settled more than four centuries ago, during the Ming Dynasty. Among the famous historical sites in Hohhot are the Temple of Five Pagodas, the White Dagoba, the Great Mosque, and Zhaojun's Tomb. The horse racing track, built in 1959 in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, is the largest race track in China. Other interesting places to visit are the Inner Mongolia Museum, Wu Lanfu's Memorial Hall, and the Hasu Lake Holiday Village.

The city is administratively at the prefecture-level, meaning that it administers both its urban area and the rural regions in its vicinity. The administrative area includes 4 counties, 4 districts, and a county-level banner; they are further divided into 20 urban sub-districts, and 96 townships.
Districts include:

• Xincheng District
• Huimin District
• Yuquan District
• Saihan District

Counties include:

• Tokto County
• Tolmud Left Banner
• Wuchuan County
• Holingol County
• Qingshuihe County