With a long history of 2,000 years, Kashgar used to be the last stop within China's boundary on the Silk Road leading to the western region. A total of 17 different ethnic groups live here. Of the whole population of 3.34 million, more than 92% are Uygurs. Islam is the dominant religion of Kashgar. More than 9000 big or small mosques are widely spread in the region.

Kashgar is the trading activity with the bustling bazaars, the mosques, the families to and fro in their donkey carts, the men and women in colorful embroidered caps. Traders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and even Russia steadily flow in and out of town, along with travelers from around the globe.

Kashgar is marked by the strong national customs of the Uygur people, who are known to be very hospitable, good at singing and dancing, and many of the women still wear veils. The town is also a good launching pad for trips along the southern Silk Road to Hotan, over the Torugart Pass to Kyrgyzstan or south to beautiful Karakul Lake and the stunning Karakoram Highway to Pakistan.

There are 11 counties belong to Kashgar:
Yinggi Sahhar County
Kona Shahar County
Yarkant County
Yinggisar County
Poskam County
Kargilik County
Maket County
Maralbishi County
Payziwat County
Yopurga County
Tashkurgan County