Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County (sometimes Barkul or Balikul in English) is a part of Hami Prefecture in Xinjiang and has an area of 38,445.3 km2 (14,843.8 sq mi).

During the continuous Han–Xiongnu War, in 72 BC, Emperor Xuan of Han sent Zhao Chongguo as general of Pulei, together with Wusun to attack the Huns.

After the Northern Wei dynasty, Rouran and Gaoche competed for the Pule grassland for a long time.

In the Yuan dynasty, it belonged to the eastern border of Bechbaliq Province, and was originally called Barkule.

In 1697 during the Qing dynasty, it was annexed to Hami, and in the 1731, the city of Barkule was built, and Anxi Tongzhi was established.

Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County spans a total area of 38,400 square kilometres (14,800 sq mi), including 25,500 square kilometres (9,800 sq mi) of mountains and the Gobi Desert, accounting for 66% of the total area of the autonomous county.

The peaks above 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) above sea level are covered with snow all year round and there are a large number of glaciers.

The area mainly relies on alpine glaciers melt water and atmospheric precipitation recharge.

There are 46 large and small rivers in the county, with an annual runoff of 212,000,000 cubic metres (7.5×109 cu ft).

The glacier area is 8.64 square kilometres (3.34 sq mi), and has ice reserves of 351,000,000 cubic metres (1.24×1010 cu ft).

[8] More than 30 kinds of mineral resources in Barkol County have been proved, including coal, petroleum, mirabilite, gold, and bentonite.

[7] Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County belongs to the temperate continental cool arid climate zone, with an average altitude of 1,650 meters.

The air is dry, the atmospheric transparency is good, the cloud cover is less, the sunshine is sufficient, and the light energy resources are abundant.

Ancient shorelines show up as concentric rings on the satellite photo at right, indicating that water levels have varied many times in the past.

[12] The economy of Barkol is mainly based on resource-based industry, agriculture, animal husbandry and tourism.

Among them, Barkol's "Likun" brand beef and mutton, and potatoes have been certified by China's national "green food".

The main agricultural products are potatoes, Dalu vegetables, barley, wheat, late-ripening cantaloupe, etc.

Chinese herbal medicines include snow lotus, cistanche, licorice, ephedra , mint, motherwort, wolfberry, etc.

The main industrial products are coal, wind power, thenardite, alkali sulfide, crude oil, gold, etc.

There are 29 beacon sites built in the Tang and Qing dynasties that stretch for more than 200 kilometers, the Renshang Stele during the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Barkol Mingsha Mountain, the Barkol Grassland, the Balikun Lake and tens of thousands of rock paintings and other cultural relics.

In 1855, the Zhenxi Hall set up a school and political yamen, and established Songfeng Academy in Wenchang Palace, East Street of Hancheng.

In 2005, the nine-year compulsory education schools in Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County were adjusted and merged from 41 to 29.

In 2002, it was extended westward from Barkol County to Fukang, called Hafu Line, that is, Provincial Road 303.

In 1956, the Barkol County Transportation Station was established, and the passenger shuttle bus to and from Hami was opened.