The county is named for being where the source of the Wei River is located.

[1] Potatoes and traditional Chinese medicinal herbs such as Codonopsis, Angelica, Rhododendron and Astragalus form an important part of agricultural output.

Furthermore, 485 kinds of wild Chinese herbal medicines are harvested.

[2] Weiyuan has a long history with 49 ancient cultural sites in the county, including neolithic sites, a Ming Dynasty wooden bridge, and a section of the Qin dynasty Great Wall.

The Lanzhou–Haikou Expressway (G75), China National Highway 212, 310 and 316 pass through the county.