Alti Shahr ('six towns', Chinese Turkistan)

Alti Shahr ("six towns") is a name for part of Chinese Turkistan, or Sinkiang. ¹

The six are Kucha, Aksu, Ush Turfan (or Uch Turfan), Kashgar, Yarkand and Khotan. The name appears to have been first used in the 18th century. Yangi Hisar, between Kashgar and Yarkand, is sometimes added as a seventh town, and then either Kucha or Uch Turfan is left out. Because of this, modern sources sometimes call the country Djiti Shahr or Yiti Shahr, "seven towns". ¹