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[q]Do you know which is the largest district in the world? Many believe it’s Sakha in Russia, but that’s actually a state, not a district. The real title goes to Chotan (or Hotan) in China, a vast region larger than the entire United Kingdom and even bigger than Maharashtra in India. Where Is Chotan Located? Situated in China’s Xinjiang province, Chotan is a county-level administrative division covering an astonishing 267,870 square kilometres. In China, counties function much like districts do in India. The country currently has around 1,300 to 1,400 counties, though this number changes occasionally. China’s administrative structure is arranged as provinces → prefectures (cities and divisions) → counties. Interestingly, each county has two top officials — the county party secretary, who holds ultimate authority, and the county head, who manages daily administration, much like a district magistrate in India. A Historic Spot On The Silk Road Chotan was once a major oasis along the ancient Silk Road, a bustling trade route where silk, spices, and culture flowed between East and West. It became a vibrant melting pot of Indian, Persian, Chinese, and Tibetan influences. The region is also home to one of the largest deserts in the world, ominously called the ‘Sea of Death’ or ‘No Way Out’, where sand dunes can rise as high as 300 metres (nearly 1,000 feet). From Buddhism To Islam Before Islam’s arrival, Chotan was an important centre of Buddhism, filled with monasteries and stupas. The Chinese traveller Xuanzang wrote about its thriving Buddhist scholarship in his famous travelogue. Over time, Islam became the dominant religion, and today, Chotan is a Muslim-majority region, with about 90-95% Uyghur population among its 12 million residents. The Confusion With Sakha, Russia The common mix-up with Sakha (Yakutia) occurs because it’s often referred to as the world’s largest sub-national administrative division. However, Sakha is a federal republic within Russia, not a district. It covers a massive 3,083,523 square kilometres, roughly 90% of India’s total area, but doesn’t qualify as a district by definition. The Smallest District In The World At the other extreme lies Male, the capital of the Maldives, which is considered one of the smallest administrative regions globally. Though technically a city, Male functions as a district-level administrative island, spanning only 1.7 square kilometres. Despite its tiny size, it’s one of the most densely populated capitals in the world.
