Purpose. The impact of administrative reforms and urbanization on the development of certain provinces of China has already been analyzed. However, the outskirts of the country were left outside the field of view of researchers. Authorities of the outskirt regions had to consider the successful experience of mainland China and develop urban agglomerations. The purpose of this study is to identify the main features of administrative reforms and urbanization in Xinjiang. Results . As a result of clear criteria of China’s settlements, the main steps of development of Xinjiang cities which passed three stages were analyzed. In the 1980s, towns which were the administrative centers of prefectures and autonomous prefectures were granted county-level city status. In subsequent periods of growth of towns, county-level and prefecture-level cities played an increasingly major role namely for economic reasons. In the second period (1990s - 2000s) urbanization was mainly determined by the growth of towns, and in the third - county-level and prefecture-level cities. An important role in the development of urbanization of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) was played by the activities of Xinjiang production and construction corps, whose settlements were assigned city status. Conclusion. Features of the oasis economy have formed a belt type of urbanization, which is the specificity of this region. The agglomeration scheme showed the development of two urban belts and three poles, which respectively determine the economic development of Eastern, Western and Southern Xinjiang. Leadership in the economic development of the city belongs to the Northern zone of Urumqi - Wusu - Karamay. The main role in the urbanization process was played by the middle cities of XUAR.