The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With 8,472 square miles (21,940 km2) and a population of more than 2.2 million people, it is the second-largest metropolitan area centered in Missouri (after Greater St. Louis) and is the largest metropolitan area in Kansas, though Wichita is the largest metropolitan area centered in Kansas. Alongside Kansas City, Missouri, these are the suburbs with populations above 100,000: Overland Park, Kansas; Kansas City, Kansas; Olathe, Kansas; Independence, Missouri; and Lee's Summit, Missouri.
Xining, known as Qingtang City, Xiping County and Shanzhou in ancient times, is the capital of Qinghai Province, the political, economic, scientific and educational, cultural, transportation and communication center of Qinghai Province, and an important central city in the northwest region approved by the State Council. By 2019, the city had jurisdiction over five districts and two counties, with a total area of 7660 square kilometers, a built-up area of 129 square kilometers, a resident population of 2.3711 million, an urban population of 1.7098 million, and a urbanization rate of 72.1 percent. Xining is located in the eastern part of Qinghai Province, swimming in the river valley basin in the Huangshui River. It is the eastern gateway of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the necessary place for the ancient "Silk Road" South Road and "Tangbo Ancient Road". It has been the northwest traffic road and military important place since ancient times. Known as the "key to the West Sea" and the throat of the sea, it is one of the high-altitude cities in the world and is also the State Council.