Area Code 977 – Delingha, Qinghai

Overview of Area Code +86 977

Area code 977 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to Delingha (also known as Delhi or Delingha), the capital of the Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province, China. This code is part of the Chinese national numbering plan, which follows the ITU-T E.164 recommendation. When dialing from abroad, the full international format is +86 977 XXXX XXXX, where the subscriber number typically consists of 7 or 8 digits. Within China, callers dial 0977 followed by the local number, omitting the leading trunk prefix '0' when calling internationally.

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

The 977 area code serves Delingha city and its surrounding administrative regions within the Haixi Prefecture. Delingha is a key transportation hub on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of the prefecture. The area code covers both urban and rural districts, including townships and villages under Delingha's jurisdiction. It is important to note that other cities in Haixi Prefecture, such as Golmud (area code 979), have separate codes, so callers must verify the correct code for their destination.

Dialing Formats and Caller Instructions

Local callers (within China): To call a Delingha number from another Chinese city, dial 0977 followed by the local 7- or 8-digit subscriber number. For example, a local number might be 1234567, so the full domestic dialing string would be 0977 1234567. If you are calling from a mobile phone, you can also use the same format, as mobile networks automatically route the call based on the area code.

International callers: From outside China, dial your country's international access code (e.g., 011 from the US, 00 from most European countries), then China's country code 86, followed by the area code 977 (without the leading zero) and the subscriber number. For instance, to call a Delingha number 1234567, you would dial +86 977 1234567 from a mobile phone (the '+' sign replaces the international access code).

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest updates, there is no overlay plan for area code 977, meaning it is the sole area code for Delingha. However, due to the growing demand for telecommunications services, the local number length may vary. Always confirm the exact number of digits with the person you are calling or the official directory. For VoIP and mobile users, the area code is still required when calling a fixed line in Delingha, but mobile numbers in China have their own prefixes (e.g., 13x, 15x, 18x) and do not use area codes.