“格爾木”為蒙古語音譯，意為河流密集的地方，地處青海省西部、青藏高原腹地，轄區由柴達木盆地中南部和唐古拉山地區兩塊互不相連的區域組成，市區位于柴達木盆地中南部格爾木河沖積平原上，平均海拔2780米，屬高原大陸性氣候。格爾木以東是西寧，以北是敦煌，以南是拉薩。

"Golmud" translated into Mongolian speech, meaning River intensive place, is located in the western province of Qinghai, Qinghai Tibet Plateau hinterland, area is composed of the Qaidam Basin in South Central and Tanggula Mountain area two unconnected area, city is located in the Central South Qaidam Basin Golmud River alluvial plain, with an average altitude of 2780 meters, belonging to the plateau continental climate. East of Golmud is Xining, north of Dunhuang, south of Lhasa.