什么叫in otherwise harsh surroundings

In this sense, Yinchuan has a favorable geographical position in otherwise harsh surroundings.
什么意思？特别是in otherwise harsh surroundings不同于什么？？

otherwise 什么意思 otherwise normal operations什么意思？ 什么叫IN？ Must answer in English , otherwise not scored 三个小问题 otherwise与or到底有什么分别？ 什么叫Artist-in-Residence? ”in an otherwise”在句中成分和意义分别是怎样的？ 翻译：a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence. My love is otherwise!谁知道这句英文什么意思`？ 其中,families who would otherwise go without.什么意思?