File:Tarim Basin.PNG

Tarim Basin
Taklimakan Desert covers an area of 1 25,097 square miles accounting for 47% of the total desert area in China, and is the second largest desert in the world only next to the Sahara. The desert is predominated by migratory dunes, mostly over 164 ft s high and some formed early may even as high as 850ft. The migratory dunes are in various shapes such as crescent, barchan chain, strip, and pyramid.

Oasis at the basin margin Rivers has flowed along the suddenly dropped slop with different currents, forming fantail plains and over 100 oasis including Shule, Shache, Akesu, Hotan, and Kuche. Agriculture around oasis is developed, producing wheat, corn, paddy, and cotton. Oasis will be formed along the watercourse.

Taklimakan Desert covers an area of 1 25,097 square miles accounting for 47% of the total desert area in China, and is the second largest desert in the world only next to the Sahara. The desert is predominated by migratory dunes, mostly over 164 ft s high and some formed early may even as high as 850ft. The migratory dunes are in various shapes such as crescent, barchan chain, strip, and pyramid.

Oasis at the basin margin Rivers has flowed along the suddenly dropped slop with different currents, forming fantail plains and over 100 oasis including Shule, Shache, Akesu, Hotan, and Kuche. Agriculture around oasis is developed, producing wheat, corn, paddy, and cotton. Oasis will be formed along the watercourse.

Tarim basis is spread across the vast territory of China and there are hundreds of basins, where developed sedimentary rocks originated. These basins, endowing tremendous hydrocarbon resources with various genesis and geologic features, have nurtured splendid civilizations with distinctive characteristics portrayed by the unique natural landscape. This is located in the south of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region between the Tianshan Mountains, Kunlun Mountains, and Arjin Mountain. Stretching 932 miles from east to west and 373 miles from south to north, it covers an area of 2 04,634 square miles. At height altitude of 4,264 ft, the basin slopes down from west to east, forming a typical sector-like pattern from its margin to its center, where is located the world famous Taklamakan Desert bordered by mountains, Gobi, and oases. The Tarim Basin is surrounded by high mountains with its annual precipitation less than 4". The climate here is extremely dry, as the rainfall is less than 2" for most of the time. The Tarim Basin is a large sedimentary basin formed by superposition of many types of basins at different periods in the long geological evolution. Tarim Basin is the cradle of world culture. The history left many mysteries to be solved, making Tarim Basin more attractive.

Tarim River is running along the north of Tarim Basin from the west to the east. Converged by Akusu River originated from Tianshan, Yueqing River and Hotan River from Kela Kunlun Mountain, Tarim River empties into Taitema Lake. It is the largest inland river in China with a total length of 2,179 kilometers. Tarim River means “water in the desert” in the ancient Turkic language. It used to be an important lifeline of the Silk Road.

The Tarim River valley is the general term for the nine river systems composed of 114 rivers in the Tarim Basin and mainstreams of the Tarim River with the running area of 77 220 sq miles. It is a relatively independent hydrological area featuring closed inland water recycle and balance. Taking up the overwhelming majority of the Tarim Basin, China’s largest, the valley is the lifeline of the oases, eco-system, and livelihood of all ethnic groups, hence hailed as the “River of Life” or “River of Mother”. The mainstream of Tarim River runs to the east into the north margin of Tarim Basin and umbrella distribution features are getting more obvious to the east. The upper reach is mainly uneven desert area and the melted water from glaciers carries a lot of sands. The river has flowed along the suddenly dropped slop with different currents, forming fantail plains and over 100 oases including Shule, Shache, Akesu, Hotan, and Kuche. Agriculture around oases is developed, producing wheat, corn, paddy, and cotton.

Stream volume of Tarim River has big differences due to seasons. The river surges in hot summer when the snow and ice are melting, running like a roaring “wild horse without bridle” on stretches of desert and grassland.

The unrestrained Tarim River harbors a unique biological system, taking on mysterious forests and grassland in a desert. There is the world’s largest primitive Populus Euphratica forest distributed along the Tarim River like a corridor. Sand plants such as sexual, licorice, Tamarix Chinensis, and alhagi pseudalhagi are available feeding hundreds of wild animals such as red deer, wild bi-peak camel, gazelle subgutturosa, Cygnus, and aigrette. After middle of October every year,

Tarim catchment covered by Populus Euphratica takes on golden yellow. Looking down in the air, the land seems dressed in a golden scarf and the river forks and lakes are like inlaid diamonds, showing scenery which is very special and spectacular.

Populus Euphratica is an ancient and mysterious tree of Salicaceae family. It is as precious as gingko and named as the living fossil. As a xerophytic deciduous plant, Populus Euphratica boasts surprising resistance to dryness, sandstorm, and salinity. The Marvelous vitality of the tree is described as “living for the millennium, standing for millennium after death, and won’t rot for the millennium if fall down”.

Populus Euphratica is unique in that its leaf shape varies from stage to stage of its growth, as evidenced by its leaf shape of seedlings looking similar to that of willows and the leaf shape of a meters-high one resembling that of a Populus. Even on one tree, you may see willow leaf-like leaves on the lower part and Populus leaf-like ones on the upper part. Populus Euphratica has a long period of growth and most of them have peculiar and strange shapes affected by windy sand and drought.

In the Tarim River catchment are scattered the world largest forests and reserves of Populus Euphratica. With the changes of environment and climate, their shapes will also change accordingly but with pursuant and desire for life.

Documents show that Kizil Caves was the largest grotto cluster in the ancient Qiuci Kingdom. Having withstood vicissitudes of both natural and human damages, the picturesque architecture relics have left 236 caves, over 1, 07,639 square ft of frescos.basis is spread across the vast territory of China and there are hundreds of basins, where developed sedimentary rocks originated. These basins, endowing tremendous hydrocarbon resources with various genesis and geologic features, have nurtured splendid civilizations with distinctive characteristics portrayed by the unique natural landscape. This is located in the south of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region between the Tianshan Mountains, Kunlun Mountains, and Arjin Mountain. Stretching 932 miles from east to west and 373 miles from south to north, it covers an area of 2 04,634 square miles. At height altitude of 4,264 ft, the basin slopes down from west to east, forming a typical sector-like pattern from its margin to its center, where is located the world famous Taklamakan Desert bordered by mountains, Gobi, and oases. The Tarim Basin is surrounded by high mountains with its annual precipitation less than 4". The climate here is extremely dry, as the rainfall is less than 2" for most of the time. The Tarim Basin is a large sedimentary basin formed by superposition of many types of basins at different periods in the long geological evolution. Tarim Basin is the cradle of world culture. The history left many mysteries to be solved, making Tarim Basin more attractive.

Tarim River is running along the north of Tarim Basin from the west to the east. Converged by Akusu River originated from Tianshan, Yueqing River and Hotan River from Kela Kunlun Mountain, Tarim River empties into Taitema Lake. It is the largest inland river in China with a total length of 2,179 kilometers. Tarim River means “water in the desert” in the ancient Turkic language. It used to be an important lifeline of the Silk Road.

The Tarim River valley is the general term for the nine river systems composed of 114 rivers in the Tarim Basin and mainstreams of the Tarim River with the running area of 77 220 sq miles. It is a relatively independent hydrological area featuring closed inland water recycle and balance. Taking up the overwhelming majority of the Tarim Basin, China’s largest, the valley is the lifeline of the oases, eco-system, and livelihood of all ethnic groups, hence hailed as the “River of Life” or “River of Mother”. The mainstream of Tarim River runs to the east into the north margin of Tarim Basin and umbrella distribution features are getting more obvious to the east. The upper reach is mainly uneven desert area and the melted water from glaciers carries a lot of sands. The river has flowed along the suddenly dropped slop with different currents, forming fantail plains and over 100 oases including Shule, Shache, Akesu, Hotan, and Kuche. Agriculture around oases is developed, producing wheat, corn, paddy, and cotton.

<p class="MsoNormal">Stream volume of Tarim River has big differences due to seasons. The river surges in hot summer when the snow and ice are melting, running like a roaring “wild horse without bridle” on stretches of desert and grassland.

<p class="MsoNormal">The unrestrained Tarim River harbors a unique biological system, taking on mysterious forests and grassland in a desert. There is the world’s largest primitive Populus Euphratica forest distributed along the Tarim River like a corridor. Sand plants such as sexual, licorice, Tamarix Chinensis, and alhagi pseudalhagi are available feeding hundreds of wild animals such as red deer, wild bi-peak camel, gazelle subgutturosa, Cygnus, and aigrette. After middle of October every year,

<p class="MsoNormal">Tarim catchment covered by Populus Euphratica takes on golden yellow. Looking down in the air, the land seems dressed in a golden scarf and the river forks and lakes are like inlaid diamonds, showing scenery which is very special and spectacular.

<p class="MsoNormal">Populus Euphratica is an ancient and mysterious tree of Salicaceae family. It is as precious as gingko and named as the living fossil. As a xerophytic deciduous plant, Populus Euphratica boasts surprising resistance to dryness, sandstorm, and salinity. The Marvelous vitality of the tree is described as “living for the millennium, standing for millennium after death, and won’t rot for the millennium if fall down”.

<p class="MsoNormal">Populus Euphratica is unique in that its leaf shape varies from stage to stage of its growth, as evidenced by its leaf shape of seedlings looking similar to that of willows and the leaf shape of a meters-high one resembling that of a Populus. Even on one tree, you may see willow leaf-like leaves on the lower part and Populus leaf-like ones on the upper part. Populus Euphratica has a long period of growth and most of them have peculiar and strange shapes affected by windy sand and drought.

<p class="MsoNormal">In the Tarim River catchment are scattered the world largest forests and reserves of Populus Euphratica. With the changes of environment and climate, their shapes will also change accordingly but with pursuant and desire for life.

<p class="MsoNormal">Documents show that Kizil Caves was the largest grotto cluster in the ancient Qiuci Kingdom. Having withstood vicissitudes of both natural and human damages, the picturesque architecture relics have left 236 caves, over 1, 07,639 square ft of frescos...Read "Khan the Great" and the mistery of  Tarm Deseert...Sivkiehsn ji, Author