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Xinjiang is divided into five topographical zones: 1) The Tianshan Mountain Area, mostly 3,000--5,000 meters above sea level, consists of several ranges running parallel from west to east across the middle part of the region. The Tianshan range divides Xinjiang into two vastly different natural geographical regions, northern and southern Xinjiang. The numerous intermontane basins and valleys are important farming-pastoral areas. The area around the Hami and Turpan basins is customarily called eastern Xinjiang. 2) The Altay range lies in the north and northeast. 3) In the south are the Karakorum, Kunlun and Altun mountains and the Pamirs. 4) The Junggar Basin between the Tianshan and Altay ranges has the Curbantunggut Desert in the middle. 5) The Tarim Basin south of the Tianshan range makes up more than half of the region's total area and has the Taklimakan Desert in the middle. Deserts make up about 22 per cent of the area of Xinjiang. Mount Qogir, towering 8,611 meters above sea level over the China-Pakistan border, is the highest peak in the region. Aydingkol Lake in the Turpan Depression with its surface 154.43 meters below sea level is the lowest point in China.
There are 20-some larger rivers in Xinjiang, including the Tarim, Ili, Ertix and Manas. Lop Nur is its largest lake.
(china.org.cn)
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