Kekexili
Encyclopedia
Hoh Xil is an isolated region in the northwestern part of the Tibetan plateau
in China
.
It is China's least and the world's third-least populated
area.
mountain chains in the border areas of Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region
, Northwest China's Qinghai
Province and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The southeastern part of the Hoh Xil, drained by the Chumar River, is one of the major headwater sources of the Yangtze River
. The rest of the region is endorheic
, with drainage to numerous isolated lakes; this area sometimes described by hydrologists as the "Hoh Xil lake district".
45,000 square kilometres of the Hoh Xil region, at an average elevation of 4,600 metres, were designated a national nature reserve
in 1995.
, wild donkey
, white-lip deer
, brown bear
and the endangered Tibetan antelope
or chiru.
The abundant plateau pika
, a small burrowing rodent, is the main food of the region's brown bears; the bears also feed on the yak and antelope.
The hitherto little-known region, as well the struggling Tibetan antelope, became household names in China upon the release of the film Kekexili: Mountain Patrol
in 2004.
and China National Highway 109
run along the eastern boundary of the reserve. The Fenghuoshan Tunnel
, presently the world's highest railway tunnel (1338 m long, with the entrances located at the elevation of 4905 above the sea level), is constructed in the area.
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, in addition to smaller portions of western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and northern Yunnan in Western China and Ladakh in...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
It is China's least and the world's third-least populated
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
area.
Geography
The region covers 83,000 square kilometres at an average elevation of 4,800 meters, stretches in a meridional (east-west) direction between the Tanggula and KunlunKunlun Mountains
The Kunlun Mountains are one of the longest mountain chains in Asia, extending more than 3,000 km. In the broadest sense, it forms the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau south of the Tarim Basin and the Gansu Corridor and continues east south of the Wei River to end at the North China Plain.The...
mountain chains in the border areas of Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
, Northwest China's Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
Province and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The southeastern part of the Hoh Xil, drained by the Chumar River, is one of the major headwater sources of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
. The rest of the region is endorheic
Endorheic
An endorheic basin is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans...
, with drainage to numerous isolated lakes; this area sometimes described by hydrologists as the "Hoh Xil lake district".
45,000 square kilometres of the Hoh Xil region, at an average elevation of 4,600 metres, were designated a national nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in 1995.
Wildlife
Despite the harsh climate, Hoh Xil is home to more than 230 species of wild animals, 20 of which are under state protection, including the wild yakYak
The yak, Bos grunniens or Bos mutus, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population...
, wild donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
, white-lip deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and the endangered Tibetan antelope
Tibetan antelope
The Tibetan antelope or chiru is a medium-sized bovid which is about in height at the shoulder. It is the sole species in the genus Pantholops and is placed in its own subfamily, Pantholopinae...
or chiru.
The abundant plateau pika
Plateau pika
The plateau pika is an animal native to the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau region of China. Its scientific name is ochotona curzoniae, and is related to the rabbit. This pika is also known as the Black-lipped pika. They are small rodents who, because of their shear numbers is considered a pest in their...
, a small burrowing rodent, is the main food of the region's brown bears; the bears also feed on the yak and antelope.
The hitherto little-known region, as well the struggling Tibetan antelope, became household names in China upon the release of the film Kekexili: Mountain Patrol
Kekexili: Mountain Patrol
Kekexili: Mountain Patrol is a 2004 film by Chinese director Lu Chuan that depicts the struggle between vigilante rangers and bands of poachers in the remote Tibetan region of Kekexili...
in 2004.
Transportation
The Qingzang railwayQingzang railway
The Qinghai–Xizang railway, Qingzang railway, or Qinghai–Tibet railway , is a high-elevation railway that connects Xining, Qinghai Province, to Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, in People's Republic of China....
and China National Highway 109
China National Highway 109
China National Highway 109 connects Beijing with Lhasa. It runs westwards of Beijing via Datong, Yinchuan and Xining to Golmud before turning southwest to Lhasa...
run along the eastern boundary of the reserve. The Fenghuoshan Tunnel
Fenghuoshan tunnel
The Fenghuoshan Tunnel is the highest railway tunnel in the world. It is 1,338 metres long, and stands 4,905 meters above sea level...
, presently the world's highest railway tunnel (1338 m long, with the entrances located at the elevation of 4905 above the sea level), is constructed in the area.