The Hengduan region in northwest Yunnan Province in China, extending into neighboring Tibet and Sichuan, is China's longest and widest mountain system. The area is transversed by several big rivers running from north to south: the Nu, Lancang, Yalon, and Jinsha. The river valleys are 1,500 to 2,000 meters above sea level, while peaks in the southern part reach 4,124 meters (Tiancang); Guangmao in the eastern part reaches 4,023 meters. The peaks stand close together, and the area is almost without plateaus and broad valleys. There is a relative high annual precipitation, up to 2,500 millimeters on the western slopes of the mountains while the eastern slopes receive markedly less rain, about 900 millimeters annually. The region is sparsely populated. Most inhabitants belong to minority nationalities like the Yi, Lisu, Bai, and Tibetans, and the majority of the region is divided into autonomous districts. The main city of the area is windswept Xiaguan, situated at the southern end of Lake Erhai. Main sources of income are forestry, cattle, and sheep. Since tea plants were introduced in the nineteenth century, the region has become a major tea producer. The area is also one of China's important nonferrous metal industrial bases.
Further Reading
Li Heng. (1981) Geological and Ecological Studies of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Beijing: Science Press.
Zhao Songqiao. (1986) Physical Geography of China. Beijing: Science Press.
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