Tarim River is China’s longest inland river and runs over 1,321km across Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. With a total area of 1.02 million km2, the Tarim River Basin is equivalent to the size of Ethiopia, or twice of Thailand or Spain.
At the centre of the Tarim River Basin is China’s largest desert, Taklimakan Desert. According to China’s Second Glacial Inventory, the Basin holds 12,664 glaciers, with a total glacial area of 17,650km2 and a total ice reserve of 1,841.27km3. This is about 26% of China’s total number of glaciers, or 34% in terms of glacial areas and 41% in terms of total volume.
Ice-capped mountains in Tashkurgan, Xinjiang
Karakuli, the highest lake on the Pamir plateau
Peacock River, one of the Tarim's tributaries, flows through Korla City
Bridge over the Tarim river near Kuqa country
Desert poplars by the Tarim river near Kuqa country at dusk