The graceful water scenery in the desert, how beautiful are the lakes in Xinjiang?

Lakes refer to relatively low-lying and closed areas on land that can store water. The formation of lakes is also the result of the combined action of the earth's internal and external forces. According to the different causes of lake formation, we can divide lakes into nine categories: relict lakes, tectonic lakes, crater lakes, glacial lakes, barrier lakes, karst lakes, river relict lakes, aeolian lakes and artificial lakes.

Xinjiang is located in the northwest of my country. It has complex terrain, with three mountains and two basins. It has deserts, green spaces, Gobi, high mountains and grasslands. The snow and glaciers in Xinjiang's three major mountain ranges have nurtured more than 500 rivers. Where there are rivers, there are lakes. There are many lakes in Xinjiang.

Xinjiang has many lakes with beautiful natural landscapes, with a total area of ​​9,700 square kilometers, accounting for more than 0.6% of the total area of ​​Xinjiang. Among them, there are 139 natural lakes larger than 1 square kilometer, 30 lakes with an area larger than 10 square kilometers, and more than 10 lakes with an area of ​​more than 100 square kilometers. The ten famous lakes are: Bosten Lake, Aibi Lake, Buluntohai, Ayagekuli Lake, Sailimu Lake, Aqigekule Lake, Jingyu Lake, Jili Lake, Aksay Lake, and Aisiman Lake.

Xinjiang has a large lake area, ranking fourth in China after Tibet, Qinghai and Jiangsu. The causes of lakes in Xinjiang are complex and they are widely distributed. There are fault lakes, glacial lakes, barrier lakes, aeolian lakes, river lakes, etc. in the north and south of Tianshan Mountain. These lakes are scattered in high mountains, basins, forests, grasslands and deserts.

The characteristic of lakes in Xinjiang is that there are all kinds of lakes. There are two categories in terms of types. One is the end point of rivers, which does not play a role in regulating rivers. There are saltwater and semi-salty lakes, such as Lop Nur and Ayding Lake, and semi-salty lakes such as Sayram Lake and Ulungur Lake. The other is freshwater lakes, such as Kanas Lake and Bosten Lake, which have a role in regulating rivers.

Xinjiang is located inland, far from the ocean, with a dry climate, hot summers and cold winters. The lakes are frozen for 3-4 months, with little precipitation and underdeveloped river systems. Many lakes have become the catchment centers of the inner basins, and some are the tail lakes of rivers. Due to the unstable amount of water flowing into the lakes, the water surface changes with the increase and decrease of the water supply, and the lake shape changes.

The altitudes of lakes in Xinjiang also vary widely. Many lakes on the Kunlun Mountains are over 4,000 meters above sea level. The Aksay Lake in Hotan County, the southernmost part of Xinjiang, is 4,963 meters above sea level and is known as the "hanging lake." The Ayding Lake in Gaochang District, Turpan City, has a water surface elevation of -155 meters, the lowest point on land in my country.

Among the lakes in Xinjiang, Kanas Lake is the deepest moraine-dammed lake in China. It is located in the north of Burqin County, Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang. The lake water comes from glacier meltwater from mountains such as Kuitun and Youyi Peak and local precipitation. The lake surface is 1,374 meters above sea level. It is an alpine lake and inland freshwater lake located in the deep mountains and dense forests of Altai.

Bosten Lake, with an area of ​​980 km², is the largest inland freshwater lake in China and an important lake in southern Xinjiang. Not far to the south of the lake is the largest Taklimakan Desert in my country. It is conceivable how important this lake is to the arid and rainless Tarim Desert.

The lakes in Xinjiang, hidden deep in the desert and Gobi, are like emerald green, giving Xinjiang more gentleness and agility, adding a touch of beauty to the majestic and beautiful Xinjiang, and allowing people to appreciate Xinjiang's unique water charm.