Jiuzhaigou Valley
People's Republic of China · Asia
About
Jiuzhaigou ([tɕjòʊ.ʈʂâɪ.kóʊ] ; Chinese: 九寨沟; pinyin: Jiǔzhàigōu) is a nature reserve and national park located in the north of Sichuan Province in southwestern China. A long valley running north to south, Jiuzhaigou was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992 and a World Biosphere Reserve in 1997. It belongs to the category V (Protected Landscape) in the IUCN system of protected area categorization.
The Jiuzhaigou valley is part of the Min Mountains on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau and stretches over 72,000 hectares (180,000 acres). It has an altitude of over 4800 meters and is composed of a series of diverse forest ecosystems. It is known for its many multi-level waterfalls, colorful lakes, and snow-capped peaks. Its elevation ranges from 2,000 to 4,500 metres (6,600 to 14,800 ft). The Jiuzhaigou area borders the Minshan Garna Peak in the south, and the Huanglong Scenic Area is to Jiuzhaigou's north. It originates from the Baishui River area, one of the headwaters of the Jialing River and a part of the Yangtze River system.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.