Zhongar-Alatau National Park
Kazakhstan · Asia
About
Zhongar-Alatau National Park (Kazakh: Жоңғар Алатауы ұлттық паркі, Joñğar Alatauy ūlttyq parkı), also Jungar Alatau, or Dzungurian Alatau, was created in 2010 to protect the unique ecology of the Dzungarian Alatau, an isolated, glaciated mountain range in Kazakhstan, on the southeastern border with China. One stated reason for creating the park is to protect forests of wild fruit trees, including apricots, barberry, cherries, and currants. Approximately 1% of the land area of the park is forested with Sievers Apple trees, which are the progenitors of all cultured apple varieties in the world. The park is 300 km long (west-to-east), and spreads across Aksu District, Sarkand District and Alakol District of Almaty Region, 300 km northeast of the regional city of Almaty.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.