World Nature Heritage Site: China Altay , Xinjiang Province
China Altay possesses a diversity of landscape features, such as sublime glaciers and snow-covered peaks, colorful alpine meadows, grand granitic natural sculptures, dynamic atmospheric conditions, picturesque landscapes of rivers and lakes, and charming nomadic life and folk customs.
These features combine to form unique aesthetic values that are second-to-none. The area is a remarkable exemplification for the aesthetic values of integrated natural and human mountainous landscape. These landscapes are of multiple types and are characterized by high qualities, great heterogeneity stunning vistas and rich folk cultures.
The Altay Mountains are the key accumulation zone of glaciers in the world and the glaciers are extensive and suffer no human interference. Kanas region, one of the nominated sites, is where the south slope of Youyi peak is located.
The glacial area in this region is larger than that within Russia or Mongolia. The glaciers in this region are the most prominent representatives of the Altay Mountain glaciers and are the key to research on the Quaternary glacial movements of the Altay Mountains. Both modern and well-preserved ancient glaciers remnants exist. The area can be regarded as an encyclopaedia and natural museum of mountainous glacial geography.
The post-Quaternary glacial evolution has been completely recorded in the nominated sites and is invaluable information for understanding the impact that the global warming has on the mountainous ecological system. Thus, this region has high scientific value for research on glacial geography and climate change.
