Gaoligong Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Gaoligong Mountains are a mountainous area at the southern end of the Hengduan Mountain Range, located in the western Yunnan
highlands very near to the China
and Myanmar
border. It is located along the west bank of the Nujiang
valley from Gongshan down in to Dehong Prefecture, a distance of approximately 500 km. It is the drainage divide of the Nujiang and Irrawaddy rivers. The main peak is Ga her (嘎普) peak, 5128 meters above sea level.
The Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve is made up of three distinct areas. One part is found in the south-central part of the mountain range and covers an area of 120,000 ha. Around 9 km wide, it stretches over approximately 135 km from north to south across parts of Lushui County
, Baoshan City Prefecture and Tengchong County
. The highest peak within the reserve is the 3,916 meter high Wona. Another large part of the reserve is the Dulongjian area, west of Gongshan, and home to the Derung
people.
In 1983, the Gaoligongshan Nature Reserve was established, and in 1992, the World Wildlife Fund, designated it a level A grade protected area. In 2000, UNESCO
accepted it as a Biosphere Reserves member. The reserve is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas
, established in 2003, and as such a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mountains are also part of the Nujiang Langcang Gorge alpine conifer and mixed forests ecoregion
.
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
highlands very near to the China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
border. It is located along the west bank of the Nujiang
Nujiang
Nujiang may refer to:*Nujiang River, or Salween River, in China and Southeast Asia*Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, prefecture in Yunnan, China*Nujiang, Tibet, a village in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China...
valley from Gongshan down in to Dehong Prefecture, a distance of approximately 500 km. It is the drainage divide of the Nujiang and Irrawaddy rivers. The main peak is Ga her (嘎普) peak, 5128 meters above sea level.
The Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve is made up of three distinct areas. One part is found in the south-central part of the mountain range and covers an area of 120,000 ha. Around 9 km wide, it stretches over approximately 135 km from north to south across parts of Lushui County
Lushui County
Lushui County is located in Nujiang Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.-See also:*Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas - Unesco World Heritage Site*Gaoligongshan Mountain-External links:*...
, Baoshan City Prefecture and Tengchong County
Tengchong County
-Economy:Tengchong's industry and handicraft work were fostered during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, nearly 400 years ago. Factories and workshops were set up first by importing equipment from abroad. Earlier products included textile goods, leather, soaps, battery, cigarettes, matches, etc. They...
. The highest peak within the reserve is the 3,916 meter high Wona. Another large part of the reserve is the Dulongjian area, west of Gongshan, and home to the Derung
Derung
The Derung people are an ethnic group. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. Their population of 6,000 is found in the Nujiang Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan province, in the Dulong valley...
people.
In 1983, the Gaoligongshan Nature Reserve was established, and in 1992, the World Wildlife Fund, designated it a level A grade protected area. In 2000, UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
accepted it as a Biosphere Reserves member. The reserve is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas
Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas
The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yunnan province, China.It lies within the drainage basins of the upper reaches of the Yangtze , Mekong and Salween rivers, in the Yunnanese section of the Hengduan Mountains.-Overview:-Geography:The protected...
, established in 2003, and as such a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mountains are also part of the Nujiang Langcang Gorge alpine conifer and mixed forests ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
.
See also
- Gaoligongshania megalothyrsaGaoligongshania megalothyrsaGaoligongshania megalothyrsa is a species of small, bushy mountain bamboo, of the monotypic genus Gaoligongshania. Like Ferrocalamus, this genus is found only in Yunnan Province of China, and near the Myanmar border, at 4,200 to 8,500 altitude. It is named after the Gaoligong Mountains....
- Gaoligong PikaGaoligong PikaThe Gaoligong Pika is a species of mammal in the Ochotonidae family. It is endemic to China....
- Protected areas in China