Situated in the northwestern part of China, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is divided into two parts. In Southern Xinjiang, there is China's largest inland basin - Cthe Tarim Basin. The enormous glaciers and snow-capped mountains not only nurture the extensive grasslands, forests, exotic animals and plants found here, but provide essential irrigation for the oasis around the basin. It is here in these delicate oasis areas, where cities like Kurla and Kashi were born.

In the northern part of Xinjiang, centered around the region's capital of Urumqi, are a scattering of basin cities. The Karamay Petroleum base and the new city Shihezi, situated in the Gobi desert, invigorate this ancient land. Mt. Artai, situated in the northern end of Xinjiang, is near the Erqis river, which runs through Xinjiang into the Arctic Ocean. It forms the unique alpine scenery of Northern Xinjiang, that looks like a Swiss postcard.