Liupan Mountains

Liupan Mountains

▪ mountains, China
Chinese (Pinyin)  Liupan Shan  or  (Wade-Giles romanization)  Liu-p'an Shan 

      mountain range in northern China extending southward from the Hui Autonomous Region of Ningxia (Ningsia) across the eastern panhandle of Gansu province and into western Shaanxi (Shensi) province. The range is formed by the uplifted western edge of the structural basin that underlies the Loess Plateau (an upland covered with wind-deposited silt) of Shaanxi and that continues northward to form the Helan Mountains west of the Huang He (Yellow River) near Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia. The range is sharply defined, with a general elevation above 6,500 feet (2,000 metres) and individual peaks that reach 9,825 feet (2,995 metres). To the south, the mountains are separated from the far higher Qin (Tsinling) Mountains (Qin Mountains), which extend from west to east, by the major fault line forming the valley of the Wei River. The main axis of the Liupan Mountains can be traced from southeast to northwest, from north of Baoji in Shaanxi, crossing Gansu and entering into Ningxia, where it swings into a nearly north-south axis. The name Liupan Mountains properly belongs to this higher northern section, while the southern section is called the Long Mountains (also called Guan Mountains, Longtou, or Longban).

      The range forms a sharp watershed between two tributary systems of the Wei River—the Hulu River system to the west and the Jing River system to the east. It has provided an important cultural barrier, dividing the southern basin of Shaanxi (the Wei River valley area, which is one of the cradles of China's early sedentary, agriculture-based civilization) from the arid pasturelands of Gansu. The only important passes through the range are the Wei River valley in the south (Long and Dazhen passes) and the route in the north between Pingliang and Jingning (both in Gansu). The area is extremely dry, heavily eroded, and deeply dissected by its rivers. Because of their elevation, the mountains receive somewhat more precipitation than the surrounding plateau areas, and some patches of pine forest remain in the higher elevations. The rest of the area is covered by grassland.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Gansu — /gahn syuu /, n. Pinyin. a province in N central China. 12,650,000; 137,104 sq. mi. (355,099 sq. km). Cap.: Lanzhou. Also, Kansu. * * * or Kan su conventional Kansu Province (pop., 2000 est.: 25,620,000), north central China. It is bordered by… …   Universalium

  • Wei River — River, north central China. It rises in the mountains of southeastern Gansu province and flows east through Shaanxi province to join the Huang He (Yellow River). It is 537 mi (864 km) long. Its valley was the earliest centre of Chinese… …   Universalium

  • china — /chuy neuh/, n. 1. a translucent ceramic material, biscuit fired at a high temperature, its glaze fired at a low temperature. 2. any porcelain ware. 3. plates, cups, saucers, etc., collectively. 4. figurines made of porcelain or ceramic material …   Universalium

  • China — /chuy neuh/, n. 1. People s Republic of, a country in E Asia. 1,221,591,778; 3,691,502 sq. mi. (9,560,990 sq. km). Cap.: Beijing. 2. Republic of. Also called Nationalist China. a republic consisting mainly of the island of Taiwan off the SE coast …   Universalium

  • Shensi — /shen see /; Chin. /shun shee /, n. Older Spelling. Shaanxi. * * * ▪ province, China Introduction Chinese (Wade Giles)  Shen hsi,  (Pinyin)  Shaanxi,         sheng ( …   Universalium

  • Protected areas of China — This article lists the nationally protected areas of China. There are many forms of protected areas in China. Based on their relative importance, each type of protected area can be further graded into two to three levels (national, provincial and …   Wikipedia

  • Protected areas of the People's Republic of China — This article lists the protected areas (national level only) of the People s Republic of China. There are many forms of protected areas in China. Based on their relative importance, each type of protected area can be further graded into two to… …   Wikipedia

  • Ningsia — ▪ autonomous region, China Introduction in full  Hui Autonomous Region of Ningsia,  Chinese (Wade Giles)  Ning hsia hui tsu Tzu chih ch ü,  (Pinyin)  Ningxia Huizu Zizhiqu,         autonomous region located in north central China. It is bounded… …   Universalium

  • Great Wall of China — a system of fortified walls with a roadway along the top, constructed as a defense for China against the nomads of the regions that are now Mongolia and Manchuria: completed in the 3rd century B.C., but later repeatedly modified and rebuilt. 2000 …   Universalium

  • Jing River — ▪ river, China Chinese (Pinyin)  Jing He , or  (Wade Giles romanization)  Ching Ho         river in north central china, the largest tributary of the Wei River. It rises in the Liupan Mountains of the Hui Autonomous Region of Ningxia (Ningsia)… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”