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What mountains surround the Junggar Basin?
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Xinjiang
Pagoda close to Tian Lake, Ürümqi, Uyghur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, China.
The Junggar Basin in Xinjiang is surrounded by several prominent mountain ranges that define its borders:
- North: The Altai Mountains form the northern boundary along the Sino-Mongolian border.12
- South: The basin is bordered by the Borohoro and Eren Habirga mountains, which are situated immediately north of the Tien Shan ("Celestial Mountains").12
- East and Southeast: The region is bounded by the Baytag Bogd (Baytik) and Bogda mountains.1
- West and Northwest: The western limit is defined by the Dzungarian Alatau and Tarbagatay mountain ranges, which separate the basin from the Lake Balkhash depression in Kazakhstan.12
These surrounding ranges create a distinct, enclosed basin characterized by internal drainage and a central desert region known as the Dzungarian Gobi.1