Yunnan protected area - China

Yunnan protected area is a unique area in China. It is located in the south, in the province of Yunnan. The whole region covers an area of 939 441 ha. It lies on the upper streams of three major Asian rivers, Yangtze, Mekong and Salween. Part of the protected area extends into the Hengduan mountains. Yunnan protected area is important for its geological history and biodiversity. All three rivers flow parallelly from north to south through gorges and between high icy mountains over 6 000 meters high. The gorges are in some places up to 3 000 meters deep.