Altyn Tagh

Altyn-Tagh
Altunshan, Astyn-Tagh, Altun Mountains, Pinyin: Altun Shan, A-erh-chin, Wade–Giles:A-erh-chin shan, Aerjin Shan, (Chinese: 阿尔金山)
Eastern part of Altun Shan at bottom of elevation map
Highest point
Peak	Sulamutag Feng (Xinjiang)
Elevation	6,245 m (20,489 ft)
Coordinates	37°55′N 87°23′E / 37.917°N 87.383°E / 37.917; 87.383
Dimensions
Length	805 km (500 mi) WSW-ENE
Geography
Country	China
Province	Xinjiang, Qinghai and Gansu
Range coordinates	38°36′N 89°0′E / 38.600°N 89.000°E / 38.600; 89.000Coordinates: 38°36′N 89°0′E / 38.600°N 89.000°E / 38.600; 89.000
Borders on	Kunlun Mountains and Qilian Mountains
Biome	Desert

Altyn-Tagh, (Astyn-Tagh, Altun Mountains, Pinyin: Altun Shan, A-erh-chin, Wade–Giles:A-erh-chin shan, Aerjin Shan, (Chinese: 阿尔金山)) is a part of the range south of Lop Nor), and is a mountain range in northwestern China that separates the eastern Tarim Basin from the Tibetan Plateau. The western third is in Xinjiang while the eastern part forms the border between Qinghai to the south and Xinjiang and Gansu to the north.

Altun Shan is also the name of a 5,830 metres (19,130 ft) mountain near the eastern end of the range, the highest point in Gansu.

Altyn Tag means Gold Mountain in Turkic, and Shan is Chinese for mountain.

A series of mountain ranges run along the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. In the west are the Kunlun Mountains. About halfway across the south side of the Tarim Basin, the Altyn-Tagh Range diverges northeast while the Kunluns continue directly east, forming a relatively narrow "V". Inside the "V" are a number of endorheic basins. The eastern end of the Altyn-Shan is near the Dangjin Pass on the Dunhuang-Golmud road in far western Gansu. East of the Altyn-Tagh the border range rises to the Qilian Mountains. The range separates the Tarim Basin, to the north, and Lake Ayakkum, to the south. The range can be divided into three portions. The southwest portion borders the Kunlun Mountains, is very rugged, with peaks reaching more than 6,100 metres (20,000 ft) and many perennial snow fields. The central portion is lower in elevation, around 4,000 metres (13,000 ft). The eastern portion is higher in elevation, about 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) and consists of a group of smaller ranges oriented in a south-east to north-west trend.