10 recent Chinese additions to the World Heritage List

A field of horses find food at the foot of the snow-capped Tianshan. [Photo/IC]

4. Xinjiang Tianshan

Xinjiang Tianshan, one of the largest mountain ranges in the world, presents unique physical geographic features and beautiful scenic areas including spectacular snow and snowy mountains with glacier-capped peaks, undisturbed forests and meadows, clear rivers and lakes and red bed canyons.

These landscapes contrast with the vast adjacent desert landscapes, creating a striking visual contrast between hot and cold environments, dry and wet, desolate and luxuriant.

The landforms and ecosystems of the site have been preserved since the Pliocene epoch and present an outstanding example of ongoing biological and ecological evolutionary processes.

It was added into the list on June 22, 2013.