| Hengduan Mountains | |
|---|---|
 Mount Gongga, the tallest summit in the Hengduan Mountains | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Gongga |
| Elevation | 7,556 m (24,790 ft) |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Countries | China andBurma |
| Range coordinates | 27°30′N99°00′E / 27.5°N 99°E /27.5; 99 |
TheHengduan Mountains (simplified Chinese:横断山脉;traditional Chinese:橫斷山脈;pinyin:Héngduàn Shānmài) are a group of mountain ranges insouthwestChina that connect the southeast portions of theTibetan Plateau with theYunnan–Guizhou Plateau. The Hengduan Mountains are primarily large north-south mountain ranges that effectively separate lowlands in northernMyanmar from the lowlands of theSichuan Basin. These ranges are characterized by significant vertical relief originating from theIndian subcontinent's collision with theEurasian Plate, and further carved out by the major rivers draining the eastern Tibetan Plateau. These rivers, theYangtze,Mekong, andSalween, are recognized today as theThree Parallel Rivers UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Hengduan Mountains cover much of western present-daySichuan province as well as the northwestern portions ofYunnan, the easternmost section of theTibet Autonomous Region, and touching upon parts of southernQinghai. Additionally, some parts of easternKachin State in neighbouring Myanmar are considered part of the Hengduan group. The Hengduan Mountains are approximately 900 kilometres (560 mi) long, stretching from 33°N to 25°N. Depending on extent of the definition, the Hengduan Mountains are also approximately 400 kilometres (250 mi) wide under the narrowest definition, ranging from 98°E to 102°E. The area covered by these ranges roughly corresponds with the Tibetan region known asKham.
TheHengduan Mountains subalpine conifer forests is apalaearcticecoregion in theTemperate coniferous forestsbiome that covers portions of the mountains.
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The Hengduan Mountain system consists of many component mountain ranges, most of which run roughly north to south. These mountain ranges, in turn, can be further divided into various subranges. The component ranges of the Hengduan are separated by deep river valleys that channel the waters of many of Southeast Asia's great rivers.[1] The core of the Hengduan Mountains can be divided into four major component ranges, described below.[2]
The Hengduan Mountains support a range ofhabitats, from subtropical to temperate to montanebiomes. The mountains are largely covered bysubalpineconiferous forests.[4][5] Elevations range from 1,300 to 6,000 metres (4,300 to 19,700 ft). The dense, pristine forests, the relative isolation, and the fact that most of the area remained free fromglaciation during theice ages provides a very complex habitat with a high degree ofbiological diversity.
Theecoregions that coincide with the Hengduan Mountains are:
Additionally, the lowest elevation portions of the Jinsha (Yangtze) River and Nu (Salween) River valleys in the southern Hengduan ranges are classified by the Chinese government as atropical savanna environment.[6]
The easternmost ranges of the Hengduan are home to the rare and endangeredgiant panda. Other species native to the mountains are theChinese yew (Taxus chinensis) and various other rare plants, deer, and primates.
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