This Google Maps satellite image depicts a region near 38.55°N, 87.05°E, along the northern foothills of the Kunlun Mountains between Qiemo and Ruoqiang in Bayingolin Prefecture, Xinjiang. The landscape shows typical arid piedmont geomorphology: east–west trending ridges and folded valleys, with extensive alluvial fans cut by braided drainage patterns. The contrasting dark metamorphic rocks and oxidized red sandstones create a striking palette. On the right side of the image lies a patch of irrigated farmland, with circular pivot fields sustained by groundwater and mountain runoff.
Culturally, this area belongs to the southern margin of the Tarim Basin, historically part of the southern route of the Silk Road. Kunlun snowmelt has long nourished small foothill oases, enabling agriculture and settlement amid desert and gravel plains. These oases supported local livelihoods and served as vital nodes of exchange, leaving enduring traces of the diverse civilizations that once flourished along the Tarim’s southern rim.
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