The Tarim Basin is a dish-shaped basin bordered by the Tian Shan in the north and the Kunlun Shan in the south. When combined with the continental climatic conditions of the region, these mountain ridges make for an extremely arid climate with an average annual precipitation of only 30mm. The temperatures range from -30 to +50°C. As a consequence, the Taklamakan, the world's second largest sand desert, covers the basin with sand dunes up to 100m high. Sand storms can darken the sky for weeks, a well-known hazard for travellers along the silk road. The Tarim river, the longest river of Central Asia, has its source in the Tian Shan in the northwest of the basin, and flows through the northern part of the basin to the Lop Nur in the east, a system of salt lakes in a depression with no outlet. The satellite images cover a part of the southern rim of the basin, showing the vegetation along the rivers originating in the Kunlun Shan.

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