The terrain of Xinjiang can be summarized as "Three Mountains Embosoming Two Basins". On the northern border of Xinjiang stand the Altay Mountains, on the southern border is the Kunlun Mountain Range, and in the middle part of the region stretch the enormous Tianshan Mountains. The Junggar Basin lies between Altay Mountains and Tianshan Mountains covering about 200,000 square kilometers. Covering an area of approximately 530,000 square Kilometers, the Tarim Basin sits between Tianshan Mountains and Kunlun Mountains; in the central part of the basin is China largest moving desert-Takla Makan Desert, which boasts an area of 330,000 square kilometers and is the second, largest moving desert in the world.

　　With a total length of about 2,100 kilometers, Tarim River is the longest inland river in China. The Turpan Basin lies in East Xinjiang and has the lowest altitude in China and a depth of 154 meters at rock bottom. Xinjiang enjoys a typical continental climate of temperate zone with an annual precipitation of over 100 millimeters.