The Pamir Plateau, the only plateau in Xinjiang

The Pamir Plateau, in Persian, means 'the roof of the world'. In ancient China, it was known as the Congling, and the ancient Silk Road passed through it. It is located in the southeastern part of Central Asia, at the westernmost point of China, spanning Tajikistan, China, and Afghanistan. The Pamir Plateau stretches across the southwestern part of Xinjiang in China, the southeastern part of Tajikistan, and the northeastern part of Afghanistan, and is a massive mountain junction where the Kunlun Mountains, the Karakoram Mountains, the Hindu Kush, and the Tianshan Mountains meet. It covers an area of about 100,000 square kilometers. The Pamir Plateau has towering mountains with an average altitude of over 4,500 meters, and its main peaks are all above 6,000 meters. The highest peak in the western part within Tajikistan is the Communism Peak at 7,495 meters, followed by Lenin Peak at 7,134 meters. There is a significant difference between the eastern and western parts. The western Pamir has both high absolute and relative heights; the latitudinal and longitudinal mountain ranges crisscross each other, creating a complex terrain with the characteristics of a high mountain plateau; the river network is dense, with deep cuts, and the planation surfaces are severely damaged. The eastern Pamir Plateau has a lower absolute height and relative height, with significant plateau features and broad valleys. The plateau is widely covered with glaciers, totaling 1,085, covering an area of 8,041 square kilometers. The longest Fedchenko Glacier is 77 kilometers long. There are numerous glacial lakes, with the largest being Lake Karakul, covering an area of 383 square kilometers and reaching a depth of 236 meters.