World Heritage Identification Number: 1638
World Heritage since: 2024
Category: Natural Heritage
WHE Type: Natural Landscapes & Geographic Features
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇨🇳 China
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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Exploring the Badain Jaran Desert: A Unique Landscape of Sand Towers and Interdunal Lakes
The Badain Jaran Desert, located in the Alashan Plateau of northwestern China, is a remarkable example of a hyper-arid desert landscape that showcases a unique combination of towering sand dunes, interdunal lakes, and diverse habitats. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024, this vast desert spanning over 49,000 square kilometers across the provinces of Gansu, Ningxia, and Inner Mongolia, is the third largest desert in China.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Located in the Alashan Plateau in the hyper-arid and temperate desert region of northwestern China, the Badain Jaran Desert is a meeting point for three sandy regions of China and is the country’s third largest desert and second largest drifting desert. The property stands out with its high density of mega-dunes, intersected with inter-dunal lakes. It displays spectacular ongoing geological and geomorphic features of desert landscapes and landforms which may well be unparalleled. Noteworthy features, among others, include the world’s tallest, stabilized sand mega-dune (relative relief of 460 m); the highest concentration of inter-dunal lakes; and the largest expanse of so-called singing sands (describing the resonance caused for example by wind moving dry and loose sand) and wind-eroded landforms. The varied landscape also results in a high level of habitat diversity, and hence of biodiversity.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (vii): Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes display spectacular ongoing geological and geomorphic features of desert landscapes and landforms subject to a temperate, hyper-arid climate. These features create exceptional aesthetic values emerging from the dense range of stabilized, linear, and parallel mega-dunes with numerous inter-dunal lakes as well as various types of smaller dunes in-between the mega-dunes. 144 inter-dunal lakes exhibit a myriad of colours, caused by different levels of salinity and microbial communities. With an exceptional expanse of so-called singing sands (describing the resonance caused e.g. by wind moving dry and loose sand), the property also presents a remarkable soundscape. Wind-eroded landforms, oases, ripple effects and the grandeur of the world’s tallest sand mega-dunes (relative relief of 460 m) compose a landscape of remarkable natural beauty. The dynamic of shifting sand dunes creates an ever-changing visual environment.
Criterion (viii): The property is located at the junction of three sandy regions of China and provides an outstanding example of the ongoing evolution of desert landscapes and landforms under a temperate and hyper-arid climate. It records and displays an exceptional variety of aeolian features and desert geomorphology, such as linear and parallel, stabilized mega-dunes and associated inter-dunal lakes. The property appears to be a very rare example at global scale that reflects the evolutionary landforms as a combined result of regional tectonism and hydrogeological changes associated with climatic evolution. The property also stands out due to the remarkable stability of its linear mega-dunes and the abundance of inter-dunal lakes. It boasts the densest collection of stabilized mega-dunes globally, encompassing among the tallest sand dunes and the highest concentration of inter-dunal lakes found anywhere on Earth. With 144 inter-dunal lakes and the considerable variety of dune formations, the property hosts a remarkable geodiversity. Both IUCN’s 2011 thematic study on desert landscapes and IUCN’s 2021 study on the application of criterion (viii) highlighted the property as one of the most significant desert landscapes and geomorphological sites, not currently represented on the World Heritage List.
Encyclopedia Record: Badain Jaran Desert
The Badain Jaran Desert is a desert in China which spans the provinces of Gansu, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia. It covers an area of 49,000 square kilometers. By size it is the third largest desert in China.Additional Site Details
Area: 726,291.4 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(viii) — Outstanding example representing major earth stages
Coordinates: 39.8897222222 , 102.2894444444
IUCN World Heritage Outlook
The 2025 Conservation Outlook on Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes reports the following assessment:
Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) · View assessment
Image
© Sjoerd van Oort, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Research on Groundwater Drought and Sustainability in Badain Jaran Desert and Surrounding Areas Based on GRACE Satellite
A severe decline in groundwater sustainability threatens the Badain Jaran Desert's unique sand dune-lake system. Using GRACE satellite data and in situ observations from 2003 to 2022, researchers found that 99.2% of the region experienced significant groundwater storage loss, with the Groundwater Drought Index dropping from 1.44 to -1.54 annually. By 2022, the southeastern area faced extreme stress (GGDI: -3.04), while the Sustainability Index plummeted from 1.00 to 0.01, signaling critical human-induced impacts. These findings underscore urgent needs for adaptive groundwater management in arid regions.
Liu, X., Wang, N., Wang, Y., Meng, N., Wang, Y., Qiao, B., Lu, R., & Yang, D. (2025). Research on Groundwater Drought and Sustainability in Badain Jaran Desert and Surrounding Areas Based on GRACE Satellite. Land, 14(1), 173. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14010173
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Safety assessment of fragile environment in Badain Jaran Desert and its surrounding areas based on the DPSIR model
A comprehensive safety assessment of the Badain Jaran Desert and its surrounding areas (BJDCA) reveals a positive trend in ecological environmental security from 2001 to 2019, with conditions stabilizing at a medium safety level post-2010. This improvement is attributed to coordinated socio-economic development and ecological restoration efforts. Researchers used the DPSIR model, selecting 40 indicators to evaluate the region's safety status over nearly two decades. While future pressures from socio-economic growth may persist, the study recommends adjusting industrial development modes to ensure sustainable progress. These findings provide critical data for regional ecological restoration and policy-making, supporting the preservation of this fragile UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Xi, H., Chen, Y., Zhao, X., Sindikubwabo, C., & Cheng, W. (2023). Safety assessment of fragile environment in Badain Jaran Desert and its surrounding areas based on the DPSIR model. Ecological Indicators, 146, 109874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.109874
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Water use strategies of Nitraria tangutorum in the lake-basin region of the Badain Jaran Desert
Nitraria tangutorum, a desert plant, demonstrates adaptive water-use strategies in the Badain Jaran Desert's lake-basin region. The study reveals that it shifts between groundwater absorption and deep soil water reliance depending on seasonal fluctuations, while also adjusting its water use efficiency (WUE) and leaf water potential to cope with decreasing soil moisture. Notably, as water stress intensifies, N. tangutorum transitions from an adventurous anisohydric regulation to a conservative isohydric strategy, allowing it to thrive under varying environmental conditions. This research provides critical insights into desert plant adaptations to long-term drought and quantifies the hydrological cycle in warming ecosystems.
Qin, J., Si, J., Jia, B., Zhao, C., Zhou, D., He, X., Wang, C., & Zhu, X. (2023). Water use strategies of Nitraria tangutorum in the lake-basin region of the Badain Jaran Desert. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1240656
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Dissolved Organic Matter Characteristics and Composition of Saline Lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert, China
Salinization significantly alters dissolved organic matter (DOM) characteristics and composition in saline lakes of the Badain Jaran Desert, China. Research reveals that while dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increases with salinity, DOM aromaticity, fluorescent components, and lignin-like compounds decrease, whereas lipid-like components rise. Additionally, brine lakes exhibit higher chlorination than bromination of DOM, indicating preferential chlorination over bromination. The study, employing spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and 14C analysis across 10 lakes, underscores the critical role of saline lakes as persistent carbon pools in arid environments.
Zhang, Q., Wang, Y., Zhang, X., Mo, X., Zhang, P., Li, H., Jiao, J. J., He, C., Shi, Q., Fu, Q., Chen, B., & Wang, J. (2023). Dissolved Organic Matter Characteristics and Composition of Saline Lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert, China. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, 7(11), 2239–2251. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.3c00179
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Dust Aerosol Impacts on the Time of Cloud Formation in the Badain Jaran Desert Area
Dust aerosols significantly advance cloud formation time by approximately 138 minutes for every 0.1 increase in aerosol optical depth, primarily through radiative effects that destabilize the low troposphere when total precipitable water exceeds 18.5 kg/m². Conversely, dust inhibits convective cloud formation via microphysical processes under lower moisture conditions. This study, conducted using high-resolution Himawari-8 satellite data over the minimally human-influenced Badain Jaran Desert, provides critical observational evidence to refine cloud parameterization in atmospheric models.
Zhao, X., Zhao, C., Yang, Y., Sun, Y., & Xia, Y. (2022). Dust Aerosol Impacts on the Time of Cloud Formation in the Badain Jaran Desert Area. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 127(21). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022jd037019
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Variation characteristics and influencing mechanism of CO2 flux from lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert: A case study of Yindeer Lake
Lakes within the Badain Jaran Desert, particularly Yindeer Lake, play a significant and previously underappreciated role in global carbon sequestration. A six-year study (2012–2017) using eddy covariance (EC) techniques revealed that these lakes act as net CO₂ sinks, absorbing approximately 1.91 × 10³ tons of CO₂ annually. This finding highlights their potential to mitigate global warming in arid regions. The research also identified that meteorological factors influence CO₂ flux on varying timescales and that inorganic processes, primarily driven by pH levels, control CO₂ absorption and release. These insights address the 'missing sink' problem, offering new directions for understanding carbon budgets in inland desert lakes.
Yang, P., Wang, N., Zhao, L., Zhang, D., Zhao, H., Niu, Z., & Fan, G. (2021). Variation characteristics and influencing mechanism of CO2 flux from lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert: A case study of Yindeer Lake. Ecological Indicators, 127, 107731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107731
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Hydrological Evolution of a Lake Recharged by Groundwater in the Badain Jaran Desert Over the Past 140 years
A groundwater-recharged lake in the Badain Jaran Desert, China, has undergone significant hydrological changes over the past 140 years, primarily driven by increased evaporation due to rising temperatures. The study, which analyzed sediment cores from Sayinwusu Lake using radiometric dating and mineral content analysis, revealed two distinct evolutionary periods: a low-productivity phase (1880–1950) and a rapid increase in primary productivity and salinity beginning in the 1950s. Despite regional precipitation increases, evaporation effects have dominated lake dynamics in this hyper-arid environment. This research provides critical insights for projecting future changes in desert groundwater-recharged lakes.
Jiang, G., Wang, N., Mao, X., Zhao, H., Liu, L., Shen, J., Nie, Z., & Wang, Z. (2021). Hydrological Evolution of a Lake Recharged by Groundwater in the Badain Jaran Desert Over the Past 140 years. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.721724
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