Located at southern foot of Altay Mountains in the northeastern pari of Xinjiang. with an average elevation of 922 metes, Altay Prefecture has a continental climate of cold temperate zone. It adjoins the People's Repaublic of Mongolia, Kazakstan and Russia, has a boundary line 1205 kilometers long, and covers an area of 11.76 ten thousands square kilometers, 61 percent of which is grassland. The prefecture has under its jurisdiction one city (Altay) and 6 counties (Qinghe, Fuyun. Fuhai, Jeminay, Burqin and Habahe), and has a population of 55 ten thousands. Here is an important section of the ancient prairie Silk Road. With advantageous geographical conditions and fertile mountain prairies, here are pregnant in ancient civilizations Archaeologists have found a Paleolithic site by the northern bank of the Ertix River, which verifies That as early as 8000 9000 years ago, there began to have human activities here. It is said that in the Altay Mountains there are 72 valleys and in each of them there is found gold. For this reason, here was also called "the golden road". Thousands of rock casings have been found in Altay Mountains and a lot of carved stone with patterns of deer arid a lot of stone statues have been found on the prairies. Here is abundant in natural and man-made sights.
