What is the geography and climate of Jiuzhaigou?

Jiuzhaigou is located in Zhangza Town, Jiuzhaigou County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, in the southern section of the Minshan Mountains in northwest Sichuan Province. It is located on the northeast side of Gonggan Ridge in the southern section of the Minshan Mountains. It is more than 400 kilometers away from Chengdu.

The main protection objects of Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve are giant pandas, golden monkeys and other rare animals and their natural ecological environment. Among the higher plants in the area, there are 74 species of rare plants protected by the state. Among them, there are 3 species of national first-level protected plants: ginkgo, yew and unifolia, and 66 species of second-level protected plants, mainly concentrated in the orchidaceae (43 species). There are 5 species of plants included in the Red Data Book of Endangered Plants in China. There are 18 species of national first- and second-level protected animals, including 4 species at the first level and 14 species at the second level. Representative species include giant pandas, Sichuan golden monkeys, etc. Including the protected area, there are also rich paleontological fossils and ancient glacial landforms are very developed.

The terrain of Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve is higher in the south and lower in the north, with deep valleys and huge height differences. The entrance of Jiuzhaigou at the northern edge of the area is only 2,000 meters above sea level, the peaks and ridges in the central part are all over 4,000 meters, and the southern edge is over 4,500 meters. The main ditch is more than 30 kilometers long. The peak and the peaks on both sides are basically covered with snow all year round. Jiuzhaigou is located in the transition zone from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the Sichuan Basin. It has a complex geological background, widespread carbonate distribution, developed folds and faults, strong neotectonic movements, large crustal uplift, and the interweaving and compounding of multiple climatic forces, creating a variety of landforms. Large-scale karst travertine deposits, dominated by plant karst travertine deposits, have formed Jiuzhaigou's beautiful and elegant lakes, rushing streams, waterfalls with flying beads and jade, ancient and deep forests, and rolling hills. Snow peaks.

Jiuzhaigou Valley is about 3,000 meters above sea level and has a humid plateau climate. The temperature in Jiuzhaigou is relatively low in spring and varies greatly. The average temperature is mostly between 9-18℃. There is frozen soil and residual snow before the weather in April. In Jiuzhaigou, the temperature rises quickly and stably in summer. The average temperature is 19-22°C, and it is better to bring a thin sweater when the nights are cooler. In autumn, the weather is pleasant and the weather is high and crisp. The temperature is mostly 7-18°C, and the temperature difference between day and night is large, especially in late autumn after October. Frozen soil appears after late October; winter is colder, with temperatures mostly around 0°C. Nuorilang in the center has an average annual temperature of 7.3°C. Jiuzhaigou has little rainfall (annual rainfall is less than 600mm) and is concentrated. July-August is the typical rainy season.

There are 108 alpine lakes in Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve. Most of them are distributed in groups, with areas of different sizes, ranging from half an acre to more than a thousand acres. There are so many mountain lakes in one ditch, and there is no second one anywhere in the country or the world. There are many Tianchi Lakes in Jiuzhaigou, the largest of which is 7 kilometers long. Tianchi Lake is surrounded by lush virgin forests. There are 17 large waterfalls in Jiuzhaigou, including Jiuzhaigou Nuorilang Waterfall. The largest lake in the reserve is Changhaizi, which reaches 7 kilometers southward.