Sichuan basin

The Sichuan basin (Chinese: 四川盆地) is a lowland region in southwestern China. It comprises the central and eastern parts of Sichuan province, as well as Chongqing Municipality. In addition to being a dominant geographical feature of the region, the Sichuan basin also constitutes a cultural sphere that is distinguished by its own unique customs, cuisine, and dialects. It is also called the "Red Basin." It is famous for rice cultivation. It is also the principal gas-producing region of China. [ [http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=7024946 Energy Citations Database (ECD) - - Document #7024946 ] ]

The Sichuan basin is framed by mountains on all sides. It consists of low hills and alluvial plains, and several major rivers flow into the Chang Jiang (Yangtze River), which passes through the southern part of the basin. The seismically active Longmenshan Fault which caused the catastrophic 2008 Sichuan earthquake runs along the western boundary of the basin, separating it from the Tibetan plateau to the west.

This is where the Dawn Redwood ("Metasequoia glypostroboides", previously only known in fossils and thought to be extinct) was discovered in 1944. The Dawn Redwood is distinctive because it is a deciduous conifer. The basin has minimal rainfall from June to August. The Sichuan basin is not only minimal in rainfall, but it also lacks variety in vegetation.

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