Below are some photos published by photoxj.com from a contributing photographer named Jian Jun (also known as 暖风 on Internet bulletin board). His undated pictures depict the landscapes of northwest China's Xinjiang autonomous region.

Brief introduction of Xinjiang

Xinjiang is a place with unique landscapes and attractive folk customs. The historical remains of the Silk Road and untouched natural beauty there make it the first choice of travelers.

Xinjiang on the northwestern border in the interior of Central Asia was set up as an autonomous region on October 1, 1955.

It has an area of more than 1.6 million square kilometers, one-sixth the size of China and larger than any other province or autonomous region, and a population of 12.83 million, of which 78 percent in the farming and pastoral areas.

Of its total population, 5 million are the Uygurs, the principal nationality there, 5 million are the Hans, and the rest are the Kazaks, Mongolians, Huis, Xibes, Kirgizes, Ozbeks, Tajiks, Russians, Manchus, Daurs and Tatars.

Link: Xinjiang through a photographer's lens (I)

(China.org.cn October 26, 2007)