Dunhuang, the home to mogao caves
As a cultural and historical city, Dunhuang is world renowned for its intricate and delicate frescos in Mogao Caves as well as other famous tourist attractions such as Yumenguan and Yangguan passes, White Horse Pagoda, the divine Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring, and the mysterious Yadan National Geology Park. In addition, other two equally important branches of Mogao Caves, the West Thousand Buddha Cave and Yulin Grottos are also popular destinations with the tourists.
Dunhuang is located in northwest of Gansu Province under the administration of Jiuquan City. It occupies an area of 31,200 sq.km with only 1,400 sq.km of oasis and is surrounded by large expanse of desert for which it is named as an oasis city in Gobi desert. Dunhang has a population of 180,000 with a dominant Han population and people from other ten ethnic groups.
With abundant sunlights, fertile farmlands and favorable irrigating conditions, all kinds of plants grow there and various types of cash crops are cultivated there. It is now the largest cotton production base in Gansu Province and is home to a variety of fruits which include the most famous Liguang almond, Mingshan dates and Yangguan grapes.
Besides,wild medicinal herbs including Apocynum Venetum, Medlar,and Cynomorium Songaricum can also be found on those towering mountains. Besides, it is blessed with rich mineral resources among which the deposit of vanadium alone ranks fourth throughout China. In recent years, Dunhuang jade has been discovered and the quality of it is only next to Hetian jade.
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