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The Zoigê Marsh (Chinese: 若尔盖湿地; pinyin: Ruòěrgài Shīdì), also known as the Ruoergai Marsh or the Songpan Grasslands, is located in the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau and forms the largest high-altitude marsh area in the world.
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Location
The marsh areas are mainly located in northern Sichuan Province, but extend into southern Gansu and southeastern Qinghai. The marshes are formed in a region of poor drainage that is located between the watersheds of the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers. The marshes are located at an altitude of about 3,600 meters above sea level and cover an area of about 2,600 square kilometers. To east, they are bordered by the Min Mountains and to the west by the Amne Machin mountain range.
Geology
The marshes can be divided into four geomorphological regions: the Zoigê plateau plain, the Hong Yuan plateau mound, the A Ba plateau mountain, and the Songpan-Lixan Alp. The soil of the marshes contains a layer of peat that is about 2 to 3 meters thick in most places, but can reach up to 7 meters in thickness.
History
The Long March passed through the Zoigê Marsh in August 1935. The marshes were partially drained for grazing of cattle, sheep, and horses in the 1970s. In 1994, a nature preserve was established in the marshes.