Overview:

: The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. It is located at the source of the three greatest rivers in China — the Yangtze, Mekong, and Salween. The area covers 7,692 km2 of land and water and includes 14 unique microclimates. It is the world's highest burning biodiversity area, with 25,000 plant species, 35 animal species, and numerous endemic plants, animals, and fungi. It is home to more than 8 million people from many different ethnic groups. The site was established for its exceptional natural beauty, its unique functional value, and its cultural contacts with ancient civilizations of the area. This heritage site includes two nationally protected sites, Meili Snow Mountain Nature Reserve and Pudacuo National Park. The local landscapes and ecosystems are very important for the conservation of China's biological diversity. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in China
Prominent Features:

1. Rich biodiversity: One of the main reasons why the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site is because of its exceptionally rich biodiversity. The area is home to an incredible variety of plants, animals, and insects species due to its unique topography. It is home to over 8,000 species of vascular plants, 40% of which are only found in the region. It is also home to over 435 bird species, 59 of which are known to breed in the region and another 76 of which are potential breeders in the region. 2. Watersheds: The Three Parallel Rivers protected areas serve as the headwaters of three great rivers: the Yangtze, Mekong, and the Salween, with the Yangtze originating in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the other two originating in Tibetan Plateau. As each of these rivers flow southeastwards through Yunnan province, they carve out deep gorges through the steep and rugged landscape, creating unique landscapes of cascading waterfalls, steep cliffs, and white-water rapids. 3. Landforms and Sculptures: The area is also known for the spectacular landforms and sculptures that were created as a result of the flow of the three mighty rivers. In some parts of the region, fantastical limestone towers around 100 meters in height can be found. Through a process known as karstification, these sedimentary rocks have been eroded over time by rainwater into a myriad of realistic and surrealistic sculptures. 4. Culture and Heritage: The Three Parallel Rivers region is also well known for its cultural and heritage attractions. The area is home to dozens of ethnic minorities, each with its own unique culture, rituals, customs, and traditional arts and architecture. It is also home to a number of important religious sites, including Buddhist, Taoist, and Bon monasteries and temples. 5. Beautiful sights: Last but not least, the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan offers breathtaking views of the rivers, gorges, mountains, forests, and cliffs, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. The area is particularly popular for white-water rafting, fishing, horseback riding, and trekking. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in China.

History:

The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas is located in the southwestern corner of China. The Protected Areas include the upper reaches of the Yangtze, the Mekong, and the Salween rivers. The Three Parallel Rivers area has a long history of being recognized as a natural treasure. In 2000, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. The Protected Areas were established to help conserve the diverse landscapes and unique biodiversity in the region, which are threatened by the effects of climate change. The Protected Areas covers an area of 22,357 square kilometers and includes 13 national nature reserves. Much of the area in the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan was inhabited by minorities beginning in the Neolithic Age, and these people have continued to pass on their traditional cultures and customs. At the same time, centuries of scientific exploration and human use have altered the land and its inhabitants. The Protected Areas is also a site for extensive hydropower exploitation, with plans to build a total of 18 dams planned in the region. The damming of the two major river systems would significantly disturb and contaminate the rivers and the delicate ecology of the area. In recent years, an increasing number of environmental organizations have been engaging local communities in dialogue to find solutions to the hydroelectric development while preserving the unique cultural and natural heritage of the Three Parallel Rivers. In addition, the Chinese government has taken steps to address environmental concerns and promote sustainable management of the Protected Areas. For instance, in 2014, the Chinese government issued a Five Year Plan for the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas, which sets forth specific standards to protect the region’s mountains, rivers, plants, animals, and cultural heritage. The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas is a unique ecological resource that must continue to be protected and conserved for future generations. Visit one of the famous monuments of China with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas is the first site to be inscribed on the World Heritage list in China, with its inclusion in 2003. 2. This site is the largest and most intact refugia for biodiversity in the entire Hengduan Mountains region of southwest China. 3. The protected area includes some of the greatest biodiversity in the world, supporting a range of habitats and ecosystems including forests, meadows, glaciers, streams, rivers and wetlands. 4. It is home to 24 globally vulnerable, rare or endangered species including the panda and the snow leopard. 5. The area is an archive of climate change in the region, and serves as a natural laboratory for the observation and study of glacial and alpine ecosystems. 6. The entire Three Parallel Rivers area is about 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) in size. 7. An impressive 20 peaks stand above 6,000m (19,685ft) in the area and it is surrounded by several deep and impressive canyons including the world's deepest, the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon. One of the historical monuments of China, it tells the story of a bygone era