Koko Nor Plain

Koko Nor Plain 

a plain between the Ch’inshihling range in the northeast and the Koko Nor range in the southwest, in the Nan Shan mountain system of China.

The plain lies at an elevation of 3,200–3,400 m. The central part is occupied by Lake Koko Nor. The plain is composed mostly of sandstones and limestones overlaid by loess. In the north a gentle ridge terrain prevails. The surface is dissected by broad and short river valleys. In the south there are sloping piedmont plains. The climate is moderately cold, with 250–400 mm of precipitation a year. Mountain steppe landscapes with feather grass, herbs, and gramineous grasses predominate. The main occupation of the population is nomadic livestock raising (sheep, horses, and camels); barley and wheat are grown in places. A section of the Hsining-Lhasa highway crosses the Koko Nor Plain in the south.