Dzungaria

Triangular basin between the Altai Mountains in the north and Tian Shan in the south in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China; average elevation over 500 m/1,640 ft. To the west lies Kazakhstan, to the east the Republic of Mongolia. The Ebi Nor, Omin, and Kara Irtysh river valleys provide the three main passages to the west. Minerals found here include gold, copper, iron, and salt. Oil was discovered in 1954, and large-scale production from the Karamay oilfield began in 1956; the output in 1997 was 8 million tonnes.

The steppes and deserts are sparsely settled by Kazakhs, Mongols, and Chinese Muslims.

The name of the area derives from the Dzungar, one of the ethnic groups under Mongolian rule during the 17th century. The area was conquered for the Chinese emperor Qian Long in the 18th century.