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{{Short description|Ecoregion in China and Kazakhstan}}
{{Infobox valley
|name=Emin Valley
|map=Kazakhstan
|photo = Алаколь.jpg
|photo_caption = [[Lake Alakol]]
|coordinates={{coord|47.5|N|82|E|display=inline,title}}
|area_km2=65000
|river=[[Emil River]]
}}
{{Infobox Chinese|order=st
|s=额敏谷地
|t=額敏谷地
|p=
}}
The '''Emin Valley''' ({{zh|c=额敏谷地|p=Émǐn gǔdì}}) is located on the [[China–Kazakhstan border]], in [[Central Asia]]. It has an area of about {{convert|65000|km2|mi2}}. Its main waterway is the [[Emil River]].

Administratively, the Emin Valley occupies areas of [[Tacheng Prefecture]] in the [[Xinjiang]] Region of north-western China and [[East Kazakhstan Province]] of eastern Kazakhstan.

== Ecology ==
The Emin Valley has a [[steppe]] ecosystem of mostly [[grassland]]s, with two [[saline lake]]s, [[Lake Alakol|Alakol]] and [[Lake Sasykkol|Sasykkol]], and mountains with temperate climates.

The Emin Valley Steppe is a [[Palearctic]] [[ecoregion]] in the [[Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands]] [[Biome]]. It lies within the vast and larger [[Eurasian Steppe]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Emin Valley Steppe |url=https://www.oneearth.org/ecoregions/emin-valley-steppe/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=One Earth |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Ecoregion PA0806.png|thumb|left|300px|WWF ecoregion "Emin Valley" (PA0806) (in purple)]]

== Hydrology ==
[[Orography|Orographically]], the Emil Valley is an [[endorrheic basin]]. In the north, the [[Tarbagatai Mountains]] separate it from the [[Lake Zaysan]] basin, which is part of the basin of the [[Irtysh]] River, eventually draining into the [[Arctic Ocean]]. In the southeast, another series of mountain ranges separate it from the [[Dzungaria]]n Basin ([[Gurbantünggüt Desert]]).

The Emin Valley's main watercourse is the [[Emil River|Emin (Emil) River]], which flows in the general western direction, receiving numerous streams flowing from the Tarbagatai Mountains and carrying their water to Lake Alakol.

[[Lake Alakol]] and [[Lake Sasykkol]], situated in the western (Kazakhstan) part of the valley, are the homes of the rare [[Dalmatian pelican]] and [[relict gull]].

== See also ==
*[[Eurasian Steppe]]
*[[Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{WWF ecoregion|name=Emin Valley steppe|id=pa0806}}
* {{NatGeo ecoregion|id=pa0806|name=Emin Valley steppe}}

{{Valleys of China}}
[[Category:China–Kazakhstan border]]
[[Category:Valleys of Xinjiang]]
[[Category:Valleys of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Eurasian Steppe]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of China]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of Asia]]
[[Category:Grasslands of China]]
[[Category:Grasslands of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Palearctic ecoregions]]
[[Category:Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands]]


{{Xinjiang-geo-stub}}
{{EastKazakhstanRegion-geo-stub}}