0445 - Oasis In Desert Belt Of Tropic Of Cancer - Natural Reserve In South ...Back

Oasis In Desert Belt Of Tropic Of Cancer - Natural Reserve In South China. Situated along the Tropic of Cancer, the Dinghushan area in south China's Guangdong province is one of China's three natural reserves which have been listed among the internation natural reserve areas. With ample rainfall and an average temperature of 21 degrees centigrade the 1,133-hectare natural reserve abounds with vegetation, birds, animals, reptiles and insects, which are important in scientific research and natural resource utilization. In 1956 the South China Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences set up a special organization to protect and build the natural reserve. Since then, it has become a centre for both scientific research and teaching Moving along the Tropic of Cancer are several famous large deserts such as Sahara, Nafud and Rubal-Khali, hence the name of "the desert belt of the Tropic of Cancer". However, within this belt there is an exception in China's territory, i.e. the Dinghushan area which, under the impact of the monsoon of the Pacific Ocean is covered with evergreen sub-tropical forests thus winning the name "oasis in the desert belt of the Tropic of Cancer".