ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the human dimension of changes in the environment of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Xinjiang lies in the middle of the Eurasian landmass and consists mostly of intermundane basins and mountain ranges. The regional divisions construct also defines the overall cultural ecology of Xinjiang, identifying the particular productive bases and framework of settlement. Xinjiang consists of three major geographic regions, south, centre, and north, each of which possesses a distinctive ecological character. Moving from the south through the centre and on to the north, one crosses a physical landscape that ranges from the second-highest to the second-lowest point on earth. Thus, the cultural, economic, and political diversity of Xinjiang corresponds to its exceptional physical diversity. It is safe to conclude that unless dramatic changes are made at the levels of both policy and practice, the looming ecological crises that it can already foresee will grow more ominous with the passage of time.
