Synopsis
Yunnan is located in the southwestern border of China, with the Hengduan Mountains, the longest and widest north-south mountain range in China, in the northwest and the Yungui Plateau, one of the four major plateaus in China, in the east. Yunnan's topography is compact and diverse, encompassing snow-capped mountains, canyons, forests, and plains, and its climate is rich, spanning cold, temperate, and hot zones. The unique geographical and climatic characteristics have created Yunnan as a "kingdom of flora and fauna", and the land is home to 26 of China's 56 ethnic groups.