Geographical Characteristics of the Distribution of Glaciers in China

The geographical characteristics of the distribution of glaciers in China are analyzed with a new viewpoint. Based on the viewpoint, Tarim Basin is surrounded by enormous sums of glaciers, which form a special glaciofluvial landscape in the world. Glacier Inventory of China shows that the distribution of glaciers exhibits the behaviour of disequilibrium. There are five maximum glacierized centers in the two large river basins in the west of China. The glacier extent can be assessed by glacier coverage, an intensity parameter. Glacier coverage in the arid mountains of Northwest China is larger than that in the wet mountains of Southeast China. The altitudinal characteristics of the distribution of glaciers can be assessed by the median contour of glacier, which rises towards the inside of the Tibetan Plateau. The range of glacier variation can be assessed by glacial energy, which decreases from the glaciated areas with high energy to the glaciated areas with low energy. According to their behaviour, the glaciers in China can be classified into mountain type and plateau type.