Qinghai is an important province of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China, got the name for the biggest salt water lake, Qinghai Lake in China. Qinghai province is the origin of Yangtze River, Yellow River and Lantsang River, was rewarded as “the origin of river”, “China’s Water Tower”.

Qinghai is located on the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, and the Yellow River originates in southern part of the province, while the Yangtze and Mekong have their sources in the southwestern part. It borders Gansu province on the northeast, the Xinjiang Autonomous Region on the northwest, Sichuan province on the southeast, and Tibet Autonomous Region on the southwest.

The average elevation of Qinghai is over 3000 meters above sea level. Mountain ranges include the Tanggula Mountains and Kunlun Mountains. Qinghai is the largest province in China. However, if include the autonomous regions, Xinjiang would be the largest. Qinghai Lake (Koko Nor) is the largest salt water lake in China, and the second largest in the world.

The famous Qaidam basin lies in northwestern Qinghai, and one third of this rich basin is covered by desert. The basin has an altitude between 3000 to 3500 meters.