Taklamakan Desert

The Taklamakan Desert is a desert in northwest China's Xinjiang region, covering an area of 337,000 km2. It is located in the Tarim Basin and is bounded by the Kunlun Mountains to the south, the Pamir Mountains to the west, the Tian Shan range to the north, and the Gobi Desert to the east. The desert has a cold desert climate with extreme temperatures, ranging from below -20°C in winter to 40°C in summer. It is crossed by two branches of the Silk Road and has two cross-desert highways, as well as a railway that passes through it. The desert has very little water, making it hazardous to cross, and merchant caravans would stop at oasis towns for relief.learn more on wikipedia