Ejin River Heishui, Etsin-gol, Ruo He, Ruo Shui (弱水 (Chinese)) | |
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![]() Satellite view of the deserts of northern China. The Ruo River is visible as the faint green trace to the right of the image. | |
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Etymology | Named for the seasonal flows in its lower course |
Native name | 额济纳河 (Chinese) |
Location | |
Country | China |
State | Gansu, Inner Mongolia |
City | Zhangye |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | Kan Chou and Hsü Chao springs |
• location | Qilian Shan, Gansu |
• coordinates | 38°00′04″N 100°54′45″E / 38.00111°N 100.91250°E |
• elevation | 3,650 m (11,980 ft) |
Mouth | Badain Jaran Playa |
• location | Badain Jaran Desert, Inner Mongolia |
• coordinates | 42°18′50″N 101°04′20″E / 42.31389°N 101.07222°E |
• elevation | 900 m (3,000 ft) |
Length | 630 km (390 mi) |
Basin size | 78,600 km2 (30,300 sq mi)approx. |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Dang He, Beida He |
Ejin River (Chinese: 额济纳河), also Etsin Gol, Ruo Shui (Chinese: 弱水; lit. 'weak water', 'weak river') or Ruo He in ancient times, is a major river system of northern China. It flows approximately 630 kilometres (390 mi) from its headwaters on the northern Gansu side of the Qilian Mountains north-northeast into the endorheic Ejin Basin in the Gobi Desert. The river forms one of the largest inland deltas or alluvial fans in the world.[1] Its drainage basin covers about 78,600 square kilometres (30,300 sq mi) in parts of the Chinese provinces of Gansu and Inner Mongolia, which flows within the Zhangye area of Gansu; when it flows across Jiuquan area, it was renamed as Ruo Shui; when it flows across Alxa League, it is called Ejin River.