The Saur Mountains (; kk, Сауыр жоталары, ''Sauyr jotalary''; russian: Саур) is one of the mountain ranges in the
Tian Shan
The Tian Shan,, , otk, 𐰴𐰣 𐱅𐰭𐰼𐰃, , tr, Tanrı Dağı, mn, Тэнгэр уул, , ug, تەڭرىتاغ, , , kk, Тәңіртауы / Алатау, , , ky, Теңир-Тоо / Ала-Тоо, , , uz, Tyan-Shan / Tangritog‘ ...
system. An eastern extension of the
Tarbagatai Mountains, it starts on the China-Kazakhstan border and continues east into China, where it forms the border between the
Hoboksar Mongol Autonomous County and
Jeminay County of
Xinjiang
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...
.
The highest peak of the range, and of the entire Saur-Tarbagatai mountain system, is the ice-capped
Sauyr Zhotasy, also known as the Muz Tau.
Streams flowing south from the Saur make irrigated agriculture possible, although on a very limited scale, in their valleys in Hoboksar County. One of them reaches as far as the large oasis seen on Google Maps at , in the southern part of
Xiazigai Township (夏孜盖乡, ''Xiàzīgài xiāng''). Apparently it is streams like this that Chinese geographers describe as "seasonal rivers sourcing from the northern mountains" whose water occasionally reaches the
Manas Lake
The Manas Lake () is a salt lake in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. It is located in the western part of the Dzungarian Basin, within the Gurbantünggüt Desert. Administratively, the lake is in Hoboksar Mongol Autonomous County; the close ...
.
[ (p.171)]
Notes
Mountain ranges of Xinjiang
Mountain ranges of Kazakhstan
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