An Inner-Mongolian scene near Kwei-hwa-cheng in Asia's largest desert, the Gobi.
Notable in history as part of the great Mongol Empire, the Gobi Desert -Asia's largest -- is crossed by several trade routes -- including The Silk Road -- some of which have been in use for thousands of years. One of the most important routes is the one from Kwei-hwa-cheng (or Kuku-khoto) to Hami.
The Gobi Desert region extends from northern China to Southern Mongolia, and is framed by the Altay Mountains; the Mongolian grasslands and steps; the Tibetan Plateau; and the North China Plain. The word Gobi means "very large and dry" in Mongolian.