World's Highest National Park Opens In Tibet
The world's highest national park opened in Tibet on Friday, according to China's Xinhua News Agency.
Qomolangma National Park covers 78,000 kilometers (30,116 square miles) in total and is spread through six districts of Tibet's Shigatse region. It is home to the Chinese portion of Mount Everest, known locally as Qomolangma or Chomolungma, as well as to four other mountains that stand more than 8,000 meters (26,246 feet) and 10 more mountains over 7,000 meters (22,966 feet). The area also includes hot springs, forests and valleys.
The goal of the new protected area is to further conservation efforts.
"The national park will be focused on the protection of the ecology and biodiversity and prevention from illegal resource exploitation or land use," Sun Yongping, deputy chief of the region's tourism bureau, told Xinhua.
Qomolangma is the third national park to be established in Tibet. Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon National Park was created in 2010 and Namtso National Park opened earlier this year.