Situated between the Tianshan and Altay mountains in north Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, it is the second largest basin in China, covering 380,000 square km. With its base averaging 200-1,000 meters above sea level, the basin has a terrain descending from east to west, with its central part covered with grasslands and deserts. It abounds in coal and oil reserves

Situated in northwest Qinghai Province in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the basin is surrounded by the Kunlunshan and Qilianshan mountains. It covers 220,000 square km, with its base averaging 2,700-3,000 meters above sea level. Gobi deserts, hills, plains and lakes are distributed from the fringe to the center of the basin, which has a terrain descending from northwest to southeast.

Situated in the Sichuan-Chongqing area, the basin is surrounded by Wushan and Dabashan mountains and covers 200,000 square km. With its base averaging 300-800 meters above sea level, it has a terrain descending from north to south. Its northwestern part is Chengdu Plain, and its central and eastern parts are hills and low mountains.

Situated at the eastern terminus of the Tianshan Mountains in the middle-eastern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the basin covers 50,000 square km. Aydingkol Lake at its base, lying 155 meters below sea level, is the lowest point of China's mainland.