Tarim River

The Tarim River (Mandarin Dayan) is the principal river of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China.

Formed from the union of the Aksu and Yarkant, it flows in an eastward direction around the Taklamakan Desert. It drains into Lop Nur, a series of salt lakes. Its total length is 2,090km.

It is shallow, unsuitable for navigation, and because of its heavy silt load, forms a braided stream near its terminus. It gives its name to the arid Tarim Basin.