Pinglu Rift Valley: A Geological Marvel In China

This Rift Valley is located in Pinglu, Shanxi on the Loess Plateau, a mountainous area in north-central China that covers about 400,000 square kilometers. It was formed because of movements inside the Earth’s crust and is about 10 km long. About 10 million years ago, this breathtaking valley began to take shape due to the tectonic forces at play. The Eurasian Plateau and the northern China bloc have begun to separate, and along the border of these plates that the Pinglu Rift Valley now finds its home.

Pinglu Rift Valley, reaching about 10 km long, is located in Pinglu, Shanxi on the Loess Plateau, a mountainous area in north-central China

Pinglu Rift Valley

Stretching across approximately 10 kilometers in length and measuring 1-2 kilometers in width, Pinglu Rift Valley plunges to depths of around 100 meters at its most profound point. Steep cliffs, sculpted by the relentless forces of nature, encompass the valley, constructed from the loess, a type of windblown sediment that tells tales of ancient winds and shifting landscapes.

Stretching across approximately 10 kilometers in length and measuring 1-2 kilometers in width, the valley plunges to depths of around 100 meters at its most profound point