China Removed Billion Tons of Sand From the Desert, What Happened a Year Later Surprised Everyone

**China Removes Billions of Tons of Sand from Deserts: What Happened a Year Later?**

With an area of ​​nearly 3.7 million square miles, China is the third largest country in the world. However, 27.2% of the country is covered by desert, making land for development extremely scarce. In a major effort to address this problem, China has built major projects to combat the encroachment of deserts.

**1. Highway Through the Taklamakan Desert**
The Taklamakan, one of the world’s largest deserts, is known as the “abandoned land.” In 2022, China opened a 207-mile highway through the desert, connecting remote areas, reducing transportation costs and boosting economic development. To protect the road from shifting sands, China has planted millions of drought-resistant trees and installed a system of barriers. Solar power stations along highways provide clean electricity for irrigation, reducing carbon emissions.

**2. Taklamakan Circular Railway**

In 2022, China will complete the 1,685-mile Taklamakan Circular Railway, which will transport goods and connect border areas. Protective measures, such as grass nets and drought-resistant trees, are deployed to keep the tracks safe from sandstorms.

**3. Solar power in the desert**

China has turned vast deserts like the Gobi into giant solar parks, such as a 3-gigawatt power plant in Inner Mongolia. These projects not only provide clean energy but also significantly reduce carbon emissions.

**4. Forestry to combat desertification**

China’s “Green Belt” project has reclaimed millions of acres of desert land by planting trees, preventing sand from encroaching on residential areas and improving living conditions. The project will last until 2050, bringing lasting changes to the country.

**5. Mars Simulation Experiment**
In the Gobi Desert, China has built a $1 million base that simulates living conditions on Mars. The project not only supports space research but also attracts tourists, helping to educate the public about science and environmental protection.

These efforts show that China is not only trying to fight the harshness of nature but also using technology to turn the desert into a valuable resource.