Lying near the southwestern foothills of the Greater Hinggan Mountains, Arxan or Arshaan, a regional scenic spot, features an exceptionally dense concentration of volcanic landforms including volcanic clusters, hot springs, lakes formed in volcanic craters and granite hills. 

Arxan literally means “warm and holy spring water” in the Mongolian language. The Arxan National Geopark has a land area of 3,653 square meters and it was listed among the Global Geoparks Network by UNESCO in 2017. Following Hexigten and Alxa, Arxan marks the region's third world-level geopark.

Founded in 2004, The Global Geoparks Network (GGN) is devoted to developing models of best practice and setting high quality standards for territories integrating the preservation of geological heritage with strategies for regionally sustainable economic development.

The unique scenery and fauna of Arxan, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, in early winter. [Photo/Xinhua]