Flame Mountain, China

China also has an area that is unique in terms of high temperature. Famous Flame Mountain is a part of Tien Shan; this place is distinguished by a number of unique features. Beautiful mountains of red sandstone cut by deep ravines really resemble flames. They are scorching in the truest sense of the word - in 2008, temperature record of 66.8°C was placed in mountains.

Massif is rather large, its length is about 98 km, while the width is about 9 km. Given this fact, it’s easy to understand why the detailed meteorological study of these places hasn’t been held for many years. Currently this mountainous area is monitored with satellite. In 2008 Flame Mountain became the hottest place on the planet.

The maximum height of the ridge is 832 m above sea level; according to scientists, it was formed about 50 million years ago. The average temperature in the mountains is about 49°C, but this land can heat to 82°C, which completely eliminates formation of any plant life. For locals, beautiful Flame Mountain has become one of the most important national symbols, so it appears in many ancient legends and myths. According to one legend, a ridge has formed from a huge coal that fell from heaven furnaces. Another legend relates the formation of the Flame Mountain to the death of a huge dragon who lived in these places. After his death, dragon's blood had turned into scarlet mountains, and the lost children of the dragon became mountain valleys. Next - Timbuktu