They are the centers of animal husbandry. The Inner Mongolian Prairie is China's largest natural pastureland, and home to Sanhe horses, Sanhe cattle and Mongolian sheep. The famous natural pasturelands north and south of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang are ideal for stock breeding. The famous Ili horses and Xinjiang fine-wool sheep are raised here. China's cultivated lands, forests and grasslands are among the world's largest in terms of sheer area.
China is rich in mineral resources, and all the world's known minerals can be found here.
To date, geologists have confirmed reserves of 153 different minerals, putting China third in the world in total reserves. China's coal reserves total 1,007.1 billion tons, mainly distributed in north China, with Shanxi and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region taking the lead. Petroleum reserves are mainly in northwest and also in northeast China, north China and the continental shelves in east China. Proven reserves of ferrous metals include iron, manganese, vanadium and titanium. China's 45. 9 billion tons of iron ore are mainly distributed in northeast, north and southwest China.