Arid Land Geography, (the former Xinjiang Geography), started issue in 1978 and now is sponsored by Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of CAS and is published by Science Press. It is issued publicly at home and abroad. The purpose of the journal is to reflect the research results of the geography in arid zone and provide a platform to promote the academic exchange and prosperity at home and abroad and to develop the geography in arid zone. 

With the assessment and approval of Professional Committee of Chinese Geographical Association in 2007, Chinese Geographical Association together sponsor Arid Land Geography and the journal became one of the few sci-tech journals, which is sponsored by Chinese Geographical Association and the research institute out of Beijing subordinate. 

The scope of the journal includes: physical geography, regional geography, the global change, application of geographic information and remote sensing technique, pedology, hydrology and water resources, environmental change, climate, meteorology, plant ecology and botanical geography and vegetation restoration, zooecology and zoogeography, ecology and construction of ecological system in arid areas, disaster and prevention, resource development and utilization, the interactions between arid areas and atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, lithosphere and human activities and especially the important scientific problems concerning the resources and environment research in arid zone: that is, the ecological system and evolution mechanism in arid zone, ecological construction and environmental control, resource development and utilization, reflection of the research results in arid zone, research and report in arid zone, provision of forum for promotion of domestic and oversea academic exchange and prosperity and development of the geography in arid zone; moreover, discussion and comment on the articles published on Arid Land Geography is welcome. The main readers conclude: the geographical workers, teachers and students in colleges and universities, middle school teachers, the scientific and technical workers and decision makers in such departments as agriculture, forest, shepherd, water conservancy, meteorology, geology, industry and traffic, trade, urban construction, tourism and planning as well as the scientific and technical workers at home and abroad. 

From 1992 to today, Arid Land Geography has been always determined as the core geological journal by A Guide to the Core Journals of China. In 1993, Information Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences, under the assistance of the National Natural Foundation, evaluated the journal and determined it is the core geo-science’s journal. At present, Arid Land Geography is listed as the citation journal or the core sourcing journal by Chinese Science Citation Database, China Scientific and Technical Journal Abstracts (CSTA) Database (English version), Chinese Geographical Abstracts (English version), Chinese Geographical Abstracts and Chinese Land and Natural Resource Abstract and other comprehensive and professional databases and abstract periodicals. From the year 1992 till now, Arid Land Geography has been always listed as the core geological publication by Chinese Science Citation Database. Chinese version of Arid Land Geography was incorporated in the original text of “Chinese Academic Journal (CD version)”, “Tsinghua University (CD version)”, “China Journal Net”, “Wanfang Data-- Digitization Periodical Group” as well as “Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Databaseof Southwest information Centre of State Science and Technology Commission of China” in the year 1998. 

Arid Land Geography has a certain effect and popularity oversea and has been listed as the citation journal by international retrieval journals and databases GeoRef，CAB，AGRIS，AGECONCO(CD), PLANTGENE（CD）, CAB HEALTH and Loess Letter of Loess Commission of International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA) 

According to Chinese S &T Journal Citation Reports of Institute of S&T Information of China of 2007, the influencing factor of the Chinese version of Arid Land Geography in 2007 is 1.447 and the total times cited are 1,397. 

Journal Awards:　　 

(1) Arid Land Geography was awarded the second prize of excellent journals in the quality appraisal of technical journal of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions during 2000～2001. 

(2) Arid Land Geography was awarded “Xinjiang Scientific Periodical Award” in the quality appraisal of technical journal of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions and was appraised the “first grade journal” of Xinjiang scientific periodical during 2002～2003 . 

(3) Arid Land Geography was awarded the honorary title of “excellent national geological periodical” in the national geological periodical appraisal in 2004. 

(4) In 2005, Arid Land Geography was awarded the periodical of “Xinjiang Periodical Prize” set up by Xinjiang People’s Government and obtained the bonus fund of the corresponding amount. 

(5) Arid Land Geography was awarded “First Prize of Xinjiang Scientific Periodical” in the quality appraisal of technical journal of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions during 2004～2005. 

(6) Arid Land Geography was awarded “First Prize of Xinjiang Scientific Periodical” in the quality appraisal of technical journal of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions during 2006～2007.  

(7) In February of 2008, Arid Land Geography was awarded the periodical of “Xinjiang Periodical Prize” set up Xinjiang People’s Government and obtained the bonus fund of the corresponding amount. 

(8) In early 2007, China Scientific Publication Fund Committee selected 118 kinds of scientific and technological periodicals in China and 10 among which obtained the sustentation fund of RMB 150,000 Yuan, including Arid Land Geography with the sustentation period of 2007 to 2009. 

(9) In 2008, Arid Land Geography was awarded continuous three years’ financial aid by Xinjiang scientific and technological publication fund (the subsidization amount of RMB 20,000 Yuan/year). 

More information about Arid Land Geography is available at http://alg.xjegi.com.