The area of desertified land in Minqin County is 22.8 million mu, accounting for 94.9% of the total area. Wild animal and plant resources are scarce, mainly distributed in Liancheng Nature Reserve. There are 474 species of seed plants belonging to 227 genera and 64 families in the nature reserve, including 2 species of trees, 38 species of super-arid shrubs and semi-shrubs, mainly cotton thorn, ammopiptanthus mongolicus and Populus euphratica. There are 89 species of wild animals, including 12 species of national key protected wild animals.

(The above information is as of 20 12)