The park featuring desert geology in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Reion attracts thousands of tourists during the weklong National Day holiday, Oct. 3, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)

    HOHHOT, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- A park featuring desert geology in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has attract thousands of tourists and researchers during the weeklong National Day holiday.

    The park, covering an area of 938 square kilometers in Alashan League, opened to the public on Sept. 19 and its construction started two years ago.

    As China's only park displaying geological characteristics of desert, Gobi and grassland as well as traditional custom of Mongolian ethnic group, the Alashan Desert National Geological Park has so far attracted 650,000 visitors with a revenue of 270 million yuan (about 36 millionU. S. Dollars).

    Wang Hongwei, a tourist from northwest China's Gansu Province, said the park is a tremendous museum to demonstrate vivid geological evolvement of desert.

    While taking a relax tour here, we gained scientific knowledge about desert and environment protection as well as information on ancient fossils, rock paintings and religious culture, he said.

    China has a total of 138 national parks focusing a diversity of geological landscapes and regional cultures.