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China has 5,719 peatlands covering an area of 10,440km², with an average thickness of 0.5-3m of peat. Most peat in China formed during the Holocene from 5,000 - 10,000 BP. The peatlands of China are predominantly eutrophic and herbaceous fen peat accounts for 98% of the total resource. Peat utilisation in China is widespread, and peatlands are used for agriculture, horticulture, energy, medicine and other purposes. 15% of China peatlands have been drained for agriculture; 85 are used for forestry and 10% for grassland.

	Honghe Nature Conservation Area, inundation mire, Sangjiang Plain, Heilongjiang Province. Copyright Michael Steiner 1999.
	Honghe Nature Conservation Area, inundation mire, Sangjiang Plain, Heilongjiang Province. Copyright Michael Steiner 1999.
	Honghe Nature Conservation Area, inundation mire, Sangjiang Plain, Heilongjiang Province. Copyright Michael Steiner 1999.
	Forested valley bog on permafrost, Yichun Forest, Xiaoxingnganling Mountains, Heilongjiang Province. Copyright Michael Steiner 1999.
	Forested valley bog on permafrost, Yichun Forest, Xiaoxingnganling Mountains, Heilongjiang Province. Copyright Michael Steiner 1999.
	Xianghai Nature Conservation Area, Ramsar site, inundation mire, Jilin Province. Copyright Michael Steiner 1999.