柴达木盆地在中国自然地理区划中的地位一直存在着这样一个问题:它应该放在青藏高原区(或西藏区),还是包括在蒙新荒漠、半荒漠区内。一部分人从气候和拔海高度等特征出发,把它列入青藏高原区,并认为同羌塘高原相似或同属一个亚区;

It has always been a great controversy whether to placa the Tsaidam Basin as a natural unit of China. Some scientists, basuig on its climate and altitude, have placad it as a sub-unit of the Tibetan plateau, othsrs considered it as having characteristics similar, and henca belonging to the same division as the Chiangtang plateau, or the wester part of Tibet. Still others prefer, from the geogological and botanical viewpoints, to placa it together with the Mongol-Sinkiang area.