从惊涛骇浪的江河、峡谷中走出来，面对星星般多而明亮的湖泊，你将会醉入一片幽静，走进一方安详。云南高原湖泊众多，是中国湖泊较多的省份之一。云南湖泊多位于崇山峻岭之中，或高山之巅，似云南湖颗颗 高原明珠，像块块山间碧玉。他们山环水映，景色秀美，风光如画，是云南壮丽的自然景观的重要组成部分， 驰名中外。湖面面积 30 平方千米以上的湖泊有滇池、洱海、抚仙湖、程海、泸沽湖、杞麓湖、星云湖、阳宗海、 异龙湖等九大高原湖泊，其中滇池、程海和泸沽湖属长江水系，抚仙湖、杞麓湖、异龙湖、星云湖和阳宗海属 珠江水系，洱海属澜沧江水系。九湖流域是云南省社会经济最发达的地区，人口约占全省人口数的 11%，面 积占全省国土面积的 2.1%，但创造的国内生产总值却占全省总量的 34%。
除了众多的湖泊，这里还有星罗棋布的地球之肾——湿地。当雨季来临，四周雪山的积雪融化后汩汩注 入湿地，湖面顿时漫成一片汪洋，成了水鸟的极乐世界。而在旱季，湖水渐退，湖面缩小，又成为一片广袤的 绿色草滩。岁末，远方的黑颈鹤、斑头雁、野鸭等珍禽翩翩而至，栖息越冬，自由自在，神态安然。云南湿地 均为淡水湿地，类型多，分布广，面积虽小但数量多，区域差异显著，生物多样性丰富，生态系统脆弱。昭通 大山包、丽江拉市海、迪庆碧塔海和纳帕海、红河哈尼梯田等湿地，类型特殊、特色鲜明、保护价值极高。此 外，丽江老君山九十九龙潭及众多的冰蚀湖群是非常有特色的高山湿地，其类型特殊，景观价值突出。
Alpine Lakes and Wetland: Walking out of the surging rivers and deep valleys, people will indulge themselves in a quiet and peaceful area where lakes are as numerous and shiny as the stars.Yunnan province is rich in alpine lakes and its one of the provinces that possesses huge number of alpine lakes in China. Lakes in Yunnan are located among towering mountains steep and mountain ranges in most cases or on top of the mountains. They look like pearls on the plateau or green jade that ornament the ranges with picturesque views. They are essential component to the magnificent natural landscape in 
Yunnan and they are well known worldwide. The area of alpine-Lake larger than 30 square km is as follows:Dianchi Lake, Erhai, Fuxian Lake, Chenghai, Lugu Lake, Qilu Lake, Xingyun Lake, Yangzong Lake and Yilong Lake. Among which, Dianchi, Chenghai and Lugu Lake belong to Yangtze rivershed, Fuxian, Qilu, Yilong, Xingyun and Yangzong lakes belong to Pearl rivershed, while Erhai Lake belongs to Lancang Rivershed. The watersheds of the nine alpine lakes are the most prosperous regions socio-economically in Yunnan. The population accounts for 11% of the provincial population and size of the area takes only 2.1%. However, the GDP takes 34% of the total value cross the province.
Apart from numerous lakes, the area houses dotted wetlands, which are regarded as kidney of the Earth. During the rainy season, snow gets melted from the surrounding snow ranges and inject into the wetlands. The area turns to floodplains where the water birds may find it the paradise for them. While during the dry season, height of water is gradually degraded and size of the lake is getting smaller till the area turns into a wide-opened meadow. By the end of the year, rare species such as black-necked crane, Bar-headed Goose and wild ducks will migrant to the area and hibernate. All the wetlands located in Yunnan are fresh-water ones but bear large variety and are distributed widely cross the province. They are small in size but big in number. The disparities between regions are obvious and the biodiversity and with rich biodiversity but fragile eco-system. The Dashanbao in Zhaotong Municipality, Lashi Hai of Lijiang, Bitahai and Napahai in Diqing and Hani terraced fields in Honghe Prefecture are the ones that employ unique features and are of extra high value for conservation. Apart from that, the 99 dragon pools in Laojun Mountain of Lijiang and
many other icy erosion lakes are the alpine wetlands of distinguished features and landscapes.
