Taklamakan Desert to regard the Taklamakan Desert as separate and independent from the Gobi Desert region to its east. The People's Republic of China has constructed two cross-desert highways. The Tarim Desert Highway links the cities of Hotan (on the southern edge) and Luntai (on the northern edge), and the Bayingol to Ruoqiang road crosses the desert to the east. In recent years, the desert has expanded in some areas, its sands enveloping farms and villages as a result of desertification. The Golmud-Korla Railway (presently, under construction; expected completion time, 2019) will cross the Taklamakan as well. Because it lies in the
In the Country In the Country In the Country (initiated in 2003 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian Jazz trio comprising pianist Morten Qvenild, bassist Roger Arntzen and drummer Pål Hausken. The band was started by the three fellow students at the Norwegian Academy of Music in 2003. The year after they earned the «JazzIntro» Newcommer Award at Moldejazz (2004), and released their first album "This Was The Pace Of My Heartbeat" (2004). The third album "Without" (2009) was named as «one of 2009's best jazz albums» by the All About Jazz reviewer John Kelman. In autumn of 2010 the band was on