Chengdu is situated on the vast Chengdu Plain at the westernmost edge of the Sichuan Basin, featuring a varied topography that slopes from the northwest to the southeast. The city's average altitude is approximately 500 meters (1,640 feet) above sea level, though the elevation across the broader administrative area ranges from about 450 to 720 meters (1,480 to 2,360 feet). While the urban center and surrounding plains are relatively low-lying and flat, the geography changes dramatically toward the outskirts; the highest point in the administrative region reaches 5,323 meters (17,464 feet) in the Qionglai Mountains to the west, while the lowest point is approximately 330 meters (1,083 feet) in Jintang County. Because of its moderate elevation and location within the basin, Chengdu is often used as a convenient starting point for travelers to acclimatize before heading into the much higher altitudes of Western Sichuan or the Tibetan Plateau.