The Geography of China

Satellite View of China

Pacific “Rim of Fire”

China’s Provinces

Size comparison China United States

Comparing China & the U. S. East - West North - South Connectivity problems Mississippi / North – South Huang He & Yangtze / East – West Main Rivers Rockies, Deserts, Vast spaces Himalayas, Deserts, Vast spaces Main physical barrier 3.6 million square miles 3.7 million square miles Size United States China

Percentages of Different Landforms

Satellite View of China

Countries & Regions (black) Tibet Mongolia Southeast Asia Indian Subcontinent Russia N. Korea S> Korea Taiwan Philippines Japan

Important Cities RED BEIJING Harbin Nanjing Guangzhou Xi’an Shanghai Taipei Lhasa Hong Kong

Completed Political Map BEIJING Harbin Nanjing Guangzhou Xi’an Shanghai Taipei Lhasa Hong Kong Macao Tibet Mongolia Southeast Asia Indian Subcontinent N. Korea S> Korea Taiwan Philippines

Topography

China’s Topography

Valleys / Plains / Basins Manchurian Plain North China Plain

North China Plain

Bodies of Water Blue Huang-He Yellow Sea Yangtze River Pacific Ocean South China Sea Sea of Japan

The Polluted Yellow River!?

Huang He

Yangtze River

The Yangtze River in Art

Deserts & Plateaus Tibetan Plateau Taklamakan Desert Gobi Desert

Taklamakan Desert

Gobi Desert

Tibetan Plateau

Geographically China is ISOLATED

Manmade: Great Wall of China

Grand Canal: Man made North-South Connector

Man-made Features Grand Canal Great Wall

Three Gorges Dam - 2006 World's largest electricity-generating plant of any kind.

World's largest

electricity-generating

plant of any kind.

Controversy: Three Gorges Dam Produces needed hydroelectricity. Increases the river's navigation capacity- essential for trade & expansion of outlying manufacturing areas. Reduces the potential for floods downstream by providing flood storage space. Gov’t says this technology is a breakthrough in the design of large turbines, & produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than other forms of energy production would. Dam has also flooded archaeological & cultural sites Displaced some 1.24 million people Is causing significant ecological changes, including an increased risk of landslides.

Produces needed hydroelectricity.

Increases the river's navigation capacity- essential for trade & expansion of outlying manufacturing areas.

Reduces the potential for floods downstream by providing flood storage space.

Gov’t says this technology is a breakthrough in the design of large turbines, & produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than other forms of energy production would.

Dam has also flooded archaeological & cultural sites

Displaced some 1.24 million people

Is causing significant ecological changes, including an increased risk of landslides.

Completed Topographic Map of Chung Kuo Huang-He River Yellow Sea Yangtze River Pacific Ocean South China Sea Sea of Japan Himalayan Mts. Tibetan Plateau Taklamakan Desert Gobi Desert Tarim Basin Sichuan Basin Grand Canal Great Wall

Climate

China’s Climate Zones

Monsoon Precipitation Patterns

Chinese Summer Monsoon

Vegetation

Agricultural Regions in China

“ Brown” China vs. “Green” China Rice Dominant Wheat Dominant Pasture and Oasis Double-crop rice

Two Agricultural Zones North : Loess soil - Huang He (Yellow River) Alluvial Valley Exceptionally fertile – blows in Unpredictable floods - “China’s Sorrow” First advanced agricultural settlement in China Indigenous Millet Later Wheat from Middle East.

North :

Loess soil - Huang He (Yellow River)

Alluvial Valley

Exceptionally fertile – blows in

Unpredictable floods - “China’s Sorrow”

First advanced agricultural settlement in China

Indigenous Millet

Later Wheat from Middle East.

Southern Agriculture Yangtze River- Warmer climate - Monsoon rains Rice - requires much water (weeds), hand labor, and precise schedule! Spectacular yields – Rice feeds more per cultivated acre than any other grain.

Yangtze River-

Warmer climate - Monsoon rains

Rice - requires much water (weeds), hand labor, and precise schedule!

Spectacular yields – Rice feeds more per cultivated acre than any other grain.

South China

Demographics

China as % of World Population

Top 10 Populated Nations 2001 2050

Population Density

Ethno-Linguistic Groups in China

Welcome to China

Welcome to China