What river flows in China. What are the two largest rivers in China? Land resources and minerals

In the 2nd millennium BC. e., far east of ancient civilizations Western Asia and India, a slave-owning society takes shape and the first slave-owning state arises in Northern China. It had great value for the history of the peoples who inhabited both China and other countries Far East. By this time they go back ancient legends the Chinese people, the beginnings of their hieroglyphic writing, the growth and spread of the influence of their high culture. From this time it begins centuries-old history the great Chinese people.

The decomposition of the primitive communal system and the emergence of the Shang (Yin) state

The Russian name “China” was borrowed from the Central Asian peoples, who gave the country this name after the Chinese (people of Mongolian origin), who owned it in the 10th-12th centuries. n. e. northern part China. Western European and Middle Eastern names for China are derived from the word "Chin", a Tajik-Persian designation for the country's name. This name comes from the name of the ancient Chinese kingdom of Qin, which extended its power to most China in the 3rd century. BC e.

The Chinese themselves called their country differently, most often by the name of the reigning dynasties, for example: Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, etc. Since ancient times, the name “Zhong Guo” (“Middle State”) was also common, which has been preserved until now. Another Chinese name for the country is “Hua” (“Blooming”) or “Zhong Hua” (“Middle Blossoming”); it is now part of the name of the People's Republic of China.

Nature and population

By geographical and economic features modern China usually divided into two parts: western and eastern. The territory of Western China is a vast plateau with such powerful mountain systems as the Himalayas, Kunlun and Tien Shan. The world's highest mountain ranges, the Himalayas, in some places more than 8 km above sea level, form a barrier between China and India.

Eastern China does not have such powerful mountain systems as Western China; a significant part of the territory here consists of lowlands, coastal plains, adjacent to them are mountains of medium height and plateaus.

Eastern China has more favorable natural conditions than in the West, the climate is much milder, the vegetation is more diverse, etc. All these conditions contributed to the fact that it was in this part of China that the most ancient agricultural culture arose, the first centers of Chinese civilization appeared, and the state arose earlier than in other parts of the country.

China has a significant river network, but all major rivers are in the eastern part of the country. The main rivers of China flow from west to east. River valleys are the most fertile and most populated areas of the country. The ancient population of China was concentrated in river valleys. Pool main river Northern China - the Yellow River, whose length is more than 4 thousand km, was the center of the ancient Chinese civilization. The Yellow River is a stormy river. It repeatedly changed its course, flooded vast expanses of land, bringing great disasters to the population. Most big river China is the Yangtze Jiang, which has a length of over 5 thousand km, its basin is Central China. The largest river in Southern China is the high-water Xijiang (about 2 thousand km).

The depths of China are replete with minerals. Rivers, lakes and seas are rich in fish. In ancient times, large areas in Cathay were covered with forests.

The climate of eastern China is very favorable for Agriculture, since the hottest time of the year - summer - accounts for the largest number atmospheric precipitation, autumn is warm and dry. The climate of western China is characterized by significant dryness: there is a long Cold winter and a short, hot summer.

The population of China in ancient times was not homogeneous. The Chinese tribes themselves, which, according to later literary sources, bore the names Xia, Shang, Zhou, etc., were already very early times occupied a significant part of Eastern, Northern and Northwestern China. The south and southwest of the country were inhabited mainly by various tribes of the Sino-Tibetan group of languages. The west, north and northeast of China were inhabited mainly by tribes of the Turkic, Mongolian and Manchu-Tungusic language groups.

The main areas of Chinese settlement in ancient times were the areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, as well as the plain adjacent to the Bohai (Zhili) Gulf. Fertile alluvial (alluvial) soil, formed mainly from river silt, predominated here. Fertile soil and temperate climate The Great Chinese Plain contributed to the development of agriculture here among the ancient Chinese tribes.

In a less advantageous position were the ancient tribes who inhabited the region of loess soils, which occupy a huge area in the Northern and Northwestern China. Loess, which is deposits of mineral dust particles blown away by the winter monsoons mountain heights, contains nutrients (organic residues and easily soluble alkalis), which make it possible to do without fertilizers. But in the area of ​​the loess plateau there is relatively little precipitation, so artificial irrigation is required for the development of agriculture. Due to the conditions noted above, among the tribes that inhabited the loess plateau in ancient times, agriculture was less developed than in the lower reaches of the Yellow River.

Decomposition of the primitive communal system

According to Chinese literary sources, we can conclude that it was preserved in China in the 3rd millennium BC. e. remnants of the maternal family. This is evident from the fact that ancient sources, reporting on the origins of the first ancestors of the Shang, Zhou and Qin tribes, do not talk about their fathers, but only give the names of their mothers; kinship was then calculated along the maternal line. It is known that under the maternal clan (matriarchy), sons could not inherit from their father, since they belonged to another clan, namely the mother’s clan. According to Sima Qian, the author of “Historical Notes” 1 (“Historical Notes” (“Shi Ji”), consisting of 130 chapters, represents the first comprehensive history of the country in China, covering the period from legendary antiquity to the 1st century BC BC Sima Qian (2nd-1st centuries BC), the author of this work, used sources that were available in his time and subsequently lost. “Historical Notes” cover a wide range of issues: internal political events, external relations of China in ancient times times, the economic system of the country (mainly the 2nd-1st centuries BC), cultural development, etc.), the legendary rulers Yao and Shun, before their deaths, chose successors not from among their sons.

“Historical Notes” bring to us memories of the period when there was a council of tribal elders. The tribal leader often consulted with him on important issues. Tribal or clan leaders could be relieved of their duties by decision of the council of elders. From the legends cited in literary sources, we can conclude that at the end of the 3rd millennium the elective principle was replaced by hereditary law: tribal leaders were no longer elected, the hereditary power of the leader appeared, passed from father to son. The leader's family, separated from the rest of the tribe, later became the bearers of royal power. But even in these conditions, the council of elders still exists, although its rights are limited, and its decisions become optional for the hereditary leaders of the tribe.

Data archaeological excavations allow us to conclude that in the 2nd millennium, when bronze appeared in China, the primitive communal system decomposed and a gradual transition to a class, slave-owning society took place.

The sources do not make it possible to trace the entire process of the decomposition of the tribal system and the transition to a class society in China; they report only fragmentary data on this. From them we can conclude that slavery appears in the depths of tribal society. Prisoners captured during wars between individual tribes and clans were used as labor and turned into slaves. This process took place on the basis of the further development of productive forces, the emergence of private ownership of the means of production and products of labor, on the basis of growing property inequality and took place in a continuous struggle both within the tribes that inhabited China in ancient times and between tribes. Based on Chinese literary sources, it can be assumed that the struggle within the tribes was accompanied by the struggle of clan elders against tribal leaders.

By the end of the 3rd millennium, as can be assumed on the basis of ancient legends, the decisive role in the territory ancient China The Xia and Shan tribes played. Ultimately, the winner was the Shan tribe, whose name is associated with the creation of the first state in Chinese history. Science does not have reliable archaeological data about the Xia tribe. We can judge about it only from some data from literary sources.

Creation of the Shang (Yin) State

Judging by the legends preserved in the ancient literary sources, the Shang tribe originally inhabited the Yishui River basin (northwestern part of what is now Hebei Province). Then, as some modern Chinese researchers suggest, this tribe settled from the Yishui River basin in different directions: to the west - to the territory of the modern Shanxi province, to the south - to Henan, to the southeast - to Shandong, to the northeast - along the coast Bohai Bay to the Liaodong Peninsula.

By the 18th century BC e., when, according to legend, Cheng Tan stood at the head of the Shai tribe, the final conquest of the Xia tribe dates back to him.

Cheng Tang, according to Chinese tradition, founded the Shang dynasty. In later times, after the fall of this dynasty, in inscriptions on bronze vessels, the Shang dynasty and the state as a whole, as well as its crown population, began to be designated for the first time with the hieroglyph “yin.” This name has become widespread both in ancient sources and in modern Chinese and foreign literature. Therefore, we also use two names to designate the same state or period: Shang and Yin.

The name Shan, used until the destruction of this kingdom in the 12th century. BC e., comes from the name of the area where, apparently, the ancestral domains of the leaders of the Shan tribe were located. This name was also used to designate a tribe, then it was adopted as the name of the state and country.

The main source of information about the Shang (Yin) kingdom is data gleaned from excavations of the remains of the last capital of this kingdom, the city of Shang, found near the city of Anyang, near the village of Xiaotun (in modern Henan province). Of particular importance are the inscribed bones found here. These inscriptions are mainly fortune-telling records - questions of the Yin kings to the oracles and the answers of the latter. The inscriptions were made on the bones of various animals (most often bulls and deer) and the scutes (shells) of turtles and can be dated back to the 14th-12th centuries. BC e.

Based on the data from these inscriptions, some researchers conclude that the entire territory of the Shang (Yin) state was divided into five large regions called: Shang, Northern Lands, Southern lands, Eastern Lands and Western Lands. The Shan region was considered central, the main one, therefore in the inscriptions on the bones it was called Central Shan.

The Shang (Yin) kingdom occupied the territory of modern Henan province, as well as parts of adjacent provinces. Around the Shang kingdom there were a number of semi-independent tribes that were at times subordinate to it, including tribes that were Chinese in language. In the neighborhood of the Western lands lived the Zhou, Qiang, Guifang, and Kufan ​​tribes; the neighbors of the Northern Lands were the Luifang and Tufan tribes; neighbors of the Southern lands - Tsaofan and others, and, finally, next to Eastern lands there was the Renfang tribe.

Tools. Agriculture.

Materials from archaeological excavations provide a certain idea of ​​the development of productive forces during the Shang (Yin) period. First of all, bronze products are becoming widespread, but at the same time they still retain great importance stone and bone tools.

During excavations in Xiaotong, a Yin city, the capital of the Shang (Yin) kingdom, many items made of copper and bronze were discovered: sacrificial vessels, household utensils and weapons - swords, halberds, axes, arrowheads, spear points. In addition, bronze tools were found: axes, knives, awls, chisels, pitchforks and needles. If we take into account that in the pre-Yin period, vessels were made mainly from clay, and tools and weapons were made from stone and bone, then we should conclude that during the Shang (Yin) period great progress was made in the development of productive forces. This is also evidenced by a wide variety of forms, more skillful manufacture of products, in particular vessels, and rich painting on them.

Although in the life of the population of ancient China during this period primitive forms of economy - fishing and partly hunting - still retained importance, they no longer played a decisive role. They were replaced by cattle breeding and agriculture, and the latter began to play the main role.

To denote various types of concepts related to agriculture, a number of signs are used in the inscriptions on bones, meaning: “field”, “well”, “arable land”, “border”, “wheat”, “millet”, etc. The sign “field” (tian) was depicted in the form of regular four squares connected together, or in the form of a rectangle divided into several parts, or in the form of an uneven pentagon.

The main grain crops in Northern China were millet, which required relatively little moisture, wheat, barley and sorghum (kaoliang). It is possible that rice culture also existed at this time in the Yellow River basin. Inscriptions on the bones indicate the presence of horticultural crops during the Shang (Yin) period, as well as the breeding of silkworms (silkworms) and the cultivation of mulberry trees. According to legend, silkworms have been bred in China since ancient times. Silk cocoons were discovered during excavations at one of the Neolithic sites in the village of Xincun (Shanxi Province). Inscriptions on bones often contain signs depicting a silkworm. Silkworm caterpillars were held in high esteem by the Yin people. They even made sacrifices to their spirits. In fortune-telling inscriptions there are also often signs depicting silk threads (a silkworm product), a dress, etc.

ABOUT further development agriculture is evidenced by a higher technology for cultivating the land than before. A number of modern Chinese scientists suggest that irrigation was already used then, apparently primitively and on a small scale. This conclusion is suggested both by ancient legends, which report the beginnings of artificial irrigation back in the pre-Yin period, and by inscriptions on bones. In the latter there are a number of hieroglyphs expressing the idea of ​​irrigation. One of them depicted a field and streams of water, which were, as it were, irrigation canals.

Metal tools were already used in agriculture. This is evidenced by copper shovels found during excavations in the vicinity of Luoyang and near Anyang. The interpretation of a number of signs in the inscriptions on the bones suggests that the Yin people used livestock to cultivate the land. Thus, one of the signs, “u,” depicted an ox standing at the side of an agricultural implement. Another sign, “li” (plow, to plow), also contains an ox, and sometimes, but rarely, a horse. In fortune-telling inscriptions there are also combinations of two hieroglyphs denoting a plow and an ox.

According to Chinese legends, in ancient times there was a so-called “coupled plowing”, when two people plowed together. This gave more effect when loosening the soil. The concept of “coupled plowing” also had a broader meaning: it meant combining the efforts of two or more people when cultivating the land, i.e., collective cultivation of the field.

Hunting and fishing no longer played a major role in the economy of the Yin people, but continued to retain significant importance. This is evidenced by many inscriptions on the bones.

Cattle breeding occupied a significant place in Yin society. This is evidenced by the number of animals sacrificed to the spirits. Sometimes it also includes white kaolin. At this time, the potter's wheel already existed, although clay vessels were also produced by hand. Clay products were fired, sometimes covered with glaze, and often decorated with delicate ornaments.

We have already talked about the development of sericulture in Yin times. The production of silk fabrics and the development of weaving is evidenced by the existence of such hieroglyphs that denoted the concepts of “silk thread”, “clothing”, “shawl”, etc.

The existence of various branches of crafts and special workshops, as well as the high skill of Yin artisans, indicate that handicraft production has already come a long way in its development.

Development of exchange.

With the advent of the division of labor between agriculture and crafts and the growth of surplus agricultural products and handicrafts, exchange began to develop. Archaeological finds allow us to conclude the existence economic ties between the Yin and other tribes, including very remote ones. From the tribes on the Bohai coast, the Yin received fish and sea shells; apparently from modern Xinjiang - jasper. From the areas located in upper reaches the Yangtze River and in Southern China, copper and tin were brought from which bronze was smelted. Nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes received agricultural products and handicrafts, in particular weapons, from the Yin. Finds of vessels on the Abakan River, and bronze weapons on the Yenisei River, similar to the products of Shan artisans, indicate connections between the Yin and the tribes of Siberia.

Archaeological excavations indicate that at least after the 14th century. BC e. among the Yin, precious cowrie shells were the measure of value.

In the ruins of the Yin capital, many such shells with a smooth, polished outer side were found. To make the shells more convenient to wear, holes were drilled in them and strung on a thread. The cost of the bundles appears to have been significant. In the inscriptions there is a mention of the king’s gift of several bundles, up to ten at most. Later, as exchange expanded, the number of sea shells in circulation became insufficient and it was difficult to obtain them. Then they began to resort to replacing natural shells with artificial ones made from jasper or bones. Shells, having become a measure of value, later became a symbol of preciousness and wealth. Concepts meaning treasure, wealth, accumulation and many others, close to them in meaning, began to be denoted by hieroglyphs in which the main integral part was a shell.

The class character of Yin society.

The remains of dwellings and burials indicate a significant stratification of property. While the poor huddled in dugouts, the rich lived in large wooden houses with stone foundations. The burials also reflect class differentiation. The tombs of kings and nobles differ sharply from burials in the abundance and richness of things found in them ordinary people. A large number of expensive items made of bronze and jade, as well as decorated weapons, were found in the burials of the nobility. Along with the deceased noble people, their servants, probably slaves, were buried. Thus, corpses with severed heads were found in the graves of Yin couples. There is reason to believe that sometimes slaves were buried alive.

Until relatively recently, scientists unanimously considered Yin society to be pre-class, noting that by the end of its existence (12th century BC), primitive communal relations had decomposed and a transition to a slave-owning system had taken place. However, further research on deciphering the Yin inscriptions on the bones and archaeological excavations carried out by Chinese scientists over last years, allowed us to draw another conclusion, namely: Yin society was a class, slave-owning society. But install exact time The transition from a tribal society to a class society is very difficult. Although the data from archaeological excavations, reflecting class relations, date back to the period after the transfer of the capital by King Pan Geng to Shang, i.e. to the 14th century. BC e., it can be assumed that class society arose even before this time. For a long time, this system, of course, retained significant remnants of primitive communal relations.

The most reliable literary monument, the data of which about the Yin people shed light on the period preceding the creation of the Shang dynasty, is the chapter “Basic Records of Yin” from Sima Qian’s “Historical Notes”. It is characteristic that the list of Yin Wangs (rulers, kings) given by Sima Qian is mainly confirmed by inscriptions on the bones. This gives reason to consider Sima Qian’s materials quite reliable. According to Sima Qian, Cheng Tang, addressing the zhuhou (military leaders) and the population, said: “Those of you who do not respect my orders, I will severely punish and destroy. There will be no mercy for anyone." This could be said by a ruler who was already in complete control of the lives of his subordinates.

Yangtze- the largest river in China, originates in snowy mountains Geladandong of the Tanggla mountain system, flows through 11 provinces, autonomous regions and cities under the central government and flows into the East China Sea, its total length is 6300 km, it ranks 3rd in length in the world. The Yangtze has many tributaries, the main ones being: Yalongjiang, Minjiang, Jialingjiang, Hanjiang, Wujiang, Xiangjiang, Ganjiang, etc. Pool area - 1.8 million square meters. km, or 18.8% of the total area of ​​China. Its total flow is 951.3 billion cubic meters, or 52% of the country's total flow. As the country's largest river, the Yangtze is an important shipping route for China. On the section of the Yangtze River from Fengjie County, Chongqing City to Yichang, Hubei Province, the Sanxia Canyon is located 193 km long. Construction of the famous Sanxia hydroelectric complex began in 1994 and will be completed in 2009, which will be able to curb rare floods, and the annual electricity production will be 84.7 billion kWh. , the hydroelectric complex will also improve the fairway, provide water for cities and towns in the middle and lower reaches of the river, for irrigating fields.

Yellow River- the second largest river in China, originates in the northern spurs of the Bayangla Mountains in Qinghai Province and flows through nine provinces and autonomous regions, emptying into the Bohai Sea. The length of the Yellow River is 5464 km, its basin covers an area of ​​more than 750 thousand square meters. km, the annual flow reaches 66.1 billion cubic meters. The number of its main tributaries is more than 40. The main ones are the Fenhe and Weihe. The soil of the Loess Plateau, through which the Yellow River flows, contains a lot of calcium carbonate, which is very hard in dry form, but as soon as it rains, it instantly turns into liquid and is easily washed off with water. A large number of silt and sand, along with water, fall into the Yellow River, turning it into a river with the highest silt content in the world, as a result, the height of the Yellow River bed increases by 10 cm annually. Currently, many waterworks have already been built in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, such as Longyangxia, Liujiaxia, Qingtongxia. And in the middle reaches of the river, within the province of Henan, the Xiaoland hydroelectric complex is being built.

Heilongjiang flows through the northern part of the country, border river between China and Russia, its basin covers an area of ​​more than 900 thousand square meters. km, the length of the river within China is 3420 km.

Songhuajiang: pool area - 557.18 thousand square meters. km, total length - 2308 km, annual flow -76.2 billion cubic meters.

Liaohe: pool area - 228.96 thousand square meters. km, total length - 1390 km, annual flow - 14.8 billion cubic meters.

Zhujiang represents largest river Southern China, basin area - 453.69 thousand square meters. km, total length - 2214 km, annual flow - more than 333.8 billion cubic meters, according to water resources it ranks second in China, second only to the Yangtze.

Huihe: pool area - 269.238 thousand square meters. km, total length - 1000 km, annual flow - 62.2 billion cubic meters.

Grand Canal Beijing - Hangzhou dug in the 5th century BC. e., leads from Beijing to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. It stretches from north to south for 1800 km, flowing through the cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang provinces, making it the earliest and longest artificial canal in the world.

To the question What are the two largest rivers in China? given by the author User deleted the best answer is





Source:

Answer from DICK[guru]
Yangtze and Yellow River.
Yellow River - "Yellow River" - because of the color of the water in which there is loess suspension.
Yangtze - no associations in the brain.

Answer from Yovetlana Panfilova[guru]
Yellow River (Yellow River) and Yangtze.
All. Sorry.

Answer from Anastasia[active]
Yellow River and Yangtze
The Yellow River flows through a forest plateau and has the greatest turbidity in the world; during floods it turns not even into a river, but into a mud flow

Answer from Leonid Yaroshevsky[guru]
The largest river in China, the Yangtze, is 6,300 km long, second only to the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. The upper course of the Yangtze runs through high mountains and deep valleys. It conceals rich water resources. The Yangtze is the main and most convenient shipping route of the country, running from west to east. Its fairway is naturally adapted for navigation; it is not for nothing that in China the Yangtze is called the “golden transport artery.” The regions of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze are characterized by warm and humid climate, abundant rainfall and soil fertility, which creates ideal conditions for the development of agriculture. This is where the main breadbasket of the country is located. The second largest river in China is the Yellow River, with a total length of 5,464 km. The Yellow River basin is rich in fertile fields, lush pastures, and the depths contain huge deposits of minerals. The banks of the Yellow River are considered the cradle of the Chinese nation, and the origins of ancient Chinese culture can be traced from here. Heilongjiang is a large river in northern China. The total length is 4350 km, of which 3101 km are in China. The Pearl River is the deepest in Southern China, with a total length of 2214 km. In addition to natural waterways, China has the famous man-made Grand Canal, which connects the water systems of the Haihe, Yellow, Huaihe, Yangtze and Qiantangjiang rivers. It was laid in the 5th century BC. e., stretches from north to south from Beijing to the city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, for 1801 km, it is the oldest and longest artificial canal in the world.

Answer from Lady X[master]
The Chinese also called the Yellow River the River of Nine Disasters)

Answer from Aivar Kink[guru]
The relief features affected primarily the distribution of water
country's resources. The wettest parts are the Southern and Eastern parts,
having a dense and highly branched system. In these areas there are
The largest rivers in China are the Yangtze and Yellow River. These also include:
Amur, Sungari, Yalohe, Xijiang, Tsagno. rivers of eastern China are mostly
are abundant and navigable, and their regime is characterized by unevenness
seasonal flow - minimum flows in winter and maximum flows in summer. On
In the plains, floods are common due to rapid spring and summer melting
snow.
The western, arid part of China is poor in rivers. Mostly they
They have little water, and navigation on them is poorly developed. Most of the rivers
The areas have no drainage into the sea, and their flow is episodic.
The largest rivers in this area are the Tarim, Black Irtysh, Ili, and Edzin-Gol.
The country's largest rivers, which carry their waters to the ocean, become contaminated in
Tibetan Plateau.
China is rich not only in rivers, but also in lakes. There are two main
type: tectonic and erosive. The first ones are located centrally
the Asian part of the country, and the second in the Yangtze River system. In the western part
China's largest lakes are: Lop Nor, Kununor, Ebi-Nur. Especially
There are numerous lakes on the Tibetan Plateau. Most of the lowland lakes
like the rivers, they are low-water, many are without drainage and are saline. In the eastern
parts of China, the largest are Dongting, Poyang, Taihu, located in
Yangtze River basin; Hongzohu and Gaoihu are in the Yellow River basin. IN
floods, many of these lakes become natural reservoirs
countries.

Answer from Lyudmila[active]
There are only 2 rivers in China: the Yangtze and the Yellow River.
1 Yangtze
2 Juan Ho

Answer from Orii Pan[newbie]
1. The Yangtze is the largest river in China and one of the longest rivers in the world, its length is more than 6300 km. , pool area sq. , 1,807,199 km. , total annual flow 979.353 billion cubic meters. m., middle layer drain 542 mm.
The Yangtze originates in the foothills of Tibet, in western China and, flowing through the entire country, flows into the sea near Shanghai. Along the banks of the Yangtze stretch green villages and small towns in the form of terraces, covered in myths and legends. The Yangtze passes deep gorges on the plains of Sichuan, flows through amazingly picturesque gorges and canyons between the cities of Chongqing and Wuhan - this is perhaps the most a nice place on the river.
Currently, this unusual attraction will soon no longer be visible: the Chinese are building a dam that will soon flood all the gorges, and with them, that segment of life that has remained untouched for so many generations will disappear.
2. The Yellow River is the second largest river in China, originating in the northern spurs of the Bayangla Mountains in Qinghai Province and flowing through nine provinces and autonomous regions, emptying into the Bohai Sea. The length of the Yellow River is 5464 km, its basin covers an area of ​​more than 750 thousand square meters. km, the annual flow reaches 66.1 billion cubic meters. The main tributaries are the Fenhe and Weihe, and in general the number of tributaries is more than 40.
The Yellow River got its due English name as the "Yellow River" for the color of the water, which is rich in silt, which is washed out of the loess soils from the territory through which it flows. Over the past two thousand years, the river has overflowed its banks and broken through dams more than a thousand times, and has significantly changed the trajectory of its course at least 20 times.
Currently, 18 dams have been built on the Yellow River, and 7 more dams are under construction. Waterworks are concentrated in the upper reaches of the river, such as Longyangxia, Liujiaxia, Qingtongxia, and in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, where the Xiaoland waterworks are being built; there are no waterworks in the lower reaches of the river.

One of the attractions of China is its rivers. If you add up the length of all, you get a total of 220 thousand km.

The country's waterways form internal and external systems. External rivers flow into the sea or have access to the ocean. There are few inland rivers, and they are located at a significant distance from each other, flow into lakes or are lost in swamps and deserts. In many parts of China, rivers have become shallow.

Among the abundance of rivers, there are those that are known throughout the world and are especially loved by tourists - the Yellow River, the Yangtze, the Zhujiang.

Yellow River

This is one of the largest rivers in Asia. Translated into Russian it means “Yellow River”. Moreover, its water actually yellow color. Sand gives it this color. It, in turn, flows into the Yellow Sea. It is believed that it was on the banks of this river that the Chinese ethnic group began its history and formation. That is why the Yellow River of China is rich in tourism resources; the entire history of the great Chinese people is reflected on its banks. That is why river tours offered by numerous travel agencies are quite popular. The Yellow River is included in the list of twelve national tourist routes.

On the banks of the river you can meet peoples who have managed to preserve their original and colorful customs. There are quite a lot of architectural, antique and cultural monuments there. There is always something to see here. These are statues of warriors and horses in the tomb of Qin Shihuang, Buddhist relics in Shanxi province, the legendary Shaolin school of wushu and much more. The unique landscapes amaze with their beauty.

Yangtze

This river is also called the Blue River. Coming to the Celestial Empire, you probably expect to see clean and clear waters. But that's not true. In fact, the Yangtze is quite muddy, and it most likely got its name in opposition to the Yellow River. Another common name is “Long River”, or Changjiang. But this is the honest truth, because this water artery is one of the longest and deepest in Eurasia. Its length is 6 thousand km, and in some places it reaches a width of 2.5 km!

China's Blue River has many attractions and beauties. For example, its shores are formed mainly by mountains covered with green vegetation and steep gorges. The upper Tiger Leaping Gorge is the deepest in the world. The height of the stone walls is 2 thousand meters, and the height of the mountains towering above it reaches 4 thousand meters! Among the man-made “miracles” are the dam and hydroelectric power station, which are the largest in the world.

Zhujiang

The Pearl River of China also got its name not because there are pearls in it, but because of the island that lies in the middle of the riverbed. This is a rock that has been polished by nature over time to an almost brilliant shine, making it resemble a pearl. The island is called the Sea Pearl. Zhujiang ranks third in the "most long rivers China" with a result of 2129 km.

One of the most favorite entertainment among tourists is a cruise on night river in Guangzhou. Tourists are presented with a magnificent picture: the bright lights of the city are reflected in the dark jade waters. Everything looks quite romantic!

The basins of more than one and a half thousand rivers exceed 1000 square meters. km. The average annual flow of China's rivers is about 2.7 trillion cubic meters, ranking sixth in the world after Brazil, Russia, Canada, the United States and Indonesia. More famous rivers in China: Yangtze, Yellow River, Heilongjiang, Yalutsangpo, Zhujiang, Huihe, etc. The Tarim River in Xinjiang is the longest inland rivers China, its length is 2100 km.

Main rivers

The Yangtze is the largest river in China, originating in the snow-capped Geladandong Mountains of the Tangla Mountain System, flowing through 11 provinces, autonomous regions and cities under the Central Government and flowing into the East China Sea, its total length is 6300 km, ranking 3rd in length. place in the world and 1st place in Asia. The Yangtze has many tributaries, the main ones being: Yalongjiang, Minjiang, Jialingjiang, Hanjiang, Wujiang, Xiangjiang, Ganjiang, etc. Pool area - 1.8 million square meters. km, or 18.8% of the total area of ​​China. The Yangtze is an important shipping route in China. On the section of the Yangtze River from Fengjie County, Chongqing City to Yichang, Hubei Province, the Sanxia Canyon is located 193 km long. The construction of the famous Sanxia hydroelectric complex began in 1994 and was completed in 2009, which will be able to curb rare floods, and the annual electricity production will be 84.7 billion kWh, the hydroelectric complex will also improve the fairway, ensure the provision of water for cities and towns on average and the lower reaches of the river, for irrigation of field lands.

The Yellow River is the second largest river in China, originating in the northern spurs of the Bayangla Mountains in Qinghai Province and flowing through nine provinces and autonomous regions, emptying into the Bohai Sea. The length of the Yellow River is 5464 km, its basin covers an area of ​​more than 750 thousand square meters. km. The number of its main tributaries is more than 40. The main ones are the Fenhe and Weihe. The soil of the Loess Plateau, through which the Yellow River flows, contains a lot of calcium carbonate, which is very hard in dry form, but as soon as it rains, it instantly turns into liquid and is easily washed off with water. A large amount of silt and sand, along with water, fall into the Yellow River, turning it into a river with the highest silt content in the world, as a result, the height of the Yellow River bed rises by 10 cm annually. Currently, many waterworks have already been built in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, such as , like Longyangxia, Liujiaxia, Qingtongxia.

The Heilongjiang flows through the northern part of the country, the border river between China and Russia, its basin covers an area of ​​more than 900 thousand square meters. km, the length of the river within China is 3420 km.

The Yalutsangpo takes its sources from the Kimayangzom glacier in the northern spurs of the Himalayas in Zhongba County, the length of the river within China is 2057 km, the basin area of ​​which is 240,480 square meters. km, the average height above sea level of the basin is about 4500 m, it is a river with the most high height in the world above sea level.

The Zhujiang is the largest river in Southern China, with a total length of 2,214 km and a basin area of ​​453.69 thousand square meters. km, in terms of water resources it ranks second in China, second only to the Yangtze.

Huihe: basin area - 269.238 thousand square meters. km, total length - 1000 km.

Songhuajiang: basin area - 557.18 thousand square meters. km, total length - 2308 km.

Liaohe: basin area - 228.96 thousand square meters. km, total length - 1390 km.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal was dug in the 5th century BC. e., leads from Beijing to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. It stretches from north to south for 1800 km, flows through the cities of Beijing, Tianjin, the provinces of Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and connects the Haihe, Yellow River, Huaihe, Yangtze and Qiantangjiang rivers, making it the earliest and longest artificial canal in the world .

Lakes

China is rich in lakes, with 2,800 lakes measuring more than 1 square kilometer. km each and 130 lakes with an area of ​​more than 100 km each. In addition, there are also many artificial lakes and reservoirs scattered throughout the country. These lakes can be divided into fresh and salty. Large lakes scattered mainly in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The largest freshwater lake in China is Poyang Lake, the largest salt water lake is Qinghaihu.