China's climate, climatic zones and weather surprises. China: geographical location. China: population, climate, map Northwest arid region

Huge occupying an advantageous geographical position - China. It is located in East Asia. Its relief is very diverse. China has mountains, hills, plains, highlands, river valleys, deserts. This But the vast areas of China are deserted. After all, most of the population is concentrated on the plains.

Geographical position

China on the world map occupies a position on the western coast of the Pacific Ocean. Its area is almost equal to the area of ​​the whole of Europe. China covers an area of ​​9.6 million square kilometers. In terms of area, this country is overtaken only by Russia and Canada.

The territory of China stretches for 5.2 thousand kilometers from east to west and for 5.5 thousand kilometers from south to north. The easternmost point of the country is located at the confluence of the Ussuri and Amur rivers, the westernmost - in the southernmost - among the northernmost - on the Amur River in Mohe County.

China on the world map from the east is washed by several seas that are part of the Pacific Ocean. The coastline of the country stretches for 18,000 km. The sea in China creates a border with five countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Brunei and the Philippines.

The land border runs from the south, north and west. Its length is 22117 km. By land, China has a border with Russia, North Korea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, India, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar.

The geographical position of China is quite favorable for its economic development.

Relief

The relief of the country is very diverse. China, whose geography is wide, has a stepped landscape. It consists of three levels, decreasing from west to east.

The Himalayas are also located in the southwest of the state. They are the highest rung in the landscape of a country like China. Geography and relief mostly consist of uplands, plateaus and mountains. The lowest level, consisting of plains, is near the coast.

Southwest China

Part of the world's highest mountain system is located in the southwest of the country. In addition to China, the Himalayas are spread over the territories of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan. On the border of the state in question there are 9 of the 14 highest mountains of the globe - Everest, Chogori, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Shishabangma, Chogori, several peaks from the Gasherbrum massif.

The Tibetan Plateau is located north of the Himalayas. It is the largest in area and the highest plateau in the world. It is surrounded by ridges on all sides. In addition to the Himalayas, the neighbors of the Tibetan Plateau are Kunlun, Qilianshan, Karakorum, and the Sino-Tibetan Mountains. The last of them and the adjacent Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau are a remote area. It is cut by the deep Salween and the Mekong.

Thus, the characteristic of the geographical position of China in the southwest is distinguished by the presence of mountainous regions.

Northwest China

In the north-west of the country, near the Tibetan Plateau, there are the Tarim Basin, the Takla-Makan Desert and the Turfan Depression. The last object is the deepest in East Asia. Further north is the Dzungarian Plain.

To the east of the Tarim Basin, the geographical position contrasts even more. China in these places is changing the landscape to steppes and deserts. This is an autonomous region. It is located on a high plateau. Most of it is occupied by the Gobi and Alashan deserts. The Lessovoye Plateau adjoins them from the south. very fertile and rich in forests.

Northeast China

The northeastern part of the country is quite flat. There are no high mountain ranges here. The Songliao Plain is located in this part of China. It is surrounded by small mountain ranges - Big and Small Khingan, Changbaishan.

Northern China

The main agricultural zones are concentrated in the north of China. This part of the country consists of vast plains. They feed well on the rivers and are very fertile. These are such plains as Liaohe and North China.

Southeast China

The southeastern part of the country stretches from the Huaiyanshan Range to the Qinling Mountains. It also includes the island of Taiwan. The local landscape consists mainly of mountains interspersed with river valleys.

South China

In the south of the country are the regions of Guangxi, Guangdong, and partly Yunnan. This also includes a year-round resort, Hainan Island. The local relief is made up of hills and small mountains.

Climate and weather

The climate of the country is not uniform. It is affected by geographic location. China is located in three climatic zones. Therefore, the weather in different parts of the country is different.

Northern and western China are located in the temperate continental climate zone. The average temperature here in winter is -7°C, although it sometimes drops to -20°C. In summer, the temperature is at the level of +22°C. Strong dry winds are typical for winter and autumn.

Central China lies in the subtropical climate zone. In winter, the air temperature ranges from 0 to -5°C. In summer it stays at +20°C.

Southern China and the islands have a tropical monsoonal climate. There, the temperature in winter ranges from +6 to +15°C, and in summer it rises above +25°C. This part of the country is characterized by powerful typhoons. They occur in winter and autumn.

Annual precipitation decreases from south and east to north and west - from about 2000 mm to 50 mm.

Population

According to 2014 data, 1.36 billion people live in the state. The large country of China is home to 20% of the world's inhabitants.

The state is on the verge of a demographic resettlement crisis. Therefore, the government is struggling with a high birth rate. His goal is one child per family. But the demographic policy is conducted flexibly. Thus, it is allowed to give birth to a second child to ethnic minorities, as well as to families living in rural areas, if the first child is a girl or has physical disabilities.

Part of the population opposes such a policy. She is especially dissatisfied in rural areas. After all, there is a higher need for the birth of a large number of boys as a future labor force.

But population growth is projected to rise despite this. It is estimated that 1.5 billion people will live in China by 2030.

Population density

The population is distributed very unevenly throughout the country. This is due to the difference in geographical conditions. The average population density is 138 people per square kilometer. This indicator looks quite acceptable. He's not talking about overpopulation. After all, the same figure is typical for some European countries.

But the average figure does not reflect the real situation. There are areas in the country where almost no one lives, and Macau has 21,000 people per square kilometer.

Half of the country is practically uninhabited. The Chinese live in river basins, on fertile plains. And in the highlands of Tibet, in the deserts of the Gobi and Takla Makan, there are almost no settlements.

National composition and language of the population

The country is inhabited by different ethnic groups. Most of the population consider themselves Han Chinese. But besides them, 55 nationalities are distinguished in China. The largest nations are the Zhuangs, Manchus, Tibetans, the smallest are the Loba.

Dialects in different parts of the country are also different. The difference between them is so great that the inhabitant of the south of China will not understand the inhabitant of the north. But the country has a national language, Putunha. Residents of China moving from region to region are required to own it in order to avoid problems in communication.

Also in the country is widespread Mandarin, or Beijing, dialect. It can be considered an alternative to putunkhe. After all, 70% of the population speaks Mandarin.

Religion and beliefs of the population

Since the middle of the 20th century in China, as in a communist state, adherence to religious beliefs and beliefs was not welcomed. Atheism was the official ideology.

But since 1982 there has been a change in this matter. The right to freedom of religion was included in the constitution. The most common religions here are Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. But Christianity, Islam, Judaism are also popular.

Largest cities

There are not many big cities in China. The population of this country is not urbanized. But where the construction of the city begins, it grows to the size of a huge metropolis, uniting a large number of residential, business, commercial, industrial and agricultural zones. For example, Chongqing. It is the largest representative of such megacities. According to information for 2014, 29 million people live in it. Its area is almost equal to the area of ​​Austria and is 82,400 square kilometers.

Other major cities in the country are Shanghai, Tianjin, Harbin, Guangzhou and of course Beijing, the capital of China.

Beijing

The Chinese call Beijing Beijing. It means Northern Capital. The urban layout is characterized by strict geometry. Streets are oriented to parts of the world.

Beijing is the capital of China and one of the most interesting cities in the country. Its heart is Tiananmen Square. Translated, this word means "gate of heavenly tranquility." The main building on the square is the mausoleum of Mao Zedong.

An important sight of the city is the Forbidden City. They call him Gugong. It is a beautiful and ancient palace ensemble.

No less interesting are Yiheyuan and Yuanminyuan. These are garden and palace complexes. They surprisingly combine miniature rivers, graceful bridges, waterfalls, residential buildings. There is a wonderful harmony and a feeling of unity between man and nature.

There are many temples of such religious trends as Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism in the capital. One of them is the most interesting. This is Tian Tan Temple of Heaven. It is the only round-shaped religious building in the city. It has a unique wall. If you utter a word near it, even in the quietest whisper, it will spread along its entire length.

Yonghegun Temple of Eternal Peace is also notable. This is a lamaist religious building. It houses a Buddha statue carved from a single trunk of sandalwood. Its length is 23 meters.

There are many museums in Beijing. Of particular note is the National Art Gallery. It houses a large collection of Chinese paintings. No less interesting is the Museum of National History, where you can trace the entire path of China's development.

The attraction is Wangfujing Street. This is a favorite place for walking, both among tourists and the local population. The history of the street began over 700 years ago. Now it has been reconstructed. The street is located in the area of ​​the shopping center. It harmoniously combines ancient and modern cultures.

Not far from Beijing begins the Great Wall of China. Most people associate the country with it. This is a grand building. It stretches for 67,000 km. The construction of the wall lasted over 2000 years.

Geographic features

China is a country located in East Asia. The seas of the Pacific Ocean - South China, East China, Yellow - wash China from the east. The sea coast stretches for 14.5 thousand km from the north (North Korea) to the south (Vietnam). The island of Taiwan is separated from the mainland by the Taiwan Strait.

The country has land borders with: Mongolia (in the north); Russia and North Korea (in the northeast); Russia and Kazakhstan (in the northwest); Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan (in the west); India, Gilgit-Baltistan, Bhutan and Nepal (in the southwest); Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam (in the south).

Remark 1

The total area of ​​the country is 9.6 million square meters. km. China is one of the four largest countries in the world, which includes, in addition to it, Russia, the United States and Canada.

On the territory of China, a different relief is distinguished: mountains, depressions, plateaus, vast plains and deserts.

Major orographic regions include:

1. Tibetan plateau. Located in the south-west of the country, the height is more than 4000 m above sea level.
2. The belt of high plains and mountains is the northern regions of the country. The mountains of Central China and Sichuan, from 1500 to 3000 m high. Here there is a change of natural zones - from cold high-altitude deserts to subtropical forest.
3. Low accumulative plains and low mountains. They occupy the east, northeast and south of the country. Height - less than 1500 m above sea level.
4. From north to south, from Beijing to Shanghai, the Great Plain of China, the Yangtze Delta and the Yellow River Valley stretch along the sea coast.
5. In the southern part of China is the basin of the Pearl River and its tributary Xijiang. The Wuyi Range and the Nanling Mountains separate it from the Yangtze River Basin.

Climatic zones

The climate of China varies from subtropical (southeastern regions) to arid, or sharply continental, in the northwest.

The weather of the south coast is determined by monsoons, which are formed as a result of the interaction of the absorbing properties of the ocean and land.

Seasonal movements of air masses contain a lot of moisture in summer and are relatively dry in winter. The appearance and disappearance of monsoons largely determine the total rainfall throughout the country.

Most of China lies in the temperate region. However, the features of the relief and geographical location of the country relative to the Pacific Ocean determine a wide range of meteorological and temperature regimes.

The following climatic zones are distinguished on the territory of China:

• Temperate climate. It is typical for the northern territory of China, represented by the province of Heilongjiang and the western regions.
• Subtropical climate. Southeastern regions and central regions.
• Tropical monsoon climate. South coast, Hainan island.
• Sharply continental climate. Northwestern regions.

In China, there are several climatic zones characterized by a variety of relief and climate: coastal areas, mountain ranges, deserts, islands. Characterized by large fluctuations in average temperatures between the northern, central and southern regions, high humidity in summer in many central and southern territories.

natural areas

There are three major natural areas in China:

1. Eastern monsoon region;
2. Cold Alpine Qinghai-Tibet region;
3. Northwestern arid region.

The eastern monsoon region occupies mainly the coast of the South China and East China Seas. It is the warmest and wettest area in summer in China. Summer is long but not very hot. Winters are mild and cool, in January the temperature rarely drops below +10 ºС. There is abundant rainfall throughout the year. In the tropical southeast, the rainy season is observed from May to October. During the summer, the region is subject to frequent typhoons and floods.

The climate in the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province is extremely severe, cold alpine. Almost all year round the temperature does not rise above 0 ºС. Biting winds blow. The landscape of this region was determined: cold, rocky and poor soils, low humidity. Most of the territory is steppes, deserts and semi-deserts. In low-lying gorges there are small forest belts.

The climate of the southeastern regions of the Tibetan Plateau is somewhat milder, as warm air masses come from the Indian Ocean.

The northwestern territories are characterized by a desert, dry climate with significant fluctuations in daily and seasonal temperatures. Warm air from the southeast of the country over the mountain plateaus and cold plains of the northwest quickly cools and turns into anticyclones, which determine clear, dry weather with very hot summers and exceptionally frosty weather in winter. Precipitation is scarce and falls mainly in late spring - early summer. Most of the territory is steppes and deserts. The climate softens somewhat closer to the central regions. The most favorable climate is in the Yangtze River basin. Southeast monsoons reach here, summers are warm, and winters are moderate.

Climatic features

In Heilongjiang, the average temperature in winter is -16 ºС, sometimes it can drop to -38 ºС. The average temperature in July is +20 ºС. In the south of Guangdong province, the average temperature in winter and summer is +10 ºС and +28 ºС, respectively.

Different areas of the country receive different amounts of rainfall. On the southern slopes of Qinling, precipitation is plentiful, with a maximum observed in summer during the monsoon period. In the northern and western direction from the mountains, the amount of precipitation decreases. The most arid are the northwestern regions. Here are the deserts of Ordos, Gobi, Takla-Makan.

The rainy season lasts from May to September. More than 6000 mm of precipitation can fall during this period alone. In summer, monsoon winds form from the Indian and Pacific Oceans, which determine the amount of precipitation. In the provinces in the south of the country (Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi), it is the monsoons that open the rainy season. Rainy weather in June-August moves to the northern regions.

The eastern and southern regions of China are characterized by typhoons, monsoons, tsunamis, floods, and droughts.

Every spring, yellow dust storms are observed in the northern regions, originating in the northern deserts and heading towards Japan and Korea.