Famous rivers of China. Rivers and lakes of China. Huaihe is a great river in the central plain of China
What makes China an attractive country for tourism is its abundance of attractions, interesting culture, and history dating back to ancient times. China has many picturesque mountains, rivers, waterfalls and gorges.
One of the largest rivers in China is the Yangtze, which is 6,300 kilometers long. It originates in the snow-capped mountains of Geladandong and flows through eleven provinces. It is called the river of contrasts. It flows first through the fields, then through the foothills, turning into mountains and gorges, giving way to hills.
In length it is second only to the Nile and the Amazon. The Three Gorges Dam, one of the world's largest hydroelectric dams, was built on this river. It flows through deep valleys and high mountains. The river contains rich hydro resources.
The Yangtze is the main and most convenient shipping route of the country, which runs from west to east. It is called the “golden transport artery”; it seems that nature itself has adapted it for navigation.
Warm and humid climate, abundant rainfall and fertile soil are excellent conditions for development. Agriculture. The main breadbasket of the country is located here.
The Yangtze River has long been famous for its beauty. There are many legends about local attractions. This is the main highway of China, the most abundant and long river Eurasia. The Yangtze River divides northern and southern China into two parts. Located on the Yangtze Largest cities China - Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing. The city of Shanghai is located in the river delta.
Yellow River
When talking about the two main rivers of China, it should be said that the second largest river of the state, with a length of 5464 kilometers, is the Yellow River, originating on the Tibetan Plateau. In translation it means “yellow river”. It rushes in a stormy stream to the east, down from the plateau through gorges, further through the highlands of Gansu province.
Especially in summer it carries a huge amount of silt, when the river is at its deepest. Floods often occur, for which the river is called “the grief of China.” Then it goes out onto the North China Plain. When leaving the gorge it flows into Bohai Bay. Nowadays, many waterworks have been built in the upper reaches of this river. Where the river loses speed, Chinese civilization was born.
Abundant with rivers - more than 50,000 rivers. Almost all major rivers in China are external river system, directly or indirectly flowing into the sea.
China's terrain is high in the west and low in the east, most of its rivers flow east and flow into, including the Yangtze, Liaohe and Haihe rivers.
Largest rivers in China:
- Yangtze - 6300km (3915 miles)
- Yellow River, Yellow River— 5464km (3395 miles)
- Heilongjiang - 4370km (2715 miles)
- Songhua - 1927km (1197 miles)
- Zhujiang - 2,200 kilometers (1,367 miles)
1. Yangtze River (Yangtze, 长江)
Yangtze River - No tour to China would be complete without a cruise on the Yangtze River - the journey will showcase the rapidly changing panorama of China. The Yangtze River is the longest river in China and the third longest in the world. It originates from snowy peaks Geladandong mountain range - the main peak of the Qinghai Tangla and the Tibetan Plateau, flows through Qinghai, Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu and flows into the sea at Shanghai. The 6,300-kilometer route of the Yangtze River has eight major tributaries and a drainage area of 1.8 million square kilometers, equivalent to 1/5 of China's total land area. 
Yangtze cruises have become a must-have for visitors to China. The Yangtze River winds through high mountains and deep valleys with numerous tributaries. The cruise includes exciting excursions historical places. The main splendor of the Yangtze River is the famous Three Gorges and Dams.
2. Yellow River (Huang He, 黄河)
Yellow River - With a total length of 5,464 kilometers, the Yellow River is the second longest river in China. The Yellow River is the cradle of Chinese civilization. It comes from the Bayanhar mountain range of Qinghai province. The winding riverbeds pass through 9 provinces and finally flow into the sea, which is also called the Yellow Sea. (Bohai Bay) is a river delta in Kenli, Shandong Province.
The unique natural scenery of forest plateaus looks extremely attractive. Tourists can fully enjoy the breathtaking natural scenery of the Yellow River.
3. Heilongjiang River (Heilongjiang, 黑龙江)
Heilongjiang River - Chinese-Russian border river Heilongjiang (also called Amur), runs east across northern China and flows into the. Its entire length is 4370 km. The 11th largest river in the world, the Heilongjiang River flows through forests, lush areas of green grass and water areas. The river has the shape of a black dragon, which is reflected in the Chinese name of the river: Heilongjiang means "Black Dragon". 
4. Sungari River (Sungari, 松花江)
Sungari River - The Sungari River in northeast China, the largest tributary of the Heilongjiang River, flows about 1927 km from Changbai Shan through the provinces of Heilongjiang and Jilin. In winter, beautiful frost lies on the banks of the river. A unique feature of the river is the white fairy-tale winter.
5. Zhujiang River (Pearl River, 珠江)
Pearl River The Zhujiang (the length of the Pearl River) is the third longest among the rivers of China (2200 km, after the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers), and the second in volume (after the Yangtze). This is the most big river in southern China, flowing into, between Hong Kong and Macau. Its downstream forms the Pearl River delta. The Pearl River is formed by the confluence of three rivers - Xijiang, BeiJiang and Dongjaing. The river flows through most areas of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, and parts of Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, forming 409,480 km² - The Pearl River Basin has a network of rivers, with fertile soil.
6. Brahmaputra (Yaluzangbujiang, 雅鲁藏布江)
Brahmaputra River - The Brahmaputra is a transboundary river and one of the largest rivers in Asia. With its source in Tibet, an autonomous region of China, the Brahmaputra River flows first east, then south, and flows into . About 1,800 miles (2,900 km) long, the Brahmaputra boasts the Grand Canyon (the largest canyon in the world, 504.6 km long and 6,009 m deep). The river is an important source of irrigation and transportation. 
7. Lancang River (Lancang Jiang, 澜沧江)
Lancang River - Lancang River is also known as the longest river in South-East Asia, with a total length of 2354 kilometers. It originates from the springs of the Tanggula mountain range in Qinghai Province. The Lancang River runs south until it leaves China at Nanla Bayout in Yunnan Province and there it changes its name from the Lancang River to the Mekong River. The river finally flows into Pacific Ocean in the south of Vietnam. Lancang River - main artery China is a carrier of water in the countries of Southeast Asia and has a reputation as the “Danube of the East”. This is a fantastic river with over ten ethnic minorities living along the river.
8. Nujiang River (Nujiang, 怒江)
Nujiang River - The Nujiang River originates from the southern slope of Tanggula - a mountain range in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Nujiang flows from north to south through the Tibet Autonomous Region and Yunnan Provinces, with a total length of 2,816 kilometers and a drainage area of 324,000 square kilometers. The river's name changes to the Salween River after passing into Burma from China. The river then flows into Moulmein. 
9. Hanjiang River (Han Jiang, 汉江)
Hanjiang River - The Hanjiang River, also called the Han Shui River, is one of the most important tributaries of the Yangtze, with a total length of 1532 km. It rises in the southwestern province of Shaanxi and then moves to Hubei province. The Hangang River merges with the Yangtze River in Wuhan, Hubei Province. The name of the Han kingdom and the Han dynasty apparently comes from this river. 
China's rivers form the outer and internal systems. The total drainage area of external rivers with access to the sea or ocean covers 64% of the country's territory. These include the Yangtze, Yellow River, Heilongjiang, Zhujiang, Liaohe, Haihe, Huaihe and other rivers flowing from west to east and flowing into the Pacific Ocean; the Yalutsangpo River takes its source from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and flows into Indian Ocean, in its bed there is the largest canyon in the world with a length of 504.6 km and a unique depth of 6009 m; the Ercis (Irtysh) River flows through Xinjiang to the north and flows into the Northern Arctic Ocean. Inland rivers flow into lakes in the interior or are lost in salt marshes and deserts. Their drainage area covers 36% of the country's territory. Tarim in Xinjiang is the longest inland rivers China, its length is 2179 km.
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. Upstream 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, connecting water systems the Haihe, Yellow, Huaihe, Yangtze and Qiantang 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.
China is rich in lakes. The largest number of lakes compared to other areas are on the plain of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Lakes on the plain are usually freshwater. The largest of them are Poyanghu, Dongtinghu, Taihu, Hongzehu, the largest freshwater lake in China - Poyanghu is located in the north of Jiangxi province, its area is 3583 square meters. km. The lakes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are mostly salty, these are Qinghaihu, Namtso, Selling, etc. The largest salt Lake China - Qinghaihu in the northeast of Qinghai province, its area is 4583 square meters. km.
Numerous large rivers flow tirelessly throughout the vast country. There are more than one and a half thousand of them, and their total catchment area exceeds a thousand square kilometers. The total volume of annual runoff is 2.7 trillion cubic meters and is in third place in the world, while the total volume water resources takes honorable first place. The potential energy of all water resources is 680 million kilowatts, of which 370 million kilowatts are already available. Basically, Chinese rivers flow from west to east and flow directly into the sea. Some flow into the Pacific Ocean, such as the Yangtze, Yellow River, Heilongjiang and Zhujiang. Several rivers flow south and empty into the Indian Ocean - such as the Yarlong Pzanbo and Pujiang. The exception is the Irtysh River, which alone carries its waters into the Arctic Ocean. Rivers that flow directly into the seas are called main rivers. Others either disappear into deserts or flow into lakes or main rivers and are called tributaries. The Tarim River in Xinjiang is the country's largest tributary.
The turbulent Yangtze is the largest river in China. Its length is 6300 km, and it ranks third in the world in terms of length. The source of the Yangtze is located in the western part of Qiyi Hai Province, the channel runs through eleven provinces and autonomous regions, and it flows into the East China Sea. The Yangtze basin occupies a fifth of China's entire territory. The river serves the most important way communications, and in addition plays a significant role in land irrigation. The main channel of the river, together with its tributaries, provides rich water resources, accounting for about 40% of the country's total water resources.
The Yellow River is the mother river, because ancient civilization China originated on all shores. This river also originates in Qiyi Hai Province, flows through nine provinces and autonomous regions, and flows into Bohai Bay. Its total length is 5464 km. Over the centuries, the course of this river has changed several times. Its turbulent yellow waters not only bring blessings, but also cause destruction. The history of the Chinese people has always been accompanied by a struggle with the raging Yellow River. In addition to rivers, the country has many artificial canals. The Grand Canal, which opened during the reign of Emperor Yang of the Sui dynasty, at one time connected the south of China with its north. It is laid in a straight line from Haizhou to Beijing. The length of the canal is 1,794 km, making it the longest canal not only in the country, but in the whole world. This home page water artery, connecting north and south, is currently being reconstructed, and one day the day will come when it will be possible to board a ship in Beijing and go on a long journey to the “paradises” of Suzhou and Hangzhou.
There are many lakes in the country that adorn China like a pearl necklace falling on a mother’s breast - there are more than one hundred and thirty of them, with a total area of more than 100 square meters. km. There are also many ponds, that is, lakes of artificial origin. In the Yangtze River valley, in its middle and lower reaches, there are areas where I! Freshwater lakes are abundant. Among them is Lake Boyan, the largest in the country; lakes Dongting and Taihu, the second and third largest, and not so large lakes Hongze and Chaohu. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has as much lake water as anywhere else in the world. Most reservoirs are endorheic salt lakes. The largest of them is Lake Qinghai. The lake is found in abundance special kind karpov Sutposurt Rpetrpki, first discovered here. Countless flocks of birds nest on the lake islands, chirping and flapping their snow-white wings, joyfully and freely soaring, like angels, in the endless sky above the lake surface. This is paradise for birds!
Lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were mainly formed as a result of faults earth's crust. Due to the excellent filtering properties of limestone, the water in them is transparent and clean. The Daichung Pond in the southern suburbs of Kunming looks wonderful and recreates a fairytale atmosphere. Numerous lakes provide residents with convenient water connections. Water itself is an important consumer resource. And this is in addition to the fact that it contributes to the irrigation of fields and the production of electricity.
Rivers and lakes adorn the country, but they are also a source of disaster. From the legend “Da Yu saves his people from the flood,” it is known how cruelly the people of the country suffered; (Da K’s descendants) inherited his determination and ability to withstand the floods. It is necessary to study tirelessly and make every effort to conserve both water and land, while simultaneously deepening river beds to combat the elements.
But there is something worse than a flood... This is a drought, when all vegetation dies on thousands of square kilometers of scorched lands. IN ancient legend“And Shoots the Nine Suns,” the description of nine suns blazing simultaneously in the sky, illustrates drought well. While the waters of the Yangtze overflow its banks and flood the river valley, the Yellow River is becoming shallower day by day. It is necessary to redouble efforts to prevent the Yellow River from drying up: let its waters flow tirelessly and forever provide food!
Provinces of China
The population in China in 2008 is about 1.32 billion people (a fifth of the world's population). In terms of territory, China ranks third after Russia and Canada (9.6 million sq. km). In the northeast it borders with Korea. In the north it borders with Mongolia, Russia, in the west with the inaccessible Himalayan mountains and the Tibetan plateau. In the southwest with Afghanistan, Nepal, Bunat, Pakistan and India. In the south with Vietnam, Laos, Burma. in the east and southeast of the coast of China they are washed by the waters of East China and South China, Yellow seas and has maritime borders with Japan, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Length coastline the main continent is 18,000 km, excluding about 5,000 islands. The land border is 22,000 km.
Three-level Administrative division: provinces, counties (cities) and volosts (settlements). China consists of 23 provinces (the 23rd province is Taiwan), 5 autonomous regions: Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and Inner Mongolia, 2 special administrative regions: Hong Kong ( Hong Kong) a former British colony and Macao (Macau) a former Portuguese colony, and 4 cities of central subordination: Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Tianjin. China currently has 32 autonomous regions, 321 cities and 2,046 counties.
The rivers in China are mostly mountainous, so they have great hydropower potential. The two largest rivers are the Yangtze and Yellow River. These include Amur, Sungari, Xijiang, Tsagno, Yalohe. The rivers of eastern China are large and navigable. Western region China is arid, with a small number of rivers: Tarim, Black Irtysh, Ili, Edzin-Gol. The largest rivers in China originate from the Tibetan Plateau and flow into the ocean.
Major rivers of China
- Yangtze (length 6300 km; basin area - 1.8 million sq. km)
- Yellow River (length 5460 km; basin area - 0.75 million sq. km)
- Heilongjiang (length 3420 km; basin area - 1.6 million sq. km)
- Zhujiang (length 2200 km. Basin area - 0.45 million sq. km)
- Lancangjiang (length 2200 km. Basin area - 0.24 million sq. km)
- Nujiang (length 2000 km. Area - 0.12 million sq. km)
China is rich not only in rivers, but also in lakes. There are two main types: tectonic and water-erosive. The former are located in the central Asian part of the country, and the latter in the Yangtze River system. In the western part of China, the largest lakes are: Lop Nor, Kununor, Ebi-Nur. Lakes are especially numerous on the Tibetan Plateau. Most of the lowland lakes, as well as rivers, are low-water, many are drainless and saline. In the eastern part of China the largest are: Dongting, Poyanghu, Taihu, located in the Yangtze River basin; Hongzohu and Gaoihu are in the Yellow River basin. During high water, many of these lakes become the country's natural reservoirs.
Large lakes of China
- Qinghai - Area 4583 sq. km. Depth 32.8 m. Height 3196 m. Qinghai. Salty
- Shinkai - Area 4500 sq. km. Depth 10 m. Height 69 m. Heilongjiang. Fresh
- Poyang - Area 3583 sq. km. Depth 16 m. Height 21 m. Jiangxi. Fresh
- Dongting - Area 2820 sq. km. Depth 30.8 m. Height 34.5 m. Hunan. Fresh
- Taihu - Area 2425 sq. km. Depth 3.33 m. Height 3.0 m. Jiangsu. Fresh
- Hulunhu - Area 2315 sq. km. Depth 8.0 m. Height 545.5 m. Inner Mongolia. Fresh
- Hongzehu - Area 1960 sq. km. Depth 4.75 m. Height 12.5 m. Jiangsu. Fresh
- Namtso - Area 1940 sq. km. Height 4593 m. Tibet. Salty
- Selling - Area 1530 sq. km. Height 4514 m. Tibet. Salty
Flora
The climate in China ranges from severe cold (-40 degrees) to sultry heat (up to +40 degrees Celsius) with large temperature changes. In the north of China there is a rainy season, in the south there is a humid, hot summer. Typhoons are frequent on the southeast coast. In China, cedar, larch, linden, oak, laurel, walnut, maple, magnolia, Japanese camellia, bamboo, palm trees, ash, and birch grow. The vegetation is varied. Many plants began to be cultivated and grown at home. The Tibetan Plateau is dominated by low and herbaceous vegetation of Tibetan sedge and swampweed. In the valleys of the eastern part of the highlands there are coniferous and deciduous forests.
Fauna
The diversity of the animal world in China is associated with big sizes and heterogeneity of relief and climate. Animal and vegetable world China is very diverse. There are unique animals: panda, leopard, tiger, elephant, wild yak, deer, elk, bear, sable, musk deer. In the northeast: elk, musk deer, roe deer, wild boar, chipmunk, squirrel. In the steppes of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang there are many ungulates, including the Mongolian gazelle and saiga. In the taiga of Heilujiang province there are Brown bear, wolf, fox, lynx. Within the Greater Khingan there are predators - tigers and leopards, as well as fur animals- Siberian weasel, solongoi, polecat, otter, lynx, squirrel, raccoon dog, wolf, badger. Wolves live on the plains, and rodents such as gerbils are found in abundance. In southwest China, the most interesting animals live in Sichuan and Yunnan. In the bamboo groves in the mountains there are big and small pandas and musk deer. Among the ungulates in Tibet there are yak, orongo antelope, cucuyaman sheep, kiang, wild goats, and among predators - Snow Leopard, Tibetan bear, lynx, wolf, red wolf, corsac fox, rodents – gray hamster, Tibetan boibak. In Southern China there are tiger, clouded leopard, and arboreal animals - tupaya and fruit bats. Birds: bustards, herons, swans, cranes, ducks, blue magpie, pheasant, oriole. In the northeastern region: black grouse, kosach, gray and white partridge, stone capercaillie, hazel grouse, Himalayan snowcock, sand grouse, kuksha, three-toed woodpecker, nutcracker, crossbill, pink lentil.