1. Chapter 15 Section 1 China: Land of the Three Rivers

2. Chapter 15 Section 1 China: Land of the Three Rivers

3. Western China Rugged terrain acts as a barrier
-caused slow culture development
Why is Western China less populated than
Eastern China?
Harsh geographic conditions.
Geographic Features
Large mountain ranges
-The Himalayas separate China from India and
contains the worlds highest mountains
Plateaus
-A plateau is a high area of flat land
-The Plateau of Tibet is 13,000 feet above sea
level and is called “The Roof of The World”
Deserts
-Western China has two deserts and both stretch
across Northwestern China
-Taklimakan (TAH kluh muh KAHN) is the
second largest sand desert in the world
-Gobi Desert is a high elevation desert shared
by China and Mongolia and is about 5 times the
size of Colorado.
Western China

4. There are three major rivers in China
Eastern China
Geographic Feature
There are three major rivers in China
1. Huang He
or “Yellow River”
deposits silt on NE China Plain making rich farmland.
It floods so often it is called “China’s Sorrow”
2. Chang Jiang
or “Yangtze River”
is 3,915 miles long, the longest in Asia
3. Xi Jiang
or “West River”
flows through SE China
is a major transportation route.
The Three Gorges Dam
built on the Chang Jiang, is a barrier designed to help prevent flooding
Also generates “Hydroelectric Power” from water driven engines

6. Eastern China Rivers Rivers are critical to farming
Spring floods deposit silt
Makes fertile soil for growing crops along the banks
Because of the rich, flat river basins, most Chinese farmers live in Eastern China river valleys
Transport people and goods
Connect China’s inland with the coast

7. Life in Western China Climate Resources
Thinly populated
High mountains are cold year round & Summers are cool and sunny
Wild sheep and mountain antelope roam the highlands and wildcats
Deserts get little rain
Desert temperature range from 0` in winter to more than 120` in summer
Many highlanders are “Nomadic Herders”
Major resources are petroleum, natural gas, and lead.
Pipelines carry oil and natural gas to the east.

8. Life in Eastern China Milder climate than Western China
Northeastern China has cold winters and warm summers with enough rain to grow crops
Forest regions provide homes for leopards, deer, and more than 265 kinds of birds
Forest regions consist of wild teas, citrus, oak, and pine trees
Inland areas are filled with alligators, giant salamanders, monkeys, and pangolins
Endangered Pandas are China’s most treasured animal

9. Life in Eastern China Bamboo is an important culture product.
Pandas eat bamboo
Used in some construction
Chopsticks are made from the wooden stems of bamboo
Farming
Most farmland is located in Eastern China
Farmers grow rice, wheat, soybeans, and millet

10. Life in Eastern China Natural Resources
Tin and Iron
35% of worlds coal
80% of worlds coal mining death occur in China
Natural Disasters
Serve floods
Displaced and killed millions over the last 100 years
Has destroyed forest and farmlands in past years
Creates disease
Seismic (syz mihk) or earthquakes
China has many fault lines
Death tolls are higher in China because of dense population
Destroys roads, canals, sewers, hospitals, factories, and homes
Tangshan is called the “Brave City of China” because of a 1976 earthquake that killed 250,000 people and injured more than a half million. 90% of homes were destroyed.

11. Chp 15 sec 1 Review
Describe the geographical features of both Western and Eastern China.
How are the climates of Western and Eastern China different?
Explain how floods and earthquakes have affected China.