China’s Geography

Location and Landforms Home to 1.3 billion people 3.7 million square miles Eastern 1/3 of country: live in arable(farmable) land Western China: nomadic herders People make terraces on hills for farmland

China vs. the U. S. in Size China United States

Comparing China & the U. S. United States Size 3.7 million square miles 3.6 million square miles Main physical barrier Himalayas Rockies Main River Yangtze / East - West Mississippi / North – South Population East Coast Connectivity problems North - South East - West

Regions of China There are Six Main Regions of China 1. North China 2. South China 3. The Northeast 4. Mongolia 5. Xinjiang (sheen jee ahng) 6. Xizang (shee dzahng)

B. North China: Major city: Beijing Manufacturing center and China’s capital Warm or hot summers and cold winters. Rainfall varies greatly and farmers never know how much to expect. C. South China: much richer farming and industrial region. Grow rice, cotton, tea, vegetables and many other crops D. Manchuria: home to the Manchu who conquered China during the 1600s (Cold Climate)

E. Gobi Desert: summers are extremely hot and winters are bitterly cold F. Xinjiang: important oil-producing region G. Tibet- sits among several mountain ranges, including the Himalayas - Since taking over Tibet in 1950, China has tried to develop its rivers for hydroelectric power. Tibet has wanted freedom for years from China.

Major Rivers Huang He: Yellow River 1000s of miles long “River of Sorrow” because of floods: but silt is a positive outcome Chang (Yangtze) River Carries much of China’s trade Shanghai Hydroelectric power along the river: Three Gorges Dam Xi River (West River) South China

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

People 92% of the people who make up China’s population are Han, or ethnic Chinese Minority groups: Mongols, Tibetans Many different dialects but Mandarin, which is spoken in North China, is the country’s official language

Fact Check… How many people are found in China? Where do most of these people live? How many regions are found in China? Where is most of the manufacturing and industry found? Name one important River in China. What has helped keep China so isolated from the rest of the world? What is the official language of China? Most Chinese are of this ethnic background

Resources Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY World Cultures: A Global Mosaic