China’s Geography Ms中国地理学质谱. Wilda.ppt

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. China 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 East Coast Connectivity problems North - South East - West 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. 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 Huang-He River Yellow Sea Yangtze River Pacific Ocean Amur River Xi River SouthChinaSea Sea of Japan 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