Geography and Heritage of China Chapter 15 Section

Geography and Heritage of China Chapter 15 Section 1

Physical Barriers The Chinese felt that they lived in the center of the earth n Natural barriers kept china from contact with other cultures n They did see some people from the outside who came to trade with them but contact was limited n

China n n n Most people live in the Eastern part of the country Here they can farm Mountains and Plateaus cover 80 % of china and limit farming Only about 10% of the land in China is good farm land To create farmland some farmers cut terraces into the side of hills

Regions of China n n n China had 6 main regions 2 of which lie in the densely populated eastern part of the country These are know as the heartland or north and south china

North China n n n North China has warm or hot summers and cold winters Rainfall varies greatly from year to year- some years brought flood and others drought Wheat and Millet are the chief food crops of North China also has two major cities Tianjin is a manufacturing center Beijing is the capital of China and has a major impact on cultural and political affairs of China

South China is much richer than North China in both farmland industrial production n The Mild humid climate allows farmers to grow rice, cotton, tea, vegetables and other crops n Because South China is hilly people crowd into river valleys and around lakes n

North Eastern China/ Manchuria n n The Chinese are trying to develop this areas natural resources Including oil, iron, aluminum, coal, lead and zinc Because of its cold climate it is sparsely populated The Government offers special rewards for moving to this area

Gobi Desert and Xinjiang The Gobi Desert has extremely hot summers and bitterly cold winters n The Government has tried to improve irrigation to promote farming n Xinjiang is a important oil producing area n The government is also trying to irrigate this are so it can produce wheat and cotton n Xinjiang is home to many non Chinese n

Xizang or Tibet Xizang sits among several mountain ranges including the Himalayas n Farming is possible in some valleys but most areas are barren and treeless n China has tried to develop hydroelectric power in the rivers of the area n The region also has mineral wealth that will benefit China in the future n

Rivers n n n Since ancient times 3 rivers have played an important role in Chinese culture These rivers serve as transportation routes as well as water for crops Despite the danger of floods hundreds of millions of Chinese live in the river valleys

Huang He (Yellow River) The Huang He wanders thousands of miles across northern China and empties into the Yellow Sea n The name comes from the yellow-brown soil called “loess” that winds carry across the North China Plain and into the river n This soil is fertile and enriches the land n

Huang He n n n The Huang He is also know as the “River of Sorrow” In 1931 a flood destroyed the crops and 4 million people died Flooding occurs when loess clogs the river beds After heavy rains the river will overflow its banks The floods do bring one benefit the flood water spreads a fertile layer of silt over the land

The Chang or Yangzi River n n n n The Yangzi carries much of China’s trade For centuries large ships have sailed hundreds of miles upriver At the mouth of the river is the port city of Shanghai In recent years the Chinese developed dams to create hydroelectric power However the Three Gorges Dam has sparked furious debate The government said the benefits out weigh the environmental costs Critics point out that it would force a million people off of their farm land

Xi or West River n n The third major water way in China It allows the goods of South China to reach the world through the port city of Guangzhou Tens of millions of Chinese are crowded into the Xi delta Ample water, favorable climate and good soil allow farmers to produce two or three crops a year

The Population n n About 95% of the population are ethnically Chinese or Han These people do not all speak the same dialect of Chinese This means that people from one area can not communicate with those in another The Chinese have tried to solve this problem by making mandarin the official language of the state

Questions from today? n n n n n What percentage of land in china is good for faming? Define a terrace? How many regions does china have? Describe North China? Describe South China? What is “Loess”? What causes the Yellow River to flood? What is the controversy surrounding the Chang River? What is the major function of the Xi or West River? What is the official language of China?