Geographic Settings of China

Chapter 15 Section 1Pages 323-327

By: Shanna N.

Basics• China was thought to be the center of

the Earth• Covers a huge area of Asia & is one of

the largest nations in the world• Physical barriers include the Gobi

Desert, the Mongolian & Tibetan plateaus, & the Himalaya Mountains (largest in the world)

• Mountains & rain forests separate China from Southeast Asia

These physical barriers limited These physical barriers limited contact with other contact with other civilizations in the civilizations in the early agesearly ages but still continued:but still continued:

– Trading goods to Trading goods to India & Middle India & Middle East countries East countries

– Buddhism Buddhism carried to Chinacarried to China

– Invaders coming Invaders coming and spreading and spreading ideas & ideas & technologiestechnologies

• Home to 1.2 billion people (1/5 of the worlds population today) but most Chinese crowd to the eastern third of the country

WHY??• Mountains & plateaus cover over 80% of

China• Many people are farmers so they need

fertile soil to grow their crops which in China there is only 10% of good farming land

• People have built into hills & mountains because of limited land for farming

Regions• Six main regions• 2 of the 6 regions lay in the Chinese

heartland which is North & South China– home to China’s 1st civilization

• The 4 other regions include the Northwest, Mongolia, Xinjiang & Xizang

North & South ChinaNorth & South China(the heartland)(the heartland)

North ChinaNorth China Has warm summers & Has warm summers &

cold winterscold winters Unpredictable rainfallUnpredictable rainfall Main crops are wheat & Main crops are wheat &

milletmillet Main cities are the Main cities are the

capital Beijing & capital Beijing & TianjinTianjin

South ChinaSouth China Richer in farming & Richer in farming &

industry growingindustry growing Grows rice, cotton, tea, Grows rice, cotton, tea,

vegetables & other vegetables & other cropscrops

People are packed into People are packed into farmlands near bodies farmlands near bodies of waterof water

The Northeast & Mongolia

NortheastWas known as Manchuria where they conquered China in the 1600sGovernment is developing many new resourcesDue to cold climate, population is very small

MongoliaHarsh climateSummers are particularly hot & winters are very coldGovernment is working on improving irrigation, which will promote farming

Xinjiang & XizangXinjiang & XizangXinjiangXinjiang

Oil-producing Oil-producing regionregion

May start May start producing wheat producing wheat & cotton& cotton

Home to Muslim Home to Muslim Uighurs, Kazakhs, Uighurs, Kazakhs, & Kyrgyz& Kyrgyz

XizangXizang Known as TibetKnown as Tibet Region is along the Region is along the

Himalayas where it Himalayas where it is barren & treelessis barren & treeless

Developing Developing hydroelectric hydroelectric powerpower

Rich in mineralsRich in minerals

Rivers•3 main rivers include the

Huang He, Chang, & Xi Rivers•Millions of Chinese work on

river valleys risking flooding but technology has helped by building dikes and canals

Huang He River• A.K.A. the Yellow River due to it emptying

into the Yellow Sea & from its yellow-brown soil called loess from which the wind carries across the North China Plain

• Floods frequently due to loess clogging the riverbed & heavy rains

• The only advantage of flooding is the end result of the fertile soil after it dries

Chang River

• Also known as the Yangzi which carries most of China’s trade

• Busiest port city is Shanghai• Government debates over hydroelectric

power worrying that there will be so much power which can harm the environment and cause flooding ensuing 1 million people to move out of their homes

Xi RiverXi River Or known as the West River flowing Or known as the West River flowing

through South Chinathrough South China Major port is Guangzhou which ships Major port is Guangzhou which ships

goods to all over the worldgoods to all over the world Tens of millions of Chinese live in Xi Tens of millions of Chinese live in Xi

delta for its ample water, good delta for its ample water, good climate, & excellent soil climate, & excellent soil

People• 95% of the people are

Han (ethnic Chinese)• Minorities are the

Mongols, Tibetans, & Tajiks

• Everyone speaks different forms or dialects of Chinese

• Official language = Mandarian

THE END