Geographical location. natural conditions and population of Ancient China. China: Mountains and plains

China is a country located in East Asia. Russia, Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are the countries with which China borders. The country's territory is washed by such seas as the South China Sea, the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. As part of the Chinese People's Republic includes several islands, including the island of Taiwan.

The territory of China is usually divided into two parts, which have a whole range of differences, ranging from natural to historical features. Thus, the western part of the state has a rather low population density and also has a continental climate. The southwestern part of China is home to the highest plateau (world scale is meant here) - Tibet, around which are located the highest mountain systems - the Himalayas, Karakorum, Nan Shan, Kun Lun. To the north of these mountain systems are concentrated lower mountains, such as the Mongolian Altai and Tien Shan. In fairly extensive intermountain basins and flat areas of the northern and northwestern parts of the country there are deserts - Alashan, Taklamakan, Gobi. This territory has a predominantly sharply continental, dry climate.

The eastern part of the country is characterized by a predominance of plateaus, as well as low- and mid-mountain massifs. These are the Loess Plateau, Greater Khingan, Manchurian-Korean Mountains, Lesser Khingan and others. It is not for nothing that the Great Chinese Plain bears its proud name. It occupies a significant part of the area of Eastern China. It experiences a monsoonal, humid climate that ranges from temperate in the northeast to tropical in the southeast. The Yangtze and Yellow River are considered to be one of the largest rivers in China; the Yellow River is also called the Yellow River. The mountains of western China are also the starting point for such Asian rivers as the Ganges, Indus, Mekong, and Brahmaputra. Kukunor, Dongting and Poyang are the largest lakes in China. Together with Russia, China shares Lake Hanku - China owns the northern part of the lake, and Russia owns the southern part.

The climatic features of the PRC are such that in the west of the country cattle breeding (nomadic) is considered more developed, while in the east of the country agriculture predominates.

Mineral resources are considered the main wealth of China. China ranks first in the world in terms of coal reserves. In addition, China is rich in reserves of oil, polymetallic and iron ores. The country has significant reserves of rare metals. Of the main mining regions of the country, southern Manchuria and the southeastern part should be highlighted.

China is located in East Asia and occupies a huge area (9.6 million km²), as a result of which the country's geography is very diverse. China is mainly a mountainous country, with mountains, plateaus and hills occupying more than 67% of the country's territory. The population is concentrated mainly on the plains and river valleys, while vast areas remain virtually uninhabited.

Geographical location

Geography of China

The People's Republic of China is located in East Asia, on the western coast of the Pacific Ocean. The area of the territory is 9.6 million square kilometers, which is slightly less than the area of all of Europe. In terms of area, China ranks third in the world after Russia and Canada, ahead of the United States. The PRC extends 5,200 kilometers from west to east and 5,500 kilometers from north to south. The easternmost point of China（135°2′30''E） is the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri rivers, the westernmost point（73°40′E） is the Pamir Mountains, the southernmost point is（3°51′N） the Lidi Shoal among the Spratly Islands, the northernmost is the fairway of the Amur River in Mohe County, where the border with Russia passes. From east to west, China stretches 60 degrees, crossing five time zones (However, all of China lives according to a single time, Beijing time).

From the east, China is washed by the seas of the Pacific Ocean: South China, East China, Yellow and Bohai Gulf of the Yellow Sea, which is considered by Chinese geographers to be a separate sea. The total length of China's coastline is 18,000 km. From the rest three sides China has a land border with a total length of 22,117 km with 14 countries: in the northeast with the DPRK and Russia, in the north with Mongolia, in the northwest with Russia and Kazakhstan, in the west with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan, in the southwest - with Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan and in the south - with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. China also has maritime boundaries with Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

Geology

The geology of China is quite diverse. China is located entirely on the Eurasian tectonic plate, on the Chinese platform. It consists of three blocks: the Sino-Korean, South China and Tarim platforms, which in some places emerge on the surface in the form of crystalline Precambrian rocks. The crystalline basement is covered with a thick sedimentary cover, consisting of Proterozoic, Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks. On the southwestern border of China, the Hindustan plate collides with the Eurasian plate, forming the Himalayan mountains and the Tibetan plateau at the point of collision. The northwest and northeast of China are occupied by alluvial plains covered with sedimentary rocks. In the center lies the Great Chinese Plain, the world's largest deposit of Quaternary loess. The thickness of the sedimentary cover reaches 10 kilometers. In Southern China there are limestone mountains composed of Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. Many remains of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals have been discovered in China.

Part of China's territory is seismically active. The greatest risk of earthquakes is noted in the western mountains: Tien Shan, Kunlun, Altai, in the Trans-Himalayas and southeast of Tibet, in the provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan. On the plains of the east of the country, the seismic regime is irregular; between earthquakes there are many-year periods of calm. Earthquakes often occur in areas that, according to geological data, should not be seismic. Because of this, disasters in the east claim more victims. For example, the earthquake in Shaanxi province in 1556 killed more than 830 thousand people.

Relief

Relief of China

The relief of China is very diverse. The main feature is that the landscape descends from west to east in three steps. The highest part is the Tibetan Plateau with the Himalaya mountain range in the southwest of the country. Most of China is occupied by a belt of mountains, plateaus and highlands. The third part is the accumulative plains, located in the East, near the coast.

Tibetan plateau

But in the southwest of China are the Himalayas - the world's highest mountain range, separating China from South Asia. On the Chinese border there are 9 of the 14 “eight-thousanders” - the highest mountains on Earth, exceeding 8,000 meters. On the border of China and Nepal there is Chomolungma (Everest) - the highest mountain on Earth (8,848 meters), and on the border of China with Pakistan - Chogori (K2) - the second highest mountain on the planet (8,611 meters). Other “eight-thousanders” in China are Lhotse (8,516 meters, 4th in the world), Makalu (8,481, 5th in the world), Cho Oyu (8,201 meters, 6th in the world), Gasherbrum I (Hidden -peak), Gasherbrum II (Broad Peak), Gasherbrum II (8,080, 8,051 and 8,035 meters, 11th, 12th and 13th mountains in the world) and Shishabangma (8,027 meters, 14th in the world). Shishabangma is the highest mountain entirely within China, while Mount Chogori and the three Gasherbrum peaks are located in the Karakoram mountain range, adjacent to the Himalayas from the North-West.

North of the Himalayas lies the Tibetan Plateau, the largest and highest plateau in the world. Its area is more than 2 million square kilometers, and its average height exceeds 4,500 meters. On all sides, the Tibetan Plateau is bordered by mountain ranges, in addition to the Himalayas, from the north-west by the Kunlun Range it is separated from the Tarim Basin, and from the north-east by the Qilianshan Mountains from the Gansu Corridor and the Inner Mongolian Plateau. From the east the highland passes into the Sino-Tibetan mountains, and from the west it is limited by the Karakoram Mountains.

Northwestern China

To the north of the Tibetan Plateau is the endorheic Tarim Basin, in the center of which is the Taklamakan Desert. In addition to the desert, the Tarim Basin is home to the Turfan Depression, the deepest in East Asia (154 meters below sea level). Even further north, behind the highest Tien Shan mountain range, is the Dzungarian Plain. To the east are high plateaus covered with steppes, semi-deserts and deserts. Inner Mongolia is located on the Mongolian Plateau with an average altitude of 1,000 m. Most of the plateau is occupied by the Alashan and Gobi deserts. South of the Mongolian Plateau are the Ordos Plateau and the Loess Plateau. This plateau is rich in loess, deposits of river sediments, is very fertile and subject to erosion, as a result of which it is heavily indented by ravines and river valleys.

Northeast China

Northeast China (or Dongbei, Manchuria) is a fairly flat region. The Chinese Northeast Plain, or Songliao Plain, located here is one of the largest in China. On three sides, the plain is surrounded by low mountain ranges - the Greater Khingan from the northwest, the Lesser Khingan from the northeast, and Changbai Shan from the southeast.

Northern China

Northern China is occupied by vast plains: the Liaohes Plain in Manchuria, the North China Plain in the lower reaches of the Yellow River, and the lower Yangtze Plain south of it. The vast plains are made up of enormous amounts of river sediment and are extremely fertile. It is the cradle of Chinese civilization and one of the country's main agricultural areas.

Southeast China

Southeast China occupies the area from the Qinling Mountains to the Huaiyanshan Range, including the island of Taiwan. The terrain here is mostly mountainous, interspersed with river valleys, sometimes wide. The Sichuan Basin stands apart, surrounded on all sides by mountains.

South China

Karst terrain in southern China

Southern China covers the extreme south of Yunnan, Guangxi and Guangdong, as well as Hainan Island. The landscape here is hilly, with low but very beautiful mountains of karst origin. Southern China is located in a tropical climate zone.

Southwest China

Southwestern China includes the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Sino-Tibetan Mountains adjacent to it from the west. This is a remote mountainous region, densely intersected by numerous deep river valleys. The valleys of the Salween, Mekong and Yangtze rivers reach three kilometers in depth.

Minerals

China is very rich in mineral resources. China ranks third in the world in terms of coal reserves. Coal deposits are located in abundance in central and northern China. These are mainly coal deposits.

Oil fields are located on the coastal shelf: in the Bohai Gulf and the South China Sea. The country's largest oil field is Daqing, located in Northeast China.

There are numerous iron ore deposits in Northern and Northeastern China. There are also deposits of manganese, titanium, chromium, tungsten, aluminum, copper, nickel, tin, mercury, zinc, lead, antimony, tantalum, niobium, sulfur, phosphates, asbestos, magnesite and many other minerals. In 2007, China came out on top in the world in gold mining.

Soils

China's soils are diverse following its overall geography. In Northeast China, fertile dark meadow soils are common, and black soils are found along the Songhua River. The north-west of the country is covered with gray-brown desert, mountain-steppe and mountain-meadow soils, gray soils. Often the soils are saline due to the arid climate and require irrigation.

On the coast of the Yellow Sea, salinity is associated with sea activity. Agriculture in the Yellow River delta becomes possible after the salts are washed away. The plains are characterized by fertile alluvial soils or red soils. Loess plateaus are also fertile, but are highly susceptible to erosion.

The properties of China's soils change greatly with intensive human use. Deforestation and grazing in the north lead to desertification of the land.

Inland waters

There are about 50,000 rivers in China with a basin of more than 100 square kilometers. Their total length is more than 420 thousand kilometers. Of these, 1,500 rivers have basins with an area of over a thousand square kilometers. Most rivers in China flow from west to east, and flow into one of the seas of the Pacific Ocean. Since ancient times, frequent floods forced the Chinese to build irrigation structures: dams, diversion canals and reservoirs.

Yangtze

The Yangtze River with a length of more than 6,300 km and a basin area of 1.8 million square meters. km is the longest river in China, and the third in the world, after the Amazon and the Nile. The Yangtze originates in the mountains of the Tibetan Plateau. In the upper reaches the river is winding, narrow and fast, making its way through narrow mountain gorges. Between the cities of Fengzi and Yichang of the Yangtze there is a section called Sanxia - "Three Gorges". The largest hydroelectric power station, Sanxia, was built here. After the Three Gorges, the Yangtze slows down, entering the plain, and becomes wide and deep.

The Yangtze receives more than 700 tributaries, the largest of which are the Han, Yalongjiang, Minjiang and Jialingjiang. In addition, Yangjia is connected to lakes Dongting, Poyanghu and Taihu, and about 500 large reservoirs have been built on it.

Yellow River

Yellow River in Lanzhou

The second longest river in China is the Yellow River, with a length of 5,464 km and a basin area of 752 thousand square meters. km. The Yellow River also begins in the Tibetan Plateau, loops around the Ordos Plateau, passes through the North China Plain and flows into the Bohai Gulf of the Yellow Sea. The Yellow River is one of the heaviest sediment-bearing rivers in the world, carrying large amounts of loess particles that settle downstream, raising the river bed above the surrounding plain. In ancient times, this led to river overflows, colossal floods and changes in the river bed. Now it is surrounded by numerous dams and canals.

Other rivers

Other major rivers are the Amur (Heilongjiang), Zhujiang (Pearl River), Huaihe, Liaohe, Haihe, Qiantang and Lancangjiang. Huge value has the Great Chinese Canal, dug in the 7th-13th centuries. along the ocean coast between the Haihe, Yellow and Yangtze rivers.

Approximately 40% of the territory in the west of the country is drainless. The rivers here do not flow into the ocean, but end in inland lakes or evaporate in the desert.

China also owns vast territorial waters located in the Yellow, East and South China Seas of the Pacific Ocean. China owns more than 5 thousand islands. The coastline is different, and is divided into two types. To the north of Hangzhou Bay the coast is mostly flat and sandy, to the south it is steep and rocky.

Climate

Distribution of average annual precipitation

The climate of individual regions of China is determined by the country's large latitudinal extent, as well as its distance from the sea. In the south, on the island of Hainan, the climate is tropical, in the northeast - temperate. Most of the country is in the temperate climate zone. The coast is located in the monsoon climate zone. In southern China, average temperatures range from 10°C in January to 28°C in July. In the north, the annual temperature difference is higher. In winter, the temperature in Heilongjiang Province can reach -30°C. The difference in precipitation is even higher than in temperature, but it does not depend on latitude, but on the distance from the sea. The wettest regions are the southeastern ones, which suffer from monsoon downpours and hurricanes in the summer, the driest regions are the northwestern ones, with virtually no precipitation falling in the Taklamakan, Gobi and Ordos deserts located here. Every spring, northern China is hit by sandstorms from the Gobi Desert, often reaching as far as Korea and Japan.

Flora

Bamboo in Huangshan Mountains

China's vegetation is greatly affected by human land use. There are practically no forests left on the plains; indigenous forests are preserved only in mountainous areas. In the northeast of China, in the Amur basin, coniferous taiga grows, mainly from larch and Korean cedar. As you move south, deciduous species become more and more common: oak, linden, maple and walnut. In central China, sub-tropical forests of laurel, camellia and magnolia begin. Southern China is occupied by tropical forests, while western Yunnan is covered with savanna.

Bamboo

Bamboo is the country's most famous plant, symbolizing China. There are 35 species of it in the country. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world, which contributes to its good renewability. Young bamboo shoots and roots are used for food; the wood is used as building material, for the production of pulp, furniture, water pipes, chopsticks, household items. The fibers are used to make ropes and mats.

Flora of the west of the country

The western part of the country is covered mainly by shrub and grass vegetation. Small groves are found in river valleys and on mountain slopes. A few extremely hardy plant species grow in the Tibetan Plateau, and alpine meadows and small coniferous forests are sometimes found.

Fauna

China is home to many species of animals, but deforestation and hunting of wild animals causes great damage to the fauna. Large animals survived only in remote mountainous areas.

Aquatic fauna

The seas surrounding China are rich in plankton, abundant food and warm water are the basis of biodiversity. Among the invertebrates, sea cucumbers, shrimps and cuttlefish are numerous. There are more than a thousand species of fish in the coastal waters of the country, as well as in rivers and lakes, 50 of which are of commercial importance. The most common are croakers (perches) and carp.

Birds

China is home to more than a thousand species of birds. Some of them, such as the Manchurian crane, are endemic.

Mammals

In the northeast there are deer, wild boars, hares, foxes and sable. Eastern China is home to wolves, foxes, bears, raccoons, tigers and lynxes. The north-west is inhabited by animals of deserts and steppes: gazelle, gazelle, wild camels, Przewalski's horses, kulans, wolves, corsacs, jerboas, hamsters, ground squirrels, marmots. Tibet is home to highland animals: orongo antelope, cucuyaman sheep, kiang, wild yaks, mountain goats, hares, Tibetan bobak, Tibetan bear, lynx, wolf and red wolf among predators. In the south you can find tropical animals: tigers, leopards, snow leopards, golden monkeys, lorises, gibbons, giant squirrels, flying dogs, Malayan palm martens.

Giant panda

China's national treasure is the Giant Panda, which lives in the mountains of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces and feeds on bamboo shoots. The Big Panda is a relict species that has survived since ice age. Pandas were hunted in large numbers in the past and are now endangered. The panda is protected by law, and killing it is punishable by death.

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Geography of China

Introduction

China is a developed state in East Asia, the largest country in the world by population (over 1.3 billion), and ranks third in the world in terms of territory, behind Russia and Canada.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in December 1949, four Constitutions were adopted (in 1954, 1975, 1978 and 1982). In accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China (December 1982), the PRC is a socialist state under the democratic dictatorship of the people. The highest body of state power is the unicameral National People's Congress (NPC), consisting of 2,979 deputies elected by regional people's congresses for a period of 5 years. Sessions of the NPC are convened on an annual basis. Due to the large number of deputies in the period between sessions, the functions of the NPC are performed by a standing committee elected from among the delegates (about 150 people). Only deputies from the Communist Party of China and the eight so-called democratic parties included in the People's Political Party are allowed to participate in the elections advisory board China (CPPCC). Their own legislative bodies operate in the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau. All NPC deputies are representatives of the bloc of communists and democrats. Chairman of the People's Republic of China - Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. This is a representative of the fourth generation of country leaders. The transition of power to this generation began in 2002, when Hu Jintao replaced Jiang Zemin as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. In March 2003, Hu Jintao was elected chairman of the People's Republic of China, and in September 2004 - chairman of the Central Military Council (CMC) of the CPC Central Committee. Previously, all these posts were also held by Jiang Zemin. On March 8, 2005, a session of the Chinese Parliament (National People's Congress) approved Jiang Zemin's request to resign from the post of Chairman of the Central Military Council of the PRC. Later, this post was also taken by Hu Jintao, which completed the process of change of power in senior management countries.

What is it washed with, what does it border on?

From the east, China is washed by the waters of the western seas of the Pacific Ocean. The area of China is 9.6 million km?. China is the most big country in Asia. The total length of China's land borders is 22,117 km with 14 countries. The coast of China stretches from the border with North Korea in the north to Vietnam in the south and has a length of 14,500 km. China is bordered by the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea and South China Sea. The island of Taiwan is separated from the mainland by the Taiwan Strait.

Climate

China's climate is very diverse - from subtropical in the south to temperate in the north. On the coast, the weather is determined by the monsoons, which occur due to the different absorption properties of the land and ocean. Seasonal air movements and accompanying winds contain large number moisture in summer and quite dry in winter. The arrival and departure of the monsoons largely determine the amount and distribution of rainfall across the country. The huge differences in latitude, longitude and altitude across China give rise to a wide variety of temperature and meteorological regimes, despite the fact that most of the country lies in the temperate climate region.

More than 2/3 of the country is occupied by mountain ranges, highlands and plateaus, deserts and semi-deserts. Approximately 90% of the population lives in coastal areas and floodplains big rivers, such as the Yangtze, Yellow River (Yellow River) and Pearl. These areas are in a difficult ecological condition as a result of long and intensive agricultural cultivation and environmental pollution.

The northernmost province of China, Heilongjiang, has a temperate climate similar to that of Vladivostok and Khabarovsk, while the southern island of Hainan is in the tropics. The temperature difference between these regions is large during the winter months, but the difference decreases in summer. In the northern part of Heilongjiang, temperatures in January can drop to -30 °C, with average temperatures around 0 °C. The average July temperature in this area is 20 °C. In the southern parts of Guangdong, the average temperature ranges from 10 °C in January to 28 °C in July. Precipitation changes even more than temperature. On the southern slopes of the Qinling Mountains, numerous rains fall, the maximum of which occurs during the summer monsoons. As you move north and west of the mountains, the likelihood of rain decreases. The northwestern regions of the country are the driest; in the deserts located there (Taklamakan, Gobi, Ordos) there is practically no precipitation.

The southern and eastern regions of China often (about 5 times a year) suffer from destructive typhoons, as well as floods, monsoons, tsunamis and droughts. The northern regions of China are covered every spring by yellow dust storms, which originate in the northern deserts and are carried by winds towards Korea and Japan

Water resources

China has many rivers, with a total length of 220,000 km. Over 5,000 of them carry water collected from an area of more than 100 square meters. km each. China's rivers form internal and external systems. The external rivers are the Yangtze, Yellow River, Heilongjiang, Zhujiang, Lancang, Nujiang and Yalutsangpo, which have access to the Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans, their total drainage area covers about 64% of the country's territory. Inland rivers, the number of which is small, are significantly distant from each other and have become shallow in most areas. They flow into the lakes of the interior or are lost in deserts or salt marshes; their drainage area covers about 36% of the country's territory.

There are many lakes in China, the total area they occupy is approximately 80,000 square meters. km. There are also thousands of artificial lakes - reservoirs. Lakes in China can also be divided into external and internal. The external ones include mainly freshwater lakes rich in aquatic products, such as Poyanghu, Dongtinghu and Taihu. Inland lakes include salt lakes, the largest of which is Lake Qinghai. Among the lakes in the interior, many are dry, such as Lob Nor and Juyan.

Relief

China's topography is very diverse, with high mountains, depressions, deserts and vast plains. There are usually three major geographic regions:

· The Tibetan Plateau, with an altitude of more than 2000 m above sea level, is located in the southwest of the country

· The belt of mountains and high plains has heights of 200-2000 m, located in the northern part

· Low accumulative plains below 200 m in height and low mountains in the northeast, east and south of the country, where most of China's population lives.

The Great Plain of China, the Yellow River Valley and the Yangtze Delta come together near the sea coast, stretching from Beijing in the north to Shanghai in the south. The basin of the Pearl River (and its main tributary, the Xijiang) is located in southern China and is separated from the Yangtze River basin by the Nanling Mountains and the Wuyi Range (which is a World Heritage Site in China).

In the direction from west to east, the Chinese relief forms three steps. The first of them is the Tibetan Plateau, where altitudes of more than 4000 meters above sea level prevail. The next step is formed by the mountains of Sichuan and Central China, the height of which is from 1500 to 3000 m. Here the vegetation changes sharply, at relatively short distances there is a change natural areas from high mountain cold deserts to subtropical forest. The last step is the fertile plains, occupying altitudes below 1500 m above sea level.

Vegetation

There are about 500 species of bamboo in China, forming 3% of the forests. Bamboo thickets, found in 18 provinces, are not only a habitat for many animals, but also a source of valuable raw materials. Their woody culms (stems) are widely used in industry.

Minerals

China is rich in various types of fuel and raw mineral resources. Reserves of oil, coal, and metal ores are especially important. China has deposits of nearly 150 world-known minerals. The main source of energy in China is coal, its reserves in the country account for 1/3 of the world's reserves. Coal deposits, the reserves of which China is inferior to few countries, are concentrated mainly in Northern China. Large resources are also available in Northwestern China. Other regions, especially the southern ones, are poorer in coal. Most of the deposits are represented by coal. Coal deposits are mainly located in North and Northeast China. The largest coal reserves are concentrated in Shanxi province (30% of total reserves) - Datong and Yangquan coal mines. To others important source energy resource is oil. In terms of oil reserves, China holds a prominent place among the countries of Central, East and Southeast Asia. Oil deposits have been discovered in various areas, but they are most significant in Northeast China (Sungari-Nonni Plain), coastal areas and the shelf of Northern China, as well as in some inland areas - the Dzungarian Basin, Sichuan.

Historical background

Chinese civilization is one of the oldest in the world. According to Chinese scientists, its age may be five thousand years, while the available written sources cover a period of at least 3,500 years. The presence of administrative management systems, which were improved by successive dynasties, and the early development of the largest agricultural centers in the basins of the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, created advantages for the Chinese state, whose economy was based on developed agriculture, compared to its nomadic neighbors and mountaineers. Chinese civilization was further strengthened by the introduction of Confucianism as a state ideology (1st century BC) and a unified writing system.

The defeat of militaristic Japan in August-September 1945 completed the Second world war, liberating the countries of the Asia-Pacific region from Japanese troops. There was a fierce civil war in China.

The Soviet Red Army completely occupied Manchuria, accepting the surrender of most of the Japanese Kwantung Army. By that time, only scattered partisan detachments and reconnaissance groups of Chinese partisans were operating on the territory of Manchuria.

In September 1945, a massive transfer of CCP armed forces began from northern and eastern China to the northeast of the country. By November, about 100 thousand soldiers of the 8th and 4th armies had moved there. From these units, guerrilla forces and local residents, the United Democratic Army (UDA) of the Northeast was formed, which became the backbone of the People's Liberation Army of China.

The Soviet army remained in Manchuria until May 1946. During this time, the Soviet side helped the Chinese communists organize, train and equip new Chinese troops. As a result, when Kuomintang troops began to enter Manchuria in April 1946, they, to their surprise, found there not scattered partisan detachments, but a modern, disciplined communist army.

The White House also became interested in the situation in Manchuria. The first detachment of the US armed forces, consisting of two marine divisions, landed in China in the Tianjin region on September 30, 1945. By the fall, there were already over 100 thousand American troops in China.

The American Expeditionary Forces, mainly Marine Corps units, tried not to interfere in relations between the CCP and the Kuomintang. However, they actively interacted with the armed forces of the legitimate Chinese government - the Kuomintang troops, primarily in accepting the surrender of Japanese troops in Northern and Central China, as well as in maintaining order and protecting various important objects in Chinese cities.

From the very beginning, the command of the Kuomintang troops made a strategic mistake: despite the successes of the first clashes with the UDA in Manchuria, military operations in Northeast China were not completed, the KMT directed its efforts not at fighting the regular troops of the CCP, but at destroying the partisan movement and guerrilla bases in Central, Eastern and Northern China.

Having strengthened with the help of the Soviet side, with the support of the local population, Mao Zedong's troops by the fall of 1948 reached a strength of 600 thousand people. On November 1, the ODA became known as the 4th Field Army. It was headed by Lin Biao.

In November 1948, the 4th Field Army began decisive military operations against the Kuomintang. In a short time, 52 divisions of Chiang Kai-shek were defeated, another 26 divisions, trained by US military instructors, went over to the side of the CPC. At the beginning of 1949, the army entered Northern China, where it united with the troops of the 8th Army of the CPC. On January 15, Tianjin was taken, and on January 22, Beijing.

By the spring of 1949, the armed forces of the CPC liberated all of China north of the Yangtze River and east of Gansu Province from the Kuomintang. By the end of the civil war, the People's Liberation Army was a powerful army of 4 million, the largest in Asia.

On April 24, 1949, CCP troops under the command of Marshal Liu Bocheng entered the capital of Kuomintang China - the city of Nanjing. The Kuomintang government itself moved to the south of the country, to Canton, in February, and then, together with the remnants of troops loyal to it, fled to the island of Taiwan.

At the end of the year, the Chinese People's Liberation Army destroyed the main Kuomintang factions on the continent, victoriously ending the third Chinese civil war.

The next day, the Soviet Union was the first to recognize the PRC and concluded a Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance with it.

Population

China is home to about 55 different peoples - each with its own customs, national costumes and, in many cases, its own language. But for all their diversity and richness of cultural traditions, these peoples make up only about 7% of the country’s population, the main part of which is formed by the Chinese, who call themselves “Han”. Modernization of society and interethnic marriages inevitably lead to the blurring of differences between ethnic groups, and yet many of them are proud of their heritage and remain faithful to customs and beliefs. Although China's natural population growth has already dropped to an average level, it is still growing much year after year due to the huge base figure. Between 1990 and 2000, the population grew by an average of almost 12 million annually. With a population of over 1.3 billion, the CCP is very concerned about population growth in the PRC and is trying to implement strict policy family planning. Its results are quite contradictory. The government's target is one child per family, with exceptions for ethnic minorities. A flexible policy is also carried out in rural areas, where a family can have a second child if the first is a girl or has physical disabilities. The government's goal is to stabilize population growth at the beginning of the 21st century.

Language

The Han people have their own spoken and written language, Chinese, which they use both within and outside the country. The total number of Chinese speakers exceeds 1 billion people.

Most of China's 55 national minorities also have their own languages. Before the liberation of the country, in addition to the Hui, Manchu and She peoples, who used mainly Chinese, Mongols, Tibetans, Uighurs, Koreans, Kazakhs, Sibo, Tai, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Tatars and Russians spoke and wrote their national language. Naxi also had its own written language. Miao, Jingpo, Lisu, Wa, Lazu, but it was not widely used. The remaining 34 ethnic groups did not have a national written language.

Religion

Traditionally, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are intertwined in Chinese religion and philosophy. They coexist happily, and often within the same temple. Confucianism, which was the first to gain influence in China, essentially became a code of subordination of the individual to society and his responsibility to it. Taoism develops ideas of personal improvement and unity with nature; Confucian doctrine of predestination social roles he contrasts the concept of relativity. Buddhism, brought to China from the outside and focused on the development of spirituality, acts as an alternative to Chinese pragmatism. During the Cultural Revolution, religion was banned in China. China is a state where different religions coexist. In addition to the three world religions - Buddhism, Islam and Christianity - China also has a unique traditional religious teaching - Taoism. In addition, some national minorities still retain primitive worship of the forces of nature and polytheism. China is a country with various religious cults. The Hui, Uighurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Tatars, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Dongxiangs, Salars and Bao'an profess Islam, while the religion of the Tibetans, Mongols, Tai and Yugur is Lamaism, which is one of the branches of Buddhism, among some representatives of the Miao and Yao Christianity is widespread, and among the majority of Daurs, Orochons and Evenks - shamanism. Some Chinese (Han) are adherents of Christianity or Buddhism, but most believers profess the traditional Chinese religion - Taoism.

Largest cities in China

Shanghai - 15,017,783 people

Beijing - 7,602,069 people

Xi'an - 4,091,916 people

Harbin - 3,279,454 people

Guangzhou (Canton) - 3,158,125 people

Dalian - 2,076,179 people

In total, there are 40 cities in China with a population of more than 1 million people.

Population distribution

Land suitable for agricultural use makes up only 10% of China's territory, and it is located mainly in coastal provinces. Approximately 90% of China's total population lives in an area that accounts for only 40% of the country's total area. The most densely populated areas are the lower Yangtze Delta and the North China Plain. China's vast peripheral territories are virtually deserted. The average population density of the country, according to 1998 data, was 131 people per 1 sq. km.

Main industries

Today, the country's industrial structure is represented by more than 360 industries. In addition to the traditional ones, new modern ones have been created, such as: electronics, petrochemistry, aircraft manufacturing, metallurgy of rare and trace metals. In terms of the number of industrial enterprises to the number of people employed, China ranks first in the world. However, the equipment of enterprises is mostly outdated and worn out. Fuel and energy industries are among the weak links in China's industrial complex. Despite the presence of rich natural resources, the development of extractive industries in general lags behind manufacturing ones. In recent years, the capacity of the coal mining industry has increased significantly in China, and the production volume of enterprises exceeded 920 million tons already in 1989. The oil industry accounts for 21% of the production of fuel and energy resources. Oil provides about 16% of foreign exchange earnings from exports. In general, there are more than 32 oil production enterprises in the country, and in many regions of China, the total oil reserves amount to 64 billion tons. Southern China and especially its Eastern zone are rich in natural gas reserves, which are estimated at 4 thousand billion. tons: to date only 3.5% has been explored. The largest center of gas production and processing is Senhua Province. Nevertheless, light industry sectors such as textiles and food are still leading in China, accounting for more than 21% of all industrial output. Light industry in China has ancient traditions and occupied a leading place in the economy even before the revolution. In addition, with significant reserves of raw materials, China has a solid base for the development of the metallurgical industry. And as a result of extensive geological work in recent years, the boundaries of old deposits have been clarified and new deposits of iron and magnesium ores, coal, oil and other types of raw materials have been discovered. In terms of iron ore reserves, China ranks third (after Russia and Belgium), and in terms of explored reserves of magnesium ore, it ranks second in the world. Ferrous metallurgy enterprises exceed 1.5 thousand and are located in almost all provinces and autonomous regions. At the same time, the general technical level of metallurgical production remains low, and the equipment of leading enterprises modern types equipment is partially due to imports. More than 70% of industry enterprises do not have treatment facilities at all.

Agriculture

Since the 90s of the last century, China has ranked first in the world in the production of grains, meat, cotton, rapeseed, fruits, leaf tobacco, second in the production of tea and wool, and third or fourth in the production of soybeans, sugar cane and jute. . However, in average per capita terms, the volume of production is small. China has a wide variety of land resources, but there are many mountainous areas and few plains. Plains make up 43% of the country's total land area. China has 127 million hectares of arable land, which is approximately 7% of all arable land in the world. China has a huge coastal sea strip. Its shallow-water fishing grounds occupy 1,500 thousand sq. km. and make up a quarter of the world's shallow waters. China has long been an agricultural country, but since the 50s of the last century it began large-scale industrialization. In the early 1980s, the share of agriculture in GDP was approximately 32%, but then began to gradually decline and fell to 15.2% in 2001. Rural workers, whose share in the total number of employed decreased from 70.5 percent in 1978 to 50%, now number about 365 million people. In China, land is state and collective property. At the end of 197, and first of all, reform began in the village. Thanks to it, a new economic system quickly spread - family contractual responsibility linked to production results.

Participation in international organizations

The Chinese approach to globalization is based on the principle of separation of politics and economics: if in international political integration China sees the threat of Western interference in its internal affairs on issues such as the independence of Tibet and Taiwan, human rights, drug and arms trade and reform political system, which ensures the power of the Communist Party of China, then in economic globalization China is looking for opportunities for further economic growth without compromising national sovereignty based on turning the country into one of the main exporters of products with a deep degree of processing, a high share of added value and technological content, which marks a new stage development of economic reforms, namely: the transition from selective to comprehensive liberalization of the economy - subject to unified and transparent access to world markets and the absence of specific discrimination and barriers, and which, of course, is facilitated by China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on December 11, 2001.

Strengthening economic potential and rapid growth national economies of East and Southeast Asia over the past two decades and the intensification of economic integration processes in the Asia-Pacific region (APR) have caused the evolution of Beijing’s approaches to the activities of such entities from cautiously skeptical to active participation in key areas of trade, economics and investment for the PRC interaction in the region, as a result of which the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which has 21 participating countries, is regarded by China as the most promising structure of international economic, scientific and technical cooperation in the field of regional trade compared to other organizations operating in the Asia-Pacific region , mutual investment and exchange scientific information and technologies. However, the absence in today's Asia of an interstate structure like the European Union (EU) intensifies both the process of further institutionalization of APEC and the search for ideas and concepts for the development of subregional integration groupings, such as the economic union of the countries of East Asia (EEA), or Japan, China and South Korea, based on the comparative advantages of Japan in science and technology, China with Hong Kong in the use of capital and human resources, and South Korea in information technology and air transit; a single customs, and subsequently economic and currency space of the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Northeast Asia, which, being both economic competitors and partners, economically complement each other, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which includes China , Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and implying interaction in such areas as the fuel and energy complex, agriculture, transport, financial and banking sector and water management complex, in relation to which ideas that have not been formalized into real projects currently prevail and expectations not supported by finances.

Thus, the PRC is currently showing extreme interest in international economic integration, and expects to play its role in developing new rules of the game both in regional and subregional, as well as in global markets.

Attractions

China has it all: the highest mountains and highlands, lowlands and plains, along the shores of numerous seas - ports, beaches and resorts, famous monasteries, including the legendary Shaolin, ginseng farms in Qinghai province, numerous archaeological sites in the Gobi and Takla deserts. Makan, mountaineering bases on the eastern slopes of the Himalayas and Karakoram. The “reserves” of natural attractions are colossal - the picturesque Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau with many mountain rivers, waterfalls and deep caves, the unique lakes Taihu and Xihu, the picturesque Mount Taishan (listed as a UNESCO treasure), Dunhuang Caves - a treasury of ancient Buddhist art, Yong Gan Caves , Huangoshu Waterfall (height 74 m, width 81 m), karst caves and “stone forest” in Wansheng County, Reed Flute, Black Buddha, New Water and Dragon caves near Guangxi, the majestic Longgong and Zhijing caves near Anshun, and In the vast steppes of Inner Mongolia you can see the ancient art of equestrian competitions. Hunting is organized in the forests of Greater Khingan. Festivals are held annually in Harbin ice sculpture and you can even go skiing and skating.

Traveling along the ancient Silk Road, you can visit Xinjiang, where there are three famous canyons, Sanxia on the Yangtze River, Mount Emei and Jiuzhaigou State Nature Reserve. A uniquely picturesque region - the Lijiang River in Guilin and the five “sacred” mountains, abundant the most beautiful places. Mount Huangshan is considered the “face of Chinese mountains,” and Mount Emeishan is famous for its inaccessibility and unique charm. 99 cities of great cultural and historical significance and 750 unique cultural monuments under state protection, as well as 119 landscape sites, are open to tourists. Among them, 19 are included in the UN World Natural and Cultural Heritage List.

Sources of information

1) Free Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia

2) Prokofieva T.I. - “A handbook for the beginning Sinologist: language, pronunciation, tones, Pinyin phonetic alphabet, keys, hieroglyphs, calligraphy, grammar, minimum dictionary, practical information, China in numbers, administrative divisions, dictionary of geographical names, information on history, culture and ethnography , Chinese cuisine, etiquette rules, features of business communication and much more..."

Moscow, AST: East-West, 2007

Geographical location

On the world map, China occupies a position on the western coast of the Pacific Ocean. Its area is almost equal to the area of all of Europe. China covers an area of 9.6 million square kilometers. This country is surpassed in area only by Russia and Canada.

The territory of China stretches for 5.2 thousand kilometers from east to west and 5.5 thousand kilometers from south to north. The easternmost point of the country is located at the confluence of the Ussuri and Amur rivers, the westernmost - in the southernmost - among the northernmost - on the Amur River in Mohe County.

On the world map, China is washed from the east by several seas that are part of the Pacific Ocean. The country's coastline stretches for 18,000 km. The sea in China creates a border with five countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Brunei and the Philippines.

There is a land border from the south, north and west. Its length is 22117 km. By land, China has borders with Russia, North Korea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, India, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar.

China's geographical position is quite favorable for its economic development.

Relief

The country's topography is very diverse. China, whose geography is wide, has a stepped landscape. It consists of three levels, descending from west to east.

In the southwest of the state are the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas. They are the highest level in the landscape of a country like China. The geography and topography mostly consists of uplands, plateaus and mountains. The lowest level, consisting of plains, is located near the coast.

Southwest China

Part of the world's highest mountain system is located in the southwest of the country. In addition to China, the Himalayas are spread across the territories of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan. On the border of the state in question there are 9 of the 14 highest mountains on the globe - Everest, Chogori, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Shishabangma, Chogori, several peaks from the Gasherbrum massif.

Located north of the Himalayas. It is the largest in area and the highest plateau in the world. It is surrounded by ridges on all sides. In addition to the Himalayas, the neighbors of the Tibetan Plateau are the Kunlun, Qilianshan, Karakorum, and Sino-Tibetan mountains. The latter of them and the adjacent Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau are a difficult-to-reach area. It is cut by the deep Salween and Mekong.

Thus, the characteristics of the geographical location of China in the southwest are distinguished by the presence of mountainous regions.

Northwestern China

In the north-west of the country near the Tibetan Plateau are the Tarim Basin, the Taklamakan Desert and the Turfan Basin. The latter facility is the deepest in East Asia. Even further north is the Dzungarian Plain.

East of the Tarim Basin the geographic contrast is even greater. China in these places is changing the landscape to steppes and deserts. This is the territory of the autonomous region. It is located on a high plateau. Most of it is occupied by the Gobi and Alashan deserts. The Loess Plateau adjoins them from the south. This area is very fertile and rich in forests.

Northeast China

The northeastern part of the country is quite flat. There are no high mountain ranges here. The Songliao Plain is located in this part of China. It is surrounded by small mountain ranges - the Greater and Lesser Khingans, Changbai Shan.

Northern China

The main agricultural zones are concentrated in northern China. This part of the country consists of vast plains. They are well fed by rivers and are very fertile. These are plains such as the Liaohes and North China.

Southeast China

The southeastern part of the country stretches from the Huaiyanshan Range to the Qinling Mountains. It also includes the island of Taiwan. The local landscape consists mainly of mountains interspersed with river valleys.

South China

In the south of the country there are areas of Guangxi, Guangdong, and partly Yunnan. This also includes the year-round resort, Hainan Island. The local terrain consists of hills and small mountains.

Climate and weather

The country's climate is not uniform. It is influenced by geographic location. China is located in three climate zones. Therefore, the weather in different parts of the country is different.

Northern and western China are located in the temperate continental climate zone. The average temperature here in winter is -7°C, although sometimes it drops to -20°C. In summer the temperature is +22°C. Winter and autumn are characterized by strong drying winds.

Central China lies in a subtropical climate zone. In winter, the air temperature ranges from 0 to -5°C. In summer it stays at +20°C.

Southern China and the islands have a tropical monsoon climate. There, the thermometer in winter ranges from +6 to +15°C, and in summer it rises above +25°C. This part of the country is characterized by powerful typhoons. They occur in winter and autumn.

Annual precipitation decreases from the south and east to the north and west - from approximately 2000 mm to 50 mm.

Population

According to 2014 data, the state has a population of 1.36 billion people. The large country of China is home to 20% of the world's inhabitants.

The state is on the verge of a demographic resettlement crisis. Therefore, the government is struggling with the high birth rate. His goal is one child per family. But demographic policy is being pursued flexibly. Thus, ethnic minorities, as well as families living in rural areas, are allowed to have a second child if the first child is a girl or has physical disabilities.

Part of the population opposes such a policy. They are especially unhappy with it in rural areas. After all, there is a higher need for the birth of a large number of boys as a future labor force.

But population growth is projected to rise despite this. According to calculations, in 2030 China will have a population of one and a half billion people.

Population density

The population is distributed very unevenly throughout the country. This is due to differences in geographical conditions. The average population density is 138 people per square kilometer. This figure looks quite acceptable. He's not talking about overpopulation. After all, the same figure is typical for some European countries.

But the statistical average does not reflect real situation. There are areas in the country where almost no one lives, but Macau has a population of 21,000 people per square kilometer.

Half of the country is practically uninhabited. The Chinese live in river basins, on fertile plains. And in the highlands of Tibet, in the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts there are almost no settlements.

National composition and language of the population

Different nationalities live in the country. Most of the population considers themselves Han Chinese. But besides them, there are 55 nationalities in China. The largest nations are the Zhuangs, Manchus, Tibetans, the smallest are the Loba.

Dialects in different parts of the country are also different. The difference between them is so great that a resident of the south of China will not understand a resident of the north. But in the country there is national language Putunkha. Chinese residents moving from region to region are required to own it to avoid communication problems.

The Mandarin, or Beijing, dialect is also widespread in the country. It can be considered an alternative to putunkha. After all, 70% of the population speaks Mandarin.

Religion and beliefs of the population

Since the mid-20th century, China, as a communist state, has discouraged adherence to religious beliefs and beliefs. Atheism was the official ideology.

But since 1982 there has been a change in this matter. The right to freedom of religion was included in the constitution. The most common religions here are Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. But Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are also popular.

Largest cities

Not much in China big cities. The population of this country is not urbanized. But where the construction of a city begins, it grows to the size of a huge metropolis, uniting a large number of residential, business, commercial, industrial and agricultural areas. For example, Chongqing. It is the largest representative of such megacities. According to information for 2014, 29 million people live in it. Its area is almost equal to the area of Austria and is 82,400 square kilometers.

Others major cities The countries are Shanghai, Tianjin, Harbin, Guangzhou and of course Beijing, the capital of China.

Beijing

The Chinese call Beijing Beijing. This translated means Northern capital. The urban layout is characterized by strict geometry. The streets are oriented according to parts of the world.

Beijing is the capital of China and one of the most interesting cities in the country. Its heart is Tiananmen Square. Translated, this word means “gate of heavenly peace.” The main building on the square is the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.

An important landmark of the city is the Forbidden City. They call him Gugun. It is a beautiful and ancient palace ensemble.

No less interesting are Yiheyuan and Yuanmingyuan. These are garden-palace complexes. They surprisingly combine miniature rivers, graceful bridges, waterfalls, and residential buildings. There is wonderful harmony and a feeling of unity between man and nature.

The capital has many temples of such religious movements as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. One of them is the most interesting. This is the Tian Tan Temple of Heaven. It is the only round-shaped religious building in the city. It has a unique wall. If you say a word near it, even in the quietest whisper, it will spread along its entire length.

The Yonghegong Temple of Eternal Peace is also noteworthy. This is a Lamaist religious building. It contains a Buddha statue carved from a single sandalwood trunk. Its length is 23 meters.

There are many museums in Beijing. Particularly notable is the National Art Gallery. It houses a large collection of Chinese paintings. No less interesting is the Museum of National History, where you can trace the entire path of development of China.

The attraction is Wangfujing Street. This is a favorite place for walking, both among tourists and the local population. The history of the street began more than 700 years ago. Now it has been reconstructed. The street is in the area shopping center. It harmoniously combines ancient and modern cultures.

The Great Wall of China begins not far from Beijing. Most people associate the country with it. This is a grandiose building. It stretches for 67,000 km. The construction of the wall took more than 2000 years.

Area and territory

China is located in East Asia and is washed in the west by the Pacific Ocean. The area of its territory is 9.6 million square meters. km, according to this indicator, China is second only to Russia and Canada. In the meridian direction, the territory of China extends for 5.5 thousand km, from the fairway of the Heilongjiang River north of the city of Mohe to the coral reefs of Cape Zengmuansha at the southernmost tip of the Nanshaqundao archipelago. In the latitudinal direction, the territory of China stretches for 5.2 thousand km, from the confluence of the Heilongjiang and Ussuri rivers to the western edge of the Pamir Plateau. From the southernmost to the northernmost point and, accordingly, from the eastern to the western, the length of China's territory is more than 5,000 km.

The length of the land border is 22.8 thousand km. China is bordered in the east by the DPRK, in the north by Mongolia, in the northeast by Russia, in the northwest by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, in the west and southwest by Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, etc. in the south it neighbors Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. In the east and southeast, China has maritime borders with the Republic of Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The length of the coastline of mainland China is more than 18 thousand km. The sea coast of China has flat terrain and many convenient harbors, most of which are ice-free. China in the east and south is washed by the waters of the Bohai, Yellow, East China and South China Seas. The total area of territorial waters is 4.73 million square meters. km. The Bohai Sea is an inland sea of China, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea are marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean.

There are 5.4 thousand islands scattered in the seas surrounding China. The largest of them is Taiwan, its area is 36 thousand square meters. km, the second largest is Hainan Island, its area is 34 thousand square meters. km. Diaoyu and Chiweiyu, located northeast of Taiwan, are the easternmost islands of China. The geographical names of the group of islands, reefs and shoals in the South China Sea - the southernmost border of China - are Dongshaquundao, Xishaquundao, Zhongshaquundao and Nanshaquundao.

Relief

The relief in China was formed under the influence of the convex surface of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, formed on Globe several million years ago. From above, the territory of China resembles a four-step staircase descending from west to east. As a result of the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, the young Qinghai-Tibet Plateau rises continuously, its average height exceeds 4000 m above sea level, the plateau is called the “roof of the world”, it forms the highest step of this ladder. The Great Himalayas are located on the highlands, the main peak Chomolungma has a height of 8848 m above sea level and is highest peak in the world. The second step of the ladder consists of the Inner Mongolia Highlands, the Loess Plateau, the Yunnan-Guizhou Highlands, the Tarim Basin, the Dzungarian and Sichuan Basins. Here the average altitude is 1000 - 2000 m above sea level. From the eastern edge of the second step, that is, from the eastern foothills of the Greater Khingan (Daxinganling), Taihangshan, Wushan and Xuefengshan mountains, the third step of the staircase extends to the east, its height decreases to 500 - 1000 m above sea level. Here, from north to south, the Northeast, North China Plains and the Middle and Lower Yangtze Plains are located, framed by small mountains and hills. The fourth rung of the ladder consists of large areas of the continental shelf formed by shoals and islands in the body of water adjacent to the mainland. The shelf is located at a depth of up to 200 m below sea level.

Rivers and lakes

Xilingxia Gorge on the Yangtze River

China has a large number of rivers; the basins of more than one and a half thousand rivers exceed 1000 square meters. km. The sources of the main rivers are located on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, from where their waters flow to the plains. Large differences in elevation create favorable conditions for the use of hydropower resources, the reserves of which amount to 680 million kW and occupy first place in the world.

China's rivers form external and internal systems. The total drainage area of external rivers with access to the sea or ocean covers 64% of the country's territory. These include the Yangtze, Yellow River, Heilongjiang, Zhujiang, Liaohe, Haihe, Huaihe and other rivers flowing from west to east and flowing into the seas of the Pacific Ocean; the Yalutsangpo River, takes its sources from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and flows into the Indian Ocean, in its bed there is the world's largest canyon with a length of 504.6 km and a unique depth of 6009 m; The Ercis (Irtysh) River flows north through Xinjiang and into the Arctic Ocean. Inland rivers flow into lakes in the interior or are lost in salt marshes and deserts. Their drainage area covers 36% of the country's territory. The Tarim in Xinjiang is the longest of China's inland rivers, with a length of 2179 km. The largest river in China, the Yangtze, is 6,300 km long, second only to the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. The upper course of the Yangtze runs through high mountains and deep valleys. It conceals rich water resources. The Yangtze is the main and most convenient shipping route of the country, running from west to east. Its fairway is naturally adapted for navigation; it is not for nothing that in China the Yangtze is called the “golden transport artery.” The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze have a warm and humid climate, abundant rainfall and fertile soil, creating ideal conditions for agricultural development. This is where the main breadbasket of the country is located. The second largest river in China is the Yellow River, with a total length of 5,464 km. The Yellow River basin is rich in fertile fields, lush pastures, and the depths contain huge deposits of minerals. The banks of the Yellow River are considered the cradle of the Chinese nation, and the origins of ancient Chinese culture can be traced from here. Heilongjiang is a large river in northern China. The total length is 4350 km, of which 3101 km are in China. The Pearl River is the deepest in Southern China, with a total length of 2214 km. In addition to natural waterways, China has the famous man-made Grand Canal, which connects the water systems of the Haihe, Yellow, Huaihe, Yangtze and Qiantangjiang rivers. It was laid in the 5th century BC. e., stretches from north to south from Beijing to the city of Hangzhou in Zhejiang province for 1801 km, it is the oldest and longest artificial canal in the world. China is rich in lakes. The largest number of lakes compared to other areas are on the plain of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Lakes on the plain are usually freshwater. The largest of them are Poyanghu, Dongtinghu, Taihu, Hongzehu, the largest freshwater lake in China - Poyanghu is located in the north of Jiangxi province, its area is 3583 square meters. km. The lakes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are mostly salty, these are Qinghaihu, Namtso, Selling, etc. The largest salt lake China - Qinghaihu in the northeast of Qinghai province, its area is 4583 square meters. km.

Climate

Most of China's territory is located in the northern temperate climate zone, which is characterized primarily by pronounced seasons and monsoon rains. From September to April, harsh winter monsoon winds from Siberia and the Mongolian highlands create a dry and cold climate and large temperature differences between north and south. From April to September, warm and humid summer monsoons come from the eastern and southern seas, at this time it is hot and rainy, the difference in temperature between north and south is insignificant. China has 6 climate zones: equatorial, tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, temperate and cold temperate. The amount of precipitation gradually decreases from southeast to northwest, there is big difference The average precipitation in all regions of the country is 1500 mm in the southeast, and only 200 mm in the northwest.

Land resources and minerals

Wetland forest lands in Greater Khingan

China is extremely rich in land resources and minerals. China has vast areas of diverse soil types, croplands, forests and steppes, deserts and shallows. Cropland is concentrated in eastern China, steppes are located mainly in the west and north, and forests are located in the remote northeastern and southwestern regions.

Currently, the area of cultivated land in China is 130.04 million hectares. The main agricultural regions are the Northeast Plain, the North China Plain, the Middle and Lower Yangtze Plain, the Pearl River Delta and the Sichuan Basin. North-Eastern Plain with an area of 350 thousand square meters. km is the largest in China; wheat, corn, soybeans, kaoliang, sugar beets and bast crops are cultivated on its fertile black soils. The North China Plain is formed of thick sediments, brown soils predominate. Rich harvests of wheat, corn, millet, cotton and other crops are harvested here. The plains of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze are low and flat; there are many lakes scattered here in an intricate interweaving of rivers and rivulets. It is an ideal location for growing many crops, including tea; Freshwater fish species are successfully bred in reservoirs. This region is rightly famous as the “land of rice and fish”. Violet soils predominate in the Sichuan Basin. In a warm and humid climate, agricultural work is carried out here all year round and good harvests of jellied rice, rapeseed and sugar cane are harvested. The Pearl River Delta produces two to three bountiful rice harvests per year.

The forest area in China is small - 158.94 million hectares. The largest forest tracts are located in the Greater and Lesser Khingan regions, in the Changbai Mountains in the northeast, where the main types of tree species are cedar, larch, birch, oak, Manchurian ash, elm and poplar. Southwestern China ranks second in forest reserves. It is rich in valuable types of wood, including spruce, fir, Yunnan pine, pompelmus, sandalwood, camphor wood, phoebe nanmu and mahogany. Xishuangbanna is a unique place in the south of Yunnan Province. The impenetrable jungle of tropical broad-leaved plants, numbering more than 5 thousand species, is rightly called the “plant kingdom.”

Bainbuluke pastures near Tianshan Mountain

Natural pastures extend over approximately 400 million hectares. In the steppe zone, covering more than 3 thousand km from the northeast to the southwest, many bases have been created for the development of cattle breeding and animal husbandry. The leader in the vastness of natural pastures is Inner Mongolia, which is famous for its elite breeds of livestock. Business card livestock are Sanhe ox, Sanhe horse and Mongolian sheep. Xinjiang is an important breeding base for the famous Yili horse and Xinjiang fine-wool sheep.

China ranks among the first in the world in terms of total area of arable land, pastures and forests, but due to its huge population, the per capita indicators of these natural resources are reduced to a minimum. This primarily applies to the arable wedge, which is only a third of the world average per capita.

China is rich in a variety of mineral resources. Almost all known elements are presented here periodic table. Modern geological exploration has confirmed the presence of industrial reserves of 158 minerals known in the world. In terms of their total reserves, China ranks third in the world. China is among the world leaders in reserves of a number of major minerals - coal, iron, copper, aluminum, antimony, molybdenum, manganese, tin, lead, zinc and mercury. Basic coal reserves are estimated at 331.76 billion tons. The richest coal deposits are located in Xinjiang, Shanxi Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Basic iron ore reserves amount to 21.36 billion tons, the most significant deposits are located in the North, North-East and South-West of the country. China is rich in oil, natural gas, oil shale, phosphorus and sulfur. The main oil fields have been explored in the northwestern, northeastern and northern regions, as well as on the continental shelf of the eastern coastal region. China's reserves of rare earth metals exceed all other countries in the world combined.

Fauna and flora

Zhenlai -- Homeland of white cranes.

In terms of diversity of wild animal species, China ranks among the first in the world. More than 6,266 species of vertebrates, 2,404 species of terrestrial vertebrates, and 3,862 species of fish live here, which is about 10% of all vertebrate species existing on Earth. The giant panda, golden monkey, South China tiger, brown hen, Manchurian crane, red-footed ibis, white dolphin, Yangtze alligator and other rare representatives of the earth's fauna are endemic to China. The giant panda with fluffy black and white fur is a large mammal, feeds on young bamboo shoots, and weighs up to 135 kg. There are currently only more than 1,000 giant pandas left in the world, and they have become an international symbol of wildlife conservation. The Manchurian crane is a symbol of longevity in East Asia. Its height reaches 1.2 m, the colors of the plumage are originally combined white and black, and on the head there is bare skin of bright red color. The white dolphin is one of two freshwater cetacean species. It was first discovered in the Yangtze in 1980 and attracted great interest from ichthyologists in different countries.

China has an exceptionally rich flora; there are 32 thousand species of higher plants alone. Among them there are almost all plants characteristic of the cold, temperate and tropical zones of the Northern Hemisphere. There are more than 7 thousand species of tree plants in the country, including 2.8 thousand species of trees. Unique species unique to China include Metasequoia glyptostrobovidae, Glyptostrobus chinensis, Chinese argyrophylla, cunningamia, false larch, Taiwanese fluusiana, Fujian cypress, Davidia, Eucommia, "Xishu". Metasequoia glyptostroboid as a relict plant is included in the list of the rarest plants in the world. False larch grows in the mountainous regions of the Yangtze basin, on its short branches there are tufts of leaves that resemble coppers, they are green in summer and yellow in autumn. False Larch with 4 others rare species trees are widely used in gardening art. In China, there are more than 2 thousand species of edible plants, over 3 thousand species of medicinal plants, the most valuable of them are Changbai ginseng, Tibetan safflower, Ningxia lycium and Ginura pinnadris, growing in Yunnan and Guizhou. China is exceptionally rich in flowers and ornamental plants; the most beautiful is considered to be the peony, which originally grows here and is called the “king of flowers” by the Chinese. The tree peony has especially large, bright and multi-petaled flowers; it is recognized as one of the national symbols of China.