This I know
1. Describe the geographical location of China.
China is located in East Asia. From the east it is washed by the waters of the western seas of the Pacific Ocean. In the northeast, China borders 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 , in the south - with Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam. The benefits of such a geographical location are a wide outlet to the Asia-Pacific region, which is now rapidly developing. The high mountainous relief of Western China makes it difficult to contact with its western neighbors.
2. What is China's place in the world today?
Today's China is the largest state in the world. It ranks first in terms of population, second in terms of the cost of products and services, and third in area. Almost all types of industrial products are produced in China. Modern China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Every 7-8 years the country doubles the production of goods and services. China is able to fully provide its population with everything necessary. In addition, it is China that dresses and shoes half the world.
3. Tell us about the activities and lifestyle of the Chinese.
94% of the country's population are Chinese. Distinctive features Chinese are diligence, organization, diligence, a special sense of the unity of man and nature. Most of the inhabitants live in rural areas, but the number of city dwellers is growing. China has the largest labor force in the world. The number of people employed in the economy is almost 50%. Their predominant part (74%) is in rural areas.
4. Compare the maps in figures 206 and 207. Draw a conclusion about the relationship between population density and land use in agriculture. Name the crops that are grown: a) in the South-East; b) in the Northeast.
Population density is directly related to natural conditions. Since ancient times, people have inhabited the most suitable areas for agriculture. Therefore, areas of highest population density and agricultural areas coincide.
a) irrigated rice, tea and other heat-loving crops are grown in the Southeast;
b) barley, wheat, sugar beets are grown in the Northeast.
This I can
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It's interesting to me
6. Imagine that you are traveling in China. Write a letter to a friend about your experience. Reveal in a letter the features of nature, life, life, economic activity the population of the country.
China is an amazing country that you must visit. The nature of China is diverse. There is a holiday for every taste here: for lovers of landscapes, skiing, beach holiday architecture connoisseurs.
The people of China tend to respect knowledge, scholarship, and books. Chinese people greet each other with a handshake. Entrepreneurs must have business cards with them, the text on which must be printed in Chinese (preferably in gold ink) and English (but not in red). The Chinese are extremely economical, trying to quickly accumulate capital.
In China, people dress quite normally, so don't bring anything special and extravagant with you. For formal occasions, bring a jacket and tie, a suit or formal dress. It is best to use small but capacious suitcases or bags on wheels. Prepare to change quite often, the weather in China is changeable.
Traveling around Beijing with a cycle rickshaw is an unforgettable experience. Although the cycle rickshaws that are on duty at the hotels waiting for customers often ask for a rather high price, it is definitely worth a ride.
Tipping is not customary, but the maid or porter at the hotel will not refuse 1-2 yuan.
The Chinese have never considered honesty a virtue, but in relation to foreigners, cunning and deceit are traditional. Deception of a foreigner is considered a sign of great intelligence. Therefore, tourists are advised to bargain furiously and check the change against the light, as the money is often counterfeit.
7. Do you have Chinese goods in your house? What can you say about their quality, price? Which of the Chinese goods would you advise to buy?
Today, Chinese goods are in every home. Most Chinese goods are mass-produced and not of very high quality. Today, absolutely everything and absolutely any quality is produced in China. This situation has arisen for one simple reason: cheap labor, low environmental standards. That is why there is a huge number of factories and enterprises in China, the number of which is in the tens of millions. The Chinese produce absolutely EVERYTHING: from food and socks to equipment for metalworking and heavy engineering. But many do not believe this, thinking that the Chinese are only capable of producing cheap consumer goods, plastic products and dangerous toys that our kids break on the first day.
Today, however, many products of high and very high quality are produced in China. This is an iPhone and products apple company. Perhaps many of you are not at all surprised by the technologies that exist today, but, in fact, this is a real miracle. China is the supplier metal profiles, from which, attention!, high-speed trains are produced at European (including Bombardier) and Russian enterprises. China independently produces for itself all cars, ABSOLUTELY ANY BRANDS and they are all of excellent quality. I would say that they produce for themselves even better than we do for ourselves. You can understand this if you drive such a car at least once: they are all packed full of electronics. They simply don’t have such naked configurations as we have.
But the current situation is such that Russia is a place for the sale of low-quality rubbish. Because there are still a lot of Russian people chasing a low price, often neglecting quality. But on the other hand, the Chinese produce a lot of things and little things for us, the quality of which is not so important to us: some household items, plastic products, and so on.
Therefore, it is difficult to deny, but we simply need many Chinese goods and are not ready to buy similar things from other producing countries, which will cost us an order of magnitude more and will last much longer. Even when buying another obviously low-quality item, many are attracted by the price of the product, and we know that we can buy another one of the same without any problems, because it is very inexpensive.
8. Currently China by volume industrial production is among the world leaders. However, most of its population still has a low standard of living. Try to explain this fact.
Various sources claim that the well-being of the Chinese is growing and the indicators of the average wage confirm this. However, if we talk about ordinary workers in factories and factories, and even more so about rural residents, then their incomes are meager. This is due to the large labor market in China. The presence of a huge number labor resources makes them cheap.
China, despite the rapid pace of development, still cannot provide a decent standard of living for all the inhabitants of the country precisely because of their number.
Territory - 9.6 million km 2
Population - 1 billion 222 million people (1995).
The capital is Beijing.
Geographical position, general review
The People's Republic of China, the third largest state in the world and the first in terms of population, is located in Central and East Asia. The state borders on 16 countries, 1/3 of the borders fall on the CIS countries.
The economic and geographical position of the PRC is very advantageous, since being located along the Pacific coast (15 thousand km), the country has access to the sea from the most remote inland areas through the Yangtze River. The coastal position of the PRC contributes to the development of its economy and foreign economic relations.
China - one of the oldest states in the world, which arose in the XIV century BC, has a very complex history. In connection with obvious benefits its position, the wealth of natural and agroclimatic resources throughout its existence, China has attracted the attention of various conquerors. Even in ancient times, the country protected itself with a partially preserved Great Chinese wall. In the 19th century, China was a pro-colony of England. After the defeat in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the country was divided into spheres of influence between England, France, Germany, Japan and Russia.
In 1912, the Republic of China was formed. In 1945, after the defeat of the Japanese invaders with the help of the USSR, the People's Revolution took place. In 1949, the People's Republic of China was proclaimed.
Natural conditions and resources
The country is located within the fragmented Chinese Precambrian Platform and younger sites. In this regard, the eastern part is mostly low-lying, and the western part is elevated and mountainous.
With a variety tectonic structures associated with various mineral deposits. In terms of their availability, China is one of
leading countries of the world, stands out primarily for its reserves of coal, ores of non-ferrous and ferrous metals, rare earth elements, mining and chemical raw materials.
In terms of oil and gas reserves, China is inferior to the leading oil countries of the world, but in terms of oil production, the country has taken 5th place in the world. The main oil fields are located in North and Northeast China, the basins of inland China.
Among the ore deposits, the An-Shan iron ore basin, located in the coal-rich Northeast China, stands out. Non-ferrous metal ores are concentrated mainly in the central and southern provinces.
The People's Republic of China is located in temperate, subtropical and tropical climatic zones, and in the west the climate is sharply continental, and in the east - monsoonal, with a large amount of precipitation (in summer). Such climatic and soil differences create conditions for the development of agriculture: in the west, in arid regions, livestock breeding and irrigated agriculture are mainly developed, while in the east, on the especially fertile lands of the Great China Plain, agriculture prevails.
The water resources of the PRC are very large, the eastern, more populated and highly developed part of the country is best provided with them. River waters are widely used for irrigation. In addition, China ranks first in the world in terms of potential hydropower resources, but their use is still very small.
The forest resources of China as a whole are quite large, concentrated mainly in the northeast (taiga coniferous forests) and in the southeast (tropical and subtropical deciduous forests). They are intensively used in the economy.
China is the first country in the world in terms of population (20% of all inhabitants of the Earth), and it has probably held the palm for many centuries. In the 1970s, the country began to pursue a demographic policy aimed at reducing the birth rate, because after the formation of the PRC (in the 1950s), population growth rates increased very quickly due to a decrease in mortality and an increase in living standards. This policy has borne fruit and now natural growth in China is even below the world average.
China is a young country (under the age of 15 - 1/3 of the population). The intensity of migration differs work force both within the country and beyond.
The PRC is a multinational country (there are 56 nationalities), but with a sharp predominance of the Chinese - about 95% of the population. They live mainly in the eastern part of the country, in the west (in most of the territory) there are representatives of other nationalities (Gzhuans, Hui, Uighurs, Tibetans, Mongols, Koreans, Manchurs, etc.).
Despite the fact that the PRC is a socialist country, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are practiced here (in general, the population is not very religious). On the territory of the country is the world center of Buddhism - Tibet, occupied by China in 1951.
Urbanization is rapidly developing in China.
economy
The People's Republic of China is an industrial-agrarian socialist country developing in recent times at a very fast pace.
Modernization of the economy is proceeding at different paces in different regions China. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have been set up in East China to take advantage of their advantageous maritime position. This strip occupies 1/4 of the country's territory, 1/3 of the population lives here and 2/3 of GNP is produced. The average income per inhabitant is 4 times that of the more backward inland provinces. The territorial structure of the country's economy is represented mainly by established large industrial centers, agriculture plays an important role, which employs most of the economically active population (EAP).
In terms of GDP, China has taken fourth place in the world, although in terms of GNP per capita it has not yet reached the world average.
Energy. China occupies one of the leading places in the world in the production of energy carriers and in the generation of electricity. China's energy is coal-fired (its share in the fuel balance is 75%), oil and gas (mostly artificial) are also used. Most of the electricity is produced at thermal power plants (3/4), mainly operating on o-g coal. Hydroelectric power plants account for 1/4 of the electricity generated. There are two nuclear power plants, 10 primitive stations, and a geothermal station has been built in Lhasa.
Ferrous metallurgy - based on its own iron ore, coking coal and alloying metals. In terms of iron ore mining, China ranks 1st in the world, in steelmaking - 1st place. The technical level of the industry is low. Of greatest importance are such the country's largest combines as in Anshan, Shanghai, Broshen, as well as in China, Peking, Wuhan, Taiyuan, and Chongqing.
Non-ferrous metallurgy. The country has large reserves of raw materials (1/2 of the produced tin, antimony, mercury is exported), but aluminum, copper, lead, zinc are imported. Mining and processing plants are represented in the north, south and west of China, and the final stages of production are in the east. The main centers of non-ferrous metallurgy are located in the provinces of Liaoning, Yunnan, Hunan, and Gansu.
Mechanical engineering and metalworking - occupies 35% in the structure of the industry. Remains high specific gravity production of equipment for the textile industry, electronics, electrical engineering, automotive industry are rapidly developing. Structure manufacturing enterprises diverse: along with high-tech modern enterprises, handicraft factories are widespread.
The leading sub-sectors are heavy engineering, machine tool building, and transport engineering. The automotive industry (6th-7th place in the world), electronics and instrumentation are developing rapidly. As before, the country has developed production for the traditional textile and clothing sub-sectors.
The predominant part of China's engineering products is produced by the coastal zone (over 60%), and mainly in major cities(the main centers are Shanghai, Shenyang, Dalian, Beijing, etc.).
Chemical industry. It relies on products of coke and petrochemistry, mining and chemical and vegetable raw materials. There are two groups of industries: mineral fertilizers, household chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Light industry is a traditional and one of the main industries, it uses its own, mostly natural (2/3) raw materials. The leading sub-sector is textile, providing the country with a leading position in the production and export of fabrics (cotton, silk and others). The sewing, knitting, leather and footwear sub-sectors are also developed.
food industry- for a country with such a large population, it is extremely important, the processing of grain and oilseeds is in the lead, the production and processing of pork (2/3 of the volume of the meat industry), tea, tobacco and other food products are developed.
Agriculture - provides food for the population, supplies raw materials for food and light industry. The leading sub-sector of agriculture is crop production (rice is the basis of the Chinese diet). Wheat, corn, millet, sorghum, barley, peanuts, potatoes, yams, taro, cassava are also grown; industrial crops - cotton, sugar cane, tea, sugar beets, tobacco, and other vegetables. Animal husbandry remains the least developed branch of agriculture. The basis of animal husbandry is pig breeding. Vegetable growing, poultry farming, beekeeping, and sericulture are also developed. Fisheries play an important role.
Transport - provides mainly the connection of seaports with the hinterland. 3/4 of all cargo transportation is provided by rail transport. Along with the recently increased importance of maritime, automobile and aviation, the use of traditional types transport: horse-drawn, pack, transport carts, bicycle and especially river.
internal differences. In the early 1980s, in order to improve planning in China, three economic zones were identified: Eastern, Central and Western. The eastern one is the most developed; the largest industrial centers and agricultural regions are located here. The center is dominated by the production of fuel and energy, chemical products, raw materials and semi-finished products. The western zone is the least developed; livestock breeding and processing of mineral raw materials are mainly developed.
Foreign economic relations
Foreign economic relations have been developing especially widely since the 80-90s, which is associated with the formation of an open economy in the country. The volume of foreign trade is 30% of China's GDP. In exports, the leading place is occupied by labor-intensive products (clothes, toys, shoes, sporting goods, machinery and equipment). Imports are dominated by engineering products and vehicles.
The People's Republic of China (abbreviated: China) is located in the eastern part of Asia, washed by the waters of the western seas of the Pacific Ocean. China's land area is 9.6 million square meters. km, it is the largest country in Asia in terms of area, and the third in the world, second only to Russia and Canada.
In the meridian direction, the territory of China extends for 5,500 km from the median line of the Heilongjiang River, north of the city of Mohe, to the Zengmuansha coral reefs at the southernmost tip of the Nansha Qundao archipelago. In the latitudinal direction, the territory of China stretches for 5200 km from the confluence of the Heilongjiang and Wusulijiang rivers to the western edge of the Pamir Highlands. The length of the land border of the country is 22.8 thousand km.
The coast of the mainland of China in the east and south is washed by the waters of the Bohai (area - about 80 thousand square kilometers), Yellow (area - 380 thousand square kilometers), East China (area - 770 thousand square kilometers) and South -Chinese (area - 3.5 million sq. Km) seas. In particular, the area of territorial waters, which have the same position along with the territory, is 380 thousand square meters. km. The results of a comprehensive survey of the islands of the country, conducted during 1988 - 1995, showed that the islands, whose area is more than 500 square meters. m, in China there are 6961, of which 433 are inhabited. According to the principle of "one state - two systems", the remaining 411 islands are directly subordinate to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao. The total length of China's coastline is 32,000 km, including 18,000 km of continental coastline and 14,000 km of insular coastline.
China borders on land with 14 countries (DPRK, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Laos and Vietnam), and 6 countries are located from the coast of China and separated from it by seas ( Republic of Korea, Japan, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia).
Geographic Features of China
The relief of China is the most diverse. There are majestic plateaus, the highest mountain peaks, spacious plains, low hills, there are also large and small depressions in the arms of mountains. The 5 main landforms are found throughout the continent of China. Mountainous regions make up two thirds of the entire territory of the country.
The territory of China resembles a four-step staircase descending from west to east. The highest rung of this "ladder" is the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with an average height of more than 4000 m above sea level. To the north and east of it stretch the Kunlun, Qilianshan and Hengduanshan mountain ranges, which are the border between the first and second steps.
On the second relief step (stairs) there are large depressions and mountain plateaus, the average height here is between 1000-2000 m, the boundaries of the second and third steps are the Greater Khinggan, Taihanshan, Wushan and Xuefengshan mountains that lie in the east.
On the third relief step (stairs) there are expanse plains, between which there are hills and low mountains, the height for the most part reaches 500 m and below.
If a profile map of the relief of China is made through the 32nd northern latitude from west to east, then the stepped relief of China is clearly visible - from the high mountain plateau in the western part to depressions in the central part and, finally, to the plains in the eastern part.
The third stage of the Chinese continent passes into the continental shallow plume, which represents the natural elongation of the continent into the sea. The sea here is shallow, the slope is soft, marine resources are rich.
In China, there are many rivers and lakes, water resources are rich. The waters of most rivers in China rush to the east and south, flow into Pacific Ocean, only a small number of them fall into Indian Ocean. The Ertsis (Irtysh) River flows from Xinjiang to the north and flows into the Arctic Ocean abroad.
The cultivated area in China is only 7% of the arable land in the world, but it can feed 1/5 of the world's population
Four Known Uplands
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is located in the southwest of China, its area is 2.5 million square meters. km or one quarter common territory country, in terms of area it is the largest plateau in China, sometimes the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is called the "roof of the world." Around it are the Kunlunshan, Qilianshan, Hengduanshan, Himalayas ranges, it is also the source of many large rivers in China.
The highlands of Inner Mongolia is the second highland of the country, its area is about 700 thousand square meters. km, altitude - 1000 - 1500 m.
The loess plateau is located to the west of the Taihang Mountains, to the east of the Qilianshan Mountains, to the south of great wall and in the north of the Qinling Mountains, the area is 500 thousand square meters. km, altitude -1000 - 2000 m. There is little vegetation and serious soil erosion, the erosion area is 430 thousand square meters. km.
Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau is located in the eastern part of Yunnan Province and most of Guizhou Province, the area is about 500 thousand square meters. km, height above sea level - 1000 - 2000 m. The Yunnan-Guizhou highlands are distinguished by a typical karst relief, some small orographic basins are spread over the highlands - populated and developed agricultural areas.
Main Mountain Ranges
Basically, China is a mountainous country, mountains, highlands and hills occupy more than 67% of the country's territory.
The most important mountains are the Himalayas, Kunlun, Tienshan, Qinling, Greater Khingan, Taihangshan, Qilianshan, Hengduanshan.
Himalaya mountain range located on the Sino-Indian and Sino-Nepalese borders, it stretches for 2400 km, the average height is 6000 m, its main peak Chomolungma has a height of 8844.43 m and is the highest peak in the world.
Kunlun mountain range stretches from the Pamir Highlands in the west to the northwestern part of Sichuan in the east, its length is more than 2500 km, the average height above sea level is 5000 - 7000 m, the height of its main peak Gunger is 7719 m.
Tienshan stretches in the central part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, the average height above sea level is 3000 - 5000 m. The height of the main pit of Tomur is 7455.3 m.
Tangula mountain range located in the middle part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the average height above sea level is 6000 m, the height of the Geladandong peak is 6621 m, the ridge is the source of the Yangtze River.
qinling extends from the eastern part of Gansu province in the west to the western part of Henan province in the east, the average altitude is 2000 - 3000 m, the altitude of its main peak Taipaishan is 3767 m above sea level. Qinling serves as an important geographical border between the South and North of China.
Greater Khingan stretches from Mohe in Heilongjiang province in the north to the upper reaches of the Laoha River in the south, its total length is 1000 km, the height above sea level is 1500 m, the height of the main peak Huangganliang is 2029 m.
Taihangshan stretches from north to south in the eastern part of the Loess Plateau with a length of 400 km, the average height above sea level is 1500 - 2000 m, the height of its main peak Xiaoutaishan is 2882 m.
qilianshan stretches in the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the average height above sea level is over 4000 m, the height of the main peak of Qilianshan is 5547 m.
Hengduanshan located in the southeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, at the junction of the Autonomous Republic of Tibet, the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan, the average height above sea level is 2000 - 6000, the height of its main peak Gunga is 7556 m.
Taiwanshan located in the eastern part of the island of Taiwan, the average altitude is 3000-5000, the height of the main Yushan peak is 3952 m.
Hollows
Tarim depression located in the southern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, surrounded by the mountain ranges of Tianshan, Kunlunshan, etc., its area is 530 thousand square meters. km, is the largest depression in China, its height above sea level is 800 - 1300 m. In its central part is the largest desert in China, Takla Makan, whose area is 330 thousand square meters. km, where rich reserves of oil and gas lie.
Dzungarian basin is located in the northern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, between the Tienshan and Altai mountains, the area is 380 thousand square meters. km, represents the second largest basin in China. Its height above sea level is 200 - 1000 m. Steppes and deserts are scattered in the central part of the basin, where rich reserves of coal and oil lie.
Tsaidam basin located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, in the northwest of Qinghai Province and surrounded by the Kunlun, Qilianshan, etc. mountain ranges, the area is 220 thousand square meters. km, its height above sea level is 2700 - 3000 m. In the southeastern part of the basin there are many salt lakes and swamps, in the Tsaidam basin there are gobi, hills, plains and lakes.
Sichuan Basin located in Sichuan province and Chongqing region, surrounded by the mountain ranges of Wushan, Dabashan, etc., the area is 200 thousand square meters. km, altitude - 300 - 800 m, on the northwestern edge of the basin is the Chengdu Plain.
Turfan basin is located in the middle and eastern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at the eastern end of the Tianshan spurs. Its area is 50 thousand square meters. km, the height of Eidinghu Lake above sea level in the basin is -155 m, this is the lowest place in China.
Plains
Northeast China Plain located in the Northeast of China, on both sides of this plain (in the east and west) are the Changbaishan mountains and the mountain ranges of the Greater Khingan, in the north - the mountain ranges of the Lesser Khingan, in the south - near the Liaodong Gulf, its area is 350 thousand square meters. km and is the largest plain in China. Its height above sea level is below 200 m. The Plain of Northeast China includes the Sanjiang, Songnen, Liaohe plains and the watershed between the Songhuaqiazn and Liaohe rivers.
North China Plain it starts from the Taihang Mountains in the west and extends to the sea coast in the east, and in the north it starts from the Yanshan Mountains and ends up to the Huihe River in the south. Its area is 300 thousand square meters. km. The average height above sea level is below 100 m.
Plain in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze located between the Wushan Mountains and the east coast of China. Its area is 160 thousand square meters. km, the average height above sea level is less than 50 m, the height of the lowest terrain is less than 5 m. Many rivers and lakes flow through the plain, so this region is called "a land rich in lakes and rivers."
Pearl River Delta Plain located in the middle and southern part of Guangdong province, the area is 11 thousand square meters. km, the average height above sea level is about 50 m. Many rivers flow through the plain.
Hetao Plain located along the Yellow River within Inner Mongolia and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the area is 24.8 thousand square meters. km, the average height above sea level is about 1000 m. Rivers and canals are scattered across the plain.
CHINA, People's Republic of China (PRC), a state in Central and East Asia, includes China proper (18 historical provinces of the Chinese Empire), Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Northeast (Manchuria) and Tibet. Taiwan Province, which is controlled by the Chinese People's Republic, considered separately China occupies an area of 9561 thousand square meters. km (without Taiwan).
Within China, three major orographic regions are distinguished: in the southwest, the Tibetan Plateau with a height of more than 2000 m above sea level; to the north of it there is a belt of mountains and high plains, located in the altitude range from 200 to 2000 m above sea level, and in the northeast, east and south of the country - low accumulative plains (below 200 m above sea level) and low mountains.
The Tibetan Plateau occupies more than a quarter of China's territory and includes the Tibet Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province and the western part of Sichuan Province. The western and central parts of the highlands, located above 4000 m, are rightly called the "roof of the world." Numerous ridges crossing Tibet have a latitudinal strike and rise to altitudes of 5500–7600 m. The ridges are separated by wide valleys, cold and mostly uninhabited. The highlands are framed by even higher mountain ranges: from the south - the Himalayas with the highest peak Chomolungma (Everest, 8848 m), in the northwest - the Karakoram and Pamir mountains, in the north - the majestic Kunlun, Altyntag and Qilyanshan mountain ranges, which abruptly break off in the northern direction.
In the northeast of the Tibetan Plateau, between the Kunlun mountains in the south and the Altyntag and Qilianshan ranges in the north, at altitudes of 2700–3000 m above sea level. the Tsaidam depression is located. The western part of the basin is occupied by the desert, and in its central part there are extensive swamps and salt lakes. The mostly nomadic population of this area has been breeding horses for many centuries. The discovery of oil, coal and iron ore deposits in this basin and the development of rich salt deposits contributed to the development of local industry.
The northern and western regions of Tibet and the Tsaidam Basin are basins of internal runoff. There are hundreds of endorheic salt lakes, into which small rivers flow. On the northern slope of the Himalayas, the Brahmaputra River originates (in China it is called Matsang, and then Zangbo) and flows east for 970 km, and then, cutting through mountain ranges, turns south and enters the plains of North India. The Brahmaputra and its tributaries flow in deep sheltered valleys, contributing to the concentration of the settled population in cities such as Lhasa, Gyangtse and Shigatse. Three of the world's greatest rivers, the Yangtze, the Mekong and the Salween, originate on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. In this area, the huge ridges that cross the Tibet Plateau curve in a southeasterly and then southerly direction and usually exceed 3000 m, with some peaks reaching higher elevations. For example, the peak of Guangshashan (Minyak-Gankar) in the Daxueshan Mountains in the west of Sichuan Province rises to 7556 m.
The belt of highlands and depressions adjoins the Tibetan Plateau in the north, northeast and east and has a range of altitudes from 200 to 2000 m. the nature of the relief.
In Xinjiang, located north of the Kunlun Mountains, there are two large depressions of internal flow - the Tarim and the Dzhungar. The Tarim Basin extends from Kashgar in the west to Khami (Kumul) in the east and has absolute heights from 610 m in the central part to 1525 m along the periphery. The depression is framed by the Kunlun and Altyntag mountains from the south, the Pamirs in the west and the Tien Shan in the north. All these mountains have heights of more than 6100 m. From the east, the Tarim Basin is limited by less impressive mountain ranges with individual peaks exceeding 4300 m. One of the driest and most inaccessible deserts in the world, Takla Makan, is confined to its central part. The Tarim River and its tributaries, which originate in the mountains and are fed by glaciers, are lost in the sands of this desert or flow into the Lop Nor salt lake (in this region the PRC conducts its nuclear tests). North of the lake Lop Nor is the lowest land surface in East Asia - the Turfan depression with a length of approx. 100 km latitudinally and approx. 50 km - in the meridional. Its most subsided part has an absolute mark of -154 m. The region of the Turfan depression is characterized by huge annual temperature ranges: from 52° C in summer to -18° C in winter. Precipitation is rare.
To the north of the Tien Shan is the Dzungarian depression, bounded from the northwest by a number of ridges, the highest of which is the Dzungarian Alatau, and from the northeast - Altai. The surface of the Dzhungar depression is about 600 m lower than the Tarim one, and the climate is not so arid. Nevertheless, large areas here are occupied by semi-deserts and steppes, where nomads live. In the north-west of Dzungaria, near Karamay, there is a large oil field, and in the south, in the Urumchi region, there is a deposit of coal and iron ore.
China statistics
(as of 2012)
The Tarim depression is drainless, and the Dzhungar depression is drained by the Ili and Irtysh rivers, the flow of which is directed to the west, to the plains of Kazakhstan. Along the periphery of the Tarim Basin, on the loess foothill plains in the river valleys flowing down from the mountains, a ring of oases was formed. Through the cities located in these oases, already approx. 2000 years ago, the Great Silk Road ran, linking China with the Roman Empire.
Inner Mongolia occupies the Chinese part of the vast Mongolian depression with the Gobi desert in the center. In China, the depression extends in a large arc east of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the border with Russia. From the south and east, Inner Mongolia is framed by the Qilianshan (Richthofen), Helanshan (Alashan), Yinshan and Greater Khingan ranges, which have relatively low altitudes (900–1800 m). The heights of most of Inner Mongolia are 900–1500 m above sea level. The landscapes are dominated by dry steppes and semi-deserts. In the western part are the Alashan and Gobi deserts. A few short rivers, originating in the southern mountainous frame, flow north and are lost in the Gobi desert in Mongolia.
The highlands, midlands, and lowlands of China proper occupy a large part of the country's territory south of Inner Mongolia and east of the Tibetan Plateau. In the south, they form a system of ridges and extend to the east coast. This elevated area is subdivided into several large regions, including the Ordos Plateau, the Shaanxi-Shanxi Plateau, the Qinling Mountains, the Sichuan Basin, the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, and the Nanling Mountains. All of them are located in the altitude range from 200 to 2000 m.
The Qinling Mountains are a system of ranges that cross central China from southern Gansu in the west to Anhui in the east. The mountain ranges are the border of the two main drainage basins of the country - the Yellow River and the Yangtze, and sharply delimit China proper into northern and southern parts, differing in geological structure, climatic and soil features, the nature of natural vegetation and a set of major agricultural crops.
The Shaanxi-Shanxi Plateau, located north of the Qinling Mountains and south of the Ordos Plateau, extends from the Tibetan Plateau in the west to the lowlands of the North China Plain in the east. Distinctive feature The plateau is a loess cover up to 75 m thick, largely masking the original relief. The steep slopes of the hills are artificially terraced in many places, the soils formed on the loess are fertile and easily cultivated. At the same time, loess is subject to water erosion, as a result of which this area is deeply indented by a network of ravines.
To the north of the Loess plateau at altitudes of more than 1500 m above sea level. the Ordos plateau is located, characterized by desert landscapes. Sand dunes are widespread in its northwestern and southeastern parts, and the central part is replete with small salt lakes. The Ordos Desert is separated from the cultivated loess lands by the Great Wall of China.
The Sichuan Basin (or "Red Basin") lies south of the Qinling Mountains, immediately east of the ranges of the eastern framing of the Tibetan Plateau - Daxueshan and Qionglaishan, forming a steep high chain, many of whose peaks exceed 5200 m. These ranges, together with the Minshan and Dabashan mountains in the north and the plateau of Guizhou Province in the south frame the basin, the bottom of which drops from 900 m in the north to 450 m in the south. The soils of this region are very fertile. It is one of the most densely populated areas in China. The Sichuan Basin is predominantly composed of ancient red sandstones, which cover large but deep Jurassic coal-bearing deposits. Large surface coal deposits are located along the northern, southern and southeastern edges of the basin. Clays and oil-bearing limestones are also widespread. Surrounded by high mountains, Sichuan has a reputation for being difficult to access.
The Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, which is a much lower (average altitude 1800–2100 m above sea level) continuation of the Tibetan Plateau, is located south and southeast of the Sichuan depression. The western part of this region is crossed by narrow (up to 500 m in total), but deeply incised (up to 1500 m in some places) valleys of the Salween and Mekong rivers, which present serious obstacles to movement. This heavily dissected territory has long served as a barrier between China, India and Burma. In the east, in Guizhou province, the nature of the relief is changing. In places, the surface height drops to 900 m or less, the slopes become less steep, and the valleys widen.
The Nanling Mountains ("Southern Ranges") stretch from the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau in the west to the Wuyi Mountains in the southeastern coastal provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang. This wide belt of low mountains, separating the basins of the Yangtze River in the north and the Xijiang ("Western") River in the south, is rich in minerals. Among them are numerous deposits of tungsten, antimony, lead, zinc and copper.
Low-lying accumulative plains. Only ok. 10% of China's territory is located at altitudes less than 200 m above sea level, but it is there that most of the country's population is concentrated. There are five main lowland areas: the North China Plain, the Great Plain of China, the valley of the Huaihe River, the basin of the middle reaches and the delta of the Yangtze River, the Northeast (Manchurian) Plain and the basin of the Xijiang River. The North China Plain, the valley of the Huaihe River and the Yangtze Delta merge near the sea coast, forming a single strip of plains stretching from Beijing in the north to Shanghai in the south, interrupted only by highlands in Shandong Province. In the depths of the mainland, the depression, to which the middle course of the Yangtze River is confined, is separated from this vast plain by the Dabeshan Mountains (the eastern continuation of the Qinling mountain system). In the north, a narrow coastal strip connects the North China Plain with the Northeast. The Xijiang river basin is located to the south of the Yangtze river basin and is separated from it by the Nanling and Wuyishan mountains. Each large low-lying plain is composed of sediments from one or more rivers.
Water resources - Yellow River and North China Plain. The Yellow River (translated as "yellow"), 5163 km long, originates in the Tibetan Plateau (Qinghai Province). Rushing eastward in a stormy stream, it makes its way down the plateau through the Liujiaxia Gorge and further through the highlands of Gansu Province. Near Lanzhou begins the "great northern bend" of the Yellow River valley, 2400 km long, which from the north goes around the Mu-Us desert on the outskirts of the Ordos plateau, and then sharply turns south, crossing the central Loess region and forming the border between the provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi. In this section, the river carries a huge amount of silt, especially in summer, when it is at its fullest. Due to the large amount of solid runoff on the plains located downstream, floods are frequent, and the Yellow River itself is nicknamed "the grief of China."
Having reached the Qinling Mountains, where the Weihe River flows into it from the west, the Yellow River turns sharply to the east, passes through the Sanmenxia (“Three Gate Gorge”) and enters the North China Plain. At the exit from this gorge, the river is at an absolute mark of only approx. 180 m, while the distance to the place of its confluence with the Bohai Bay is 970 km. Here, on a smoothly lowering section of the valley, the river loses speed. As a result, for millennia, the Huang He regularly overflowed, depositing sediment and gradually expanding and building up the accumulative plain. When ok. 3000 years ago, the Chinese civilization was born in this territory for the first time, people tried to regulate the flow regime with the help of dams. However, at the same time, the probability of destructive floods increased due to the fact that the area of sediment accumulation was limited to the riverbed. As the layer of silt grew, higher and higher dams had to be built until the river and ramparts were above the level of the surrounding plain. When the dam breaks, which often happens at the peak of summer floods, the river overflows the plain, flooding vast areas and destroying crops. Since the waters of the river cannot return to the elevated channel, the Yellow River often changes its course. From 1048 to 1324, it flowed into the Bohaiwan Bay north of the Shandong Peninsula. In 1324, it joined the Huai River, and their waters flowed into the Yellow Sea south of the peninsula, and in 1851, the Huang He again began to flow into the Bohai Bay. In 1938, the right-bank dams were destroyed by order of Chiang Kai-shek in order to prevent the advance of the Japanese army. In 1947, as part of a UN project, the river was returned to its former course and now flows back into the Bohai Bay. On its way through the North China Plain, the Yellow River does not receive large tributaries. The Grand Canal connects it with the Yangtze River and the major seaports of Tianjin and Shanghai. The total length of this canal is 1782 km.
In 1955, the Chinese government began to implement the so-called. a "step plan" for regulating the Yellow River, including the construction of four large and 42 auxiliary dams on the main river and its tributaries. After the construction of the most important dam in the Sanmenxia Gorge, a reservoir with an area of 2350 square meters was formed. km, length approx. 300 km and a volume of more than 35 km3. This hydraulic structure counteracts the most powerful floods, and is also designed to generate electricity, irrigate land and improve navigation. Large-scale programs are complemented by numerous local projects involving the construction of thousands of small dams on the tributaries of the Yellow River and small rivers, terracing of the slopes of loess hills to prevent erosion, and afforestation of large areas.
The Huaihe River and its basin. Immediately south of the lower reaches of the Yellow River is the smaller but important river system of the Huai River, separated from the Yellow River basin and the North China Plain by a barely visible divide that stretches from Kaifeng to Xuzhou, and by a slightly more pronounced upland on the Shandong Peninsula, from Xuzhou to the Yellow Sea. The length of the Huaihe river is only approx. 1090 km, however, unlike the Yellow River, it has many tributaries, mostly left, flowing from the northwest to the southeast. The river and its tributaries drain an area of 174 thousand square meters abounding in lakes. km, covering the southern and eastern parts of Henan Province, the entire Anhui Province and the northern part of Jiangsu Province. The Huaihe River flows into the large Hongzehu Lake, from which its waters are carried out in the form of natural rivers and through recently constructed canals into the Yellow Sea. The alluvial soils in the Huai River basin are very fertile, but the river itself has always been subject to powerful floods, so work on regulating the flow regime in its basin was of paramount importance. Ten dams have been built in the upper reaches of the main river and its tributaries. As a result, reservoirs were formed (the largest are Meishanshuiku and Fozilingshuiku in Anhui Province). Dams with a total length of hundreds of kilometers were built and reinforced, and complex irrigation activities were carried out.
Yangtze River and adjacent plains. The length of the Yangtze River is more than 5600 km. The river originates from glaciers in the central part of the Tibetan Plateau, flows south, forming deep gorges in the eastern part of the plateau, and, having reached the highlands of Yunnan Province, turns sharply to the east. In this turbulent stretch, the river is called Jinshajiang ("Golden Sand River"). Near the city of Yibin, the river enters the Sichuan Basin and flows at the foot of the mountains of its southern frame. Here it receives four large tributaries - Minjiang, Tojiang, Fujian and Jialingjiang, which cross the basin from north to south and give it the name Sichuan ("Four Rivers"). In the middle reaches of the Minjiang River, near Chengdu, the a complex system regulation of water flow, created by the engineer Li Ping in the era of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).
The Yangtze River makes its way from the Sichuan basin through several picturesque gorges located between Fengjie and Yichang. This section of the river is difficult and dangerous. In summer, the speed of the current in places can reach 16 km / h. Passing Yichang, the river passes through a series of basins (plains), which are often collectively called the middle course of the Yangtze River. The first of these is the territory abounding in lakes within the provinces of Hunan and Hubei. Its northern part is crossed by the Hanshui River, which originates in the Qinling Mountains, flows in a wide valley in a southeasterly direction and flows into the Yangtze near Hankou (“Mouth of the Han River”), one of the cities of the Wuhan agglomeration. In the south, the basin of the Hunan province is drained by the Xiangjiang, which originates in the Nanling Mountains and flows into the large Dongting Lake, which has a drain in the Yangtze River. Within this basin, the Yangtze is gaining full strength. While in the Chongqing region (Sichuan Province) the width of the river is only 275 m, in the vicinity of Wuhan its channel widens and reaches 1.6 km. The difference between low water and high water is estimated at about 12 m. In winter, vessels with a draft exceeding 2 m must move with caution, while in summer ocean-going vessels with a displacement of 15 thousand tons can reach Wuhan.
Below Wuhan, before entering the next basin, the riverbed narrows somewhat. This basin, located almost entirely to the south of the Yangtze, belongs mainly to the drainage basin of the Ganjiang River, which, before flowing into the Yangtze, carries its waters through the large Poyang Lake. Lakes Poyanghu and Dongtinghu serve as large reservoirs on large tributaries of the Yangtze, regulating the flow of water in the summer, when the rivers are at their fullest.
The third basin, to which the middle course of the Yangtze River is confined, occupies the central and southern parts of Anhui Province. Approximately halfway between Wuhu and Nanjing, this plain merges with the vast delta plain of the Yangtze.
Floodplain soils in the basin of the middle reaches of the Yangtze, composed mainly of red-colored alluvium taken out of the Sichuan basin, as well as sediments of the Hanshui, Xiangjiang and Ganjiang rivers, are very fertile. Hunan Province is one of the most important rice growing regions in China. Although the Yangtze carries a lot of silt sediments, the high speed of the current contributes to the removal of most of them into the sea, as a result of which the Yangtze does not experience such destructive floods as the Yellow River, and its banks are less embanked. However, in the summer, in conditions of particularly intensive snowmelt in Tibet or unusually heavy rains floods happen. So, in 1931, an area of approx. 91 thousand sq. km. In order to prevent the recurrence of such floods, two reservoirs were built, the capacity of which supplements the natural lake reservoirs of Poyanghu and Dongtinghu. The reservoir near Shashi (to the north of Dongting Lake) was built in 1954 almost exclusively by hand in 75 days. Its area is 920 sq. km, capacity - 5.4 km3. A somewhat smaller reservoir is located near the city of Wuhan.
The Yangtze Delta begins about 50 km from Nanjing, upstream of the river. This completely flat surface, located slightly above sea level, is composed of silty deposits. It is steadily and rapidly moving towards the sea, as well as in a southerly direction, into the Hangzhou Bay. Mirror ground water low-lying plain located very close to the surface. This plain is crossed by countless drainage and irrigation canals, which are also used as communication routes. Trees, mostly mulberries, have been planted along the canals, serving as a base for local sericulture. The delta is replete with lakes, of which the largest is Taihu ("Great Lake"). The delta region is very densely populated. By 1968, three bridges had been erected across the Yangtze in the section from the western border of Sichuan Province to the sea. The largest, 6.7 km long, in Nanjing, has two levels - with a double-track railway and a four-lane road. In 1956, a large bridge was built in Wuhan, and a somewhat smaller one in Chongqing. At the mouth of the river is the large port city of Shanghai. This is not only the main point of concentration and redistribution of all manufactured goods of the vast Yangtze basin, but also the largest center of heavy and light industry in China.
Valley of the Xijiang ("Western") River. The drainage basin of the Xijiang River, separated from the Yangtze River basin by the Nanling Mountains, is located mainly in the tropics. The sources of the river are in the Nanling Mountains and the Yunnan-Guizhou Highlands. Then Xijiang crosses an area characterized by a variety of karst landforms, the so-called. remnant tower karst. The Xijiang River with a total length of 2655 km in the upper and middle reaches has a narrow valley sandwiched between the mountains, and only below Wuzhou, where it forms a common delta with the Beijiang and Dongjiang rivers within the alluvial plain, its course becomes calm. Below the city of Xinan (Sanshui), where the Xijiang merges with the Beijiang River, it divides into many branches, mostly man-made. The soils of this delta region are very fertile, here high density population.
The Leizhou Bandao Peninsula and Hainan Island are located in the extreme south of the country. Hainan Island with an area of 34 thousand square meters. km is divided into two parts: the northern - a wide coastal plain and the southern - mountainous terrain. The plain is densely populated, predominantly by the Chinese. The Miao and Lu peoples live in the mountains, the population density there is low.
The Northeast Plain (Manchuria) includes the basins of the Liaohe River in the south and the Songhua River (Chinese Songhuangjiang) in the north, separated by ridges of low ridges. The Liaohe River originates in the Liaoxi Mountains and flows into the Liaodong Bay of the Yellow Sea. A significant part of its lower course passes within the Songliao Plain, where it is navigable. In the lower reaches are fertile lands used in agriculture. In the southeast, the Northeast Plain is bounded by the Yalu River (Amnokkan).
The Songhua River with its tributaries Nenjiang and Lalinhe crosses the Northeast Plain in the north and flows into the Amur (Chinese: Heilongjiang), along which the northern border of China with Russia runs. The Ussuri River (Chinese Usulijiang) is the eastern border of China with Russia. These rivers are important routes of communication during the summer months, but are ice-bound in winter. The Amur opens up later than the Sungari, which is why vast wetlands are formed at the place of their confluence.
Coastline. China's coastline is approx. 8000 km. It is divided into four main sectors. The northernmost part of the coast within the Bohaiwan and Liaodong bays is slightly indented. A huge amount of silt is brought here from the Shanxi plateau by the Yellow River and other less full-flowing rivers. The sea is shallow here coastline annually moves towards the sea, and there are few good natural harbors. To prevent silting of the outport of Tianjin - Tanggu in Bohai Bay, dredging is constantly carried out. Yingkou Port in Liaodong Bay freezes in the middle of winter.
The coasts of the Shandong and Liaodong peninsulas, composed of shales and gneisses and separated by an underwater hollow, are characterized by dissected, in some places steep shores. There are numerous natural harbors here. The most important port - Qingdao is located on the southern coast of the Shandong Peninsula. Due to frequent fogs and dust storms, navigation off the northern coast of China is difficult.
From the southern part of the Shandong Peninsula to the Hangzhou Bay, the coast becomes flattened again as a result of the accumulation of silt deposits carried by the Huang He and Yangtze rivers. These sediments move to the south by the cold East China Current and fill the Hangzhou Bay and adjacent parts of the water area around the Zhoushanquandao archipelago. There are no natural harbors here. Wusong, an outpost of Shanghai, is kept navigable only by constant dredging.
Throughout the southeastern and southern sections of the coast from the Hangzhou Bay to the Vietnamese border in the Gulf of Tonkin, mountains approach the sea directly. Due to tectonic subsidence, the banks are uneven, deeply indented, the so-called. rias type. It has many convenient natural harbors, including ports such as Ningbo, Wenzhou, Xiamen (Amoi), Shantou (Swatow) and Hong Kong.
Population of China
China ranks first in the world in terms of population. The first census was conducted on July 30, 1935 and determined the number of inhabitants at 601 million 938 thousand, of which 574 million 505.9 thousand were the population directly subjected to the census, this included emigrants, students abroad, as well as residents islands of Taiwan. The absence in the country of not only regular censuses, but even current records does not make it possible to get a true idea of the magnitude of natural population growth, which was hardly significant, since along with a high birth rate, there was also a high death rate. But at the same time, by 1957, about 656 million people lived in China, which amounted to 1/4 of the entire population of the globe. And in 1986 the number of inhabitants reached 1060 million people, and according to the 1990 census - already 1 billion 134 million. Human. It is no coincidence that for two millennia China has been the most numerous country in the world, which leaves its mark on all aspects of society, and, above all, is reflected in the specifics of the ongoing demographic policy. According to the Chinese constitution, planned childbearing must be carried out in the country. It is forbidden to marry students, one family must have no more than one child, and the birth of a second or third child already requires permission from a special committee on planned childbearing. Despite the implementation of such a tough demographic policy, the population of China, according to experts, by the year 2000 will exceed 1.3 billion people.
In the PRC, as in any socialist country, the land, its subsoil and industrial enterprises belong to the people, and only a small part in relation to state property is in the hands of private owners, therefore in China there are no large owners, and the main classes are peasants, workers , merchants and intellectuals.
The ethnic composition of China has about 50 nationalities. The overwhelming majority of the population of China are Chinese (Han). In addition, representatives of the following national and ethnic groups live in the country: Zhuang, Uighurs, Huizu, Tibetans, Miao, Manchus, Mongols, Bui, Koreans, Tutszya, Dong, Yao, Bai, Hani, Tai, Li, Lisu, She , lahu, wa, shui, dongxiang, na - si, tu, kyrgyz, jingno, mulao, clogs, salars, bulans, gelao, maoan, pumi, well, aian, benlurs, yugurs, baoan, orogons, gaoshan, hechje, menba , Loba, Tatars, Uzbeks, Kazakhs and Russians. The entire multinational population of China belongs to three language families and inhabits more than 1/2 of the entire territory of the country.
To date, there are more than 800 million working-age people in China, of which 2/5 are young people. 51.182% - men and 48.18% - women. Like many national countries, China is characterized by significant contrasts in settlement. The population is unevenly distributed throughout the country: to the east of the conditional line passing from the city of Heiheng to the city of Tengchong on Yunnan, about 90% of the total population is concentrated on an area of slightly more than 1/3 of the country's territory, and the average density here exceeds 170 people / km2. The rest of the larger western part of the country accounts for only a few people per square kilometer. Particularly densely populated are the plains along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the low-lying strip of the Southeast coast, where in some places the population density reaches 600-800 people / km2. In addition, there are more than 30 cities in China with a population of over 1 million, including: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Harbin, Cang-shin, Tatuan, Luida, Slan, Chengdu, Qingdao.
Source - Internet sites
