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 The
vast territory of China stretches north and south
for approximately 5,500 km (about 50 latitudinal
degrees) from the central line (53°31'N) of
the Heilongjiang River at Mohe Town in Heilongjiang
Province to the Tsengmu Reef (4°15'N) in the
southernmost part of the South China Sea Islands;
and east and west for 5,000 km (about 62 longitudinal
degrees) from the confluence of the Heilongjiang
and Wusulijiang rivers (135°5'E) to the Pamirs
(73°40'E) in Xinjiang. China's geographical
position in eastern Asia and on the western shore
of the Pacific enables it to maintain close ties
with landlocked neighbours in the west and reach
out to countries across the sea. The abundance
of rainfalls precipitated by moist air currents
from the sea is a major source of freshwater essential
to agricultural development in this country. The
coastal regions provide ample space for maritime
undertakings.
As the Tropic of Cancer runs across the southern
part of China, which belongs to the Northern Hemisphere,
the lion's share of the Chinese territory finds
itself in the northern temperate zone, and a small
part of it is in the tropical zone. A wide latitudinal
span has endowed China with plenty of sunshine
and solar energy, and this is conducive to the
growth of a good variety of animals and plants.
Covering an area of 9.6 million square km, which
is approximately one-fifteenth of the earth's
land area or about the same size as Europe, China
is the world's third largest country behind Russia
and Canada.
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Land Frontier |
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China's land frontier is about 20,000 km in
length. |
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Coastline |
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China's 18,000-km-long continental coast is
washed by the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East
China Sea and the South China Sea. The Pacific
is off the eastern shore of the Taiwan Island.
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RIVERS |
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China's rivers amount to 220,000 km in total length.
The Yangtze and Huanghe (Yellow) are among the
world's mightiest rivers. Other renowned rivers
include the Heilongjiang, Songhuajiang, Pearl,
Liaohe, Haihe, Huaihe, Lancangjiang, Nujiang,
Yadung Zangbo, and Tarim. |
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Highlands & Mountains |
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Mountains and highlands make up 65% of the
Chinese continent, which is studded with 2,000-odd
natural lakes. The 8,848-metre-high Mount Qomolangma
is the highest peak in the wodd. Four major highlands:
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Inner Mongolia Plateau,
Loess Plateau, and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. |
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Four major basins |
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Tarim, Junggar, Qaidam, and Sichuan. |
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Three major plains |
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Northeast China, North China, and the Middle and Lower
Yangtze River. |
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