Ancient China

Ancient History 10

Physical Features of China

Physical Features of China • China is the largest landmass in Asia • Today it has: 22 provinces, 4 municipalities and 5

autonomous regions.• Capital, Beijing.• The physical features highlight:

• Forest steppes.• Deserts (Gobi and Taklamakan).• Dry regions.• Subtropical forests.• Rugged, high altitudes.• Extensive mountain ranges.

Mountain Ranges

Mountains in China

• China was composed of pockets of civilization. • The early people in China settled mostly along

the Yangtze River and Yellow River. • These early people were protected from the

rest of the world by many natural barriers. – One was the Himalayan Mountains.

Mountains in China

• The Himalayan Mountains are not located in modern day China. They run along the border to the south. – Helped to protect from invasion.

• The Himalayan Mountains to the south are very rugged.

Deserts in China

The Taklamakan Desert• Referred to as Sea of Death. (2nd largest)• It has poisonous snakes, frequent sand

storms, boiling days, freezing nights, and intense water shortages.

• Bounded by the Kunlun Mountains and the desert Pamir Mountains

• 85% made up of shifting sand dunes

Godi Desert in China

• One of the driest deserts in the world. • Gobi gets some water• It covers parts of northern and northwestern

China, and of southern Mongolia. • The desert basins of the Gobi are bounded by

the Altai Mountains, steppes of Mongolia and Tibetan Plateau.

Plateau In China

• The Tibetan Plateau is surrounded by massive mountain ranges.

• The plateau is bordered to the south by the Himalayan range, Kunlun Range, Tarim Basin, and the Qilian Range.

• The Tibetan Plateau has an altitude that drops from around 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) in less than 150 kilometres.

Manchurian Plain

• Manchuria, the northeastern • The area is roughly 1,165,000 km sq. • Manchuria is bordered by:• Mongolia• Russia • North Korea• Yellow Sea.

Manchurian Plain

• Manchurian Plain, enclosed by heavily forested mountain ranges and hills.

• Climate has long, cold winters and short, warm to hot summers.

• Temperatures average about -18° C in January to 22° C in July.

• Precipitation normally totals 250 to 630 mm

Tarim Basin

• Drained by the Tarim River in western China, • Covers about 906,500 square km and enclosed

by the mountains. • The climate is extremely dry since the

mountains block out moist air from the sea. • Annual rainfall is less than 4 inches

Rivers in China

Rivers in China

• Some of their natural features provided fertile soil and safe drinking water.

• China has two major river systems – • Yellow River (Huang He) and the Yangtze River

(Long River).

Rivers in China

• The Yangtze (Long River) is the third longest river in the world.

• It is about 4000 miles long. • It floods each year and leaves

fertile soil along the banks. • The Yangtze River has high banks,

which keeps homes safe from the annual flooding.

Rivers In China

• The Huang He (Yellow River) is about 3000 miles long.

• The banks along the Huang He River are low.

• Civilization in ancient China began along the Yellow River about 5000 years ago.

• Nickname "The Great Sorrow". (Reason = homes ruined)

Climate in China