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China: A Geographic Preface - The Natural Landscape

15 important questions on China: A Geographic Preface - The Natural Landscape

In which three tiers can China be divided (regardings its physical geography)?

  1. The mountains
  2. The hilly area
  3. The floodplains and lowlands

Describe the mountain tier.

The mountain tier represents land ranging from 6,000 to over 29,000 feet in elevation. Tibet is in the heart of this region, but it also extends into Qinghai, Xinjiang, Sichuan, Gansu and Guizhou provinces. The most famous range is the Himalaya range. All major rivers originate in this region.

The altitude is a major constraint on the habitation of people, plants and animals. 

Describe the hilly area tier.

The middle tier consists of basins, hills, and plateaus between 600 and 6,000 feet. Population in the northern portions of this tier is sparse because it is so dry (Tarim and Mongolia). In the other portions there is more rainfall. The southern portion of this tier has a dense population (Sichuan and Yunnan). 
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Describe the tier of floodplains and lowlands.

This tier lies lower than 600 feet and is the smallest and most populous. The land is scarce and the people are many. The North China Plain and the plains formed by the Liao and Song Rivers are the agricultural and industrial heart of China. 

Why is the Yellow River of great importance to China?

  • Imperial China had its origins along its banks.
  • It carries the fine fertile loess (yellow-brown soil) and irrigates the fields along its floodplain.
  • (Negative; when the dikes break, the flood carries for miles).

What are the pros and cons of the Three Gorges Dam which was built by the Chinese government?

Pros: Lessens flood damage of the Yangtze and generates hydroelectricity
Con: Many people are concerned about its impact on the environment.

What are the pros and cons of the South to North Water Diversion Project?

Pros: It brings water to the dry north to use in its farms, cities and industries (by diverting water from the Yangtze north to the valleys of the Yellow River). 

Con: Its environmental impact will be great

How is it possible that the south of China is warm and wet while the north is cold and dry?

China's climate is driven by the north-south monsoon mechanism. The winter monsoon blows dry, cold air, without moisture from the Siberian Steppe. The summer monsoon blows in hot and humid air, from the South and East China Seas, but when they reach the interior, they have rained themselves out. Because of these monsoons, the south is warm and wet and the north cold and dry.

Describe the climate in the southeast of China.

This is the wettest part of China with over 60 inches of rain, mostly falls in the summer. The southeast is subject to typhoons in the summer. The summers are extremely hot and sticky, while winters are cool and dry. 

Describe the climate north of the Yangtze.

The summers are short but hot (moist) and the winters are cold. Much less rainfall occurs here, water is at a premium. 

Describe the climate in the interior of China.

Summers are very warm and dry and winters are cold and dry. Lack of rainfall begins to increase in the interior. 

How does the climate of the different parts of China influence the types of crops grown in these areas?

In the southeast, where the climate is hot and sticky and where a lot of rain falls, the soils are thick and sticky. They are suitable for growing rice.

North of the Yangtze, there is less rainfall. So instead of rice, wheat is grown here.  Crops like corn and soybeans can grow here because of the moist summers. 

In the interior, wheat, some corn and millet are grown with irrigation from the Yellow River. In the deserts, oases make growing crops possible (like melons and grapes).

What are the sources of energy in China?

  • Coal and oil (mostly used in urban areas)
  • Hydroelectric power (in areas with great rivers)
  • Solar energy and energy from burning plants (rural areas)
  • Nuclear power (mostly along the eastern coast, but those under construction are paused after the nuclear disaster in Japan).
  • Iron ore(mostly in the north/northeast).

What is the disadvantage of peasants using plants to generate energy?

The peasants use sticks, twigs, bark and grass for fuel, which causes the hill slopes to erode.

What are the main reasons that the economy of the east surpassed the economy of the west?

The east has better soils, water supplies, transportation and terrain; the north of it is suitable for heavy industry and the south for agriculture. 

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Understanding contemporary China | 9781588268440 | Robert E Gamer

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