China: Geographic SettingChina: Geographic Setting

Land & PeopleLand & People

• 1.35 billion people live in China1.35 billion people live in China

• They are packed into Eastern ChinaThey are packed into Eastern China

• Why?Why?– 80% of the land is rugged and mountainous80% of the land is rugged and mountainous– 20% of the land is flat20% of the land is flat

•1/2 of the land is arable, good for farming1/2 of the land is arable, good for farming

– Most people still farmersMost people still farmers

• Many natural barriers: plateaus, deserts, Many natural barriers: plateaus, deserts, mountainsmountains

The PeopleThe People

• 92% of the people in China are ethnic 92% of the people in China are ethnic Chinese or HanChinese or Han

• Other ethnic groups live in remote Other ethnic groups live in remote regionsregions– MongolsMongols– TibetansTibetans– UyghurUyghur

• Mandarin is the official government Mandarin is the official government language, 1000s dialectslanguage, 1000s dialects

Regions of ChinaRegions of China

• 6 major Regions6 major Regions

• The Heartland – North & SouthThe Heartland – North & South– From Beijing in the north to the From Beijing in the north to the

border with Vietnamborder with Vietnam

• The Northeast – Manchuria The Northeast – Manchuria

• MongoliaMongolia

• Xinjiang – pronounced (sheen jee Xinjiang – pronounced (sheen jee ahng)ahng)

• Xizang – pronounced (shee dzahng)Xizang – pronounced (shee dzahng)

The Heartland

North ChinaNorth China

• Part of Chinese HeartlandPart of Chinese Heartland• Warm or hot summersWarm or hot summers• Cold wintersCold winters• Rainfall variesRainfall varies• Crops: wheat & milletCrops: wheat & millet• Cities: Beijing (capital), Tianjin: Cities: Beijing (capital), Tianjin:

manufacturingmanufacturing• Rivers: Huang He or River of Sorrow or Rivers: Huang He or River of Sorrow or

Yellow River (same river) Page 326Yellow River (same river) Page 326• Lots of peopleLots of people

Terraced FarmTerraced Farm

Terraced FarmTerraced Farm

Beijing (capital)

Heavy air pollution has resulted in widespread smog.

Beijing Financial Street, the economic center of Beijing Urban Boom - DownloadedVideo Urban Boom from China Revealed Discovery Education Discovery Atlas: China Revealed

Wangfujing Street is one of the busiest streets in Beijing, with nearly 100,000 visitors daily

South ChinaSouth China• Part of Chinese HeartlandPart of Chinese Heartland• North and South separated by Chang North and South separated by Chang

RiverRiver• Richer farming and industrial region Richer farming and industrial region

than North Chinathan North China– Xi River DeltaXi River Delta

• Mild Humid ClimateMild Humid Climate• Crops: rice, cotton, tea, and vegetablesCrops: rice, cotton, tea, and vegetables• Lots of People packed around Lots of People packed around

farmlands in river valleys and lakesfarmlands in river valleys and lakes

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=rivers+of+china+map&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=YRosRPdwOXOCXM&tbnid=odQFP7Yw02vAsM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.history.ubc.ca%2Ffaculty%2Flshin%2Fteaching%2F320%2Fweek1%2Frivers.htm&ei=OoeoUfPSCczL0gGM0oGgDg&bvm=bv.47244034,d.dmQ&psig=AFQjCNHHHqT9EF9bNz1NtgzSAQ05fGa8Aw&ust=1370085479048018

Shenzhen: major city South China

NortheastNortheast

NortheastNortheast

• Once ManchuriaOnce Manchuria

• Cold ClimateCold Climate

• Sparsely populatedSparsely populated– Government incentives to attract people Government incentives to attract people

to the regionto the region

• Government working to develop Government working to develop region’s mineral resourcesregion’s mineral resources– oil, iron, aluminum ore, coal, lead, zincoil, iron, aluminum ore, coal, lead, zinc

MongoliaMongolia

• Gobi Desert: harsh climate Gobi Desert: harsh climate

• Hot summers and cold wintersHot summers and cold winters

• Part independentPart independent

• Try to promote irrigation and farmingTry to promote irrigation and farming

•Mongolian Culture Video from China from China Revealed Discovery Education - Revealed Discovery Education - Video

Discovery Atlas: China RevealedDiscovery Atlas: China Revealed

MongoliaMongolia

Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China. A view overlooking the city square from my Hotel.

XinjiangXinjiang

XinjiangXinjiang

• Desert BasinDesert Basin

• Oil producing regionOil producing region

• Linked by railroadsLinked by railroads

• Produce cotton and wheat with Produce cotton and wheat with irrigationirrigation

• Home to non-Chinese peopleHome to non-Chinese people

UyghurUyghur

Muslim Non-Muslim Non-Chinese Chinese people of people of the Zinjiang the Zinjiang RegionRegion

Ürümqi is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, in the northwest of the country.

XizangXizang

• TibetTibet

• Sits in the Himalayas Sits in the Himalayas

• Barren and treeless farming possible Barren and treeless farming possible in valleysin valleys

• Chinese took over Tibet in 1950Chinese took over Tibet in 1950

• Tried to develop hydroelectric powerTried to develop hydroelectric power

1. Why did Chinese call land 1. Why did Chinese call land Zhongguo?Zhongguo?

• Believed China center of civilizationBelieved China center of civilization– Middle Kingdom Middle Kingdom

• China was located too far from other China was located too far from other countries, it was surrounded by countries, it was surrounded by natural boundaries and barriersnatural boundaries and barriers– Gobi Desert, Mongolian and Tibetan Gobi Desert, Mongolian and Tibetan

Plateaus, Himalayas, and RainforestsPlateaus, Himalayas, and Rainforests

2. What is the Chinese 2. What is the Chinese heartland?heartland?

• North and South ChinaNorth and South China

• Most people live there because it is Most people live there because it is suitable for farmingsuitable for farming

3. What are the 3 main rivers 3. What are the 3 main rivers of China?of China?

• Huang He: Yellow River, River of Huang He: Yellow River, River of SorrowSorrow

• Chang: Yangzi – 3Chang: Yangzi – 3rdrd longest longest – China’s 3 Gorges Dam 2012China’s 3 Gorges Dam 2012– National Geographic 3 Gorges DamNational Geographic 3 Gorges Dam

• Xi: trade route in SouthXi: trade route in South

• All important for trade and farmingAll important for trade and farming

4. What geographic feature lies 4. What geographic feature lies between independent Mongolia between independent Mongolia and Chinese Mongolia?and Chinese Mongolia?

• Gobi DesertGobi Desert