GEOGRAPHY

Climate and Seasons

China experiences a diverse range of climatic conditions in different part of the country. The weather in Southern Wuhan, Chongqing and Nanjing is scorching hot, while the weather in the Northern Beijing, Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang is subzero coldness.

The diversity is further enhanced by the changing seasons, each lasting about three months. Though blessed with the four seasons, some parts of China are susceptible to more extreme weather conditions such as floods, typhoons, droughts and earthquakes.

Autumn Forest

Yangtze River

The Yangtze River, also known as Changjiang, originates from the Tanggula Mountains, passing through Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing and Shanghai before it flows into the East China Sea.

It is the third largest river in the world after Nile and the Amazon, as it stretches a distance of 6,400km. The Yangtze River is known as China's Lifeline as it supports many activities of the Chinese population.

Yellow River

The Yellow River, also known as Huanghe, is located further north to the Yangtze River. It stretches from Lanzhou to Beijing and carries yellow muddy substances known as loess. Although the loess deposits on the banks of the river are useful resources, the Yellow River is prone to flooding and is a threat to the population residing nearby.

Terrain, Flora and Fauna

On the vast land of China lie many different forms of topography such as deserts (mostly on the west side), high plateaus, plains, deltas and mountains.

Gobi Desert

Huan Shan Mountain

Mount Everest

Bamboo Forest

The variety of landscape has cultivated a huge array of flora and fauna. Among many species found in the Chinese forests, the bamboo perhaps the most famous. This plant is the main food source for the giant panda and also a useful raw material.

Giant Panda

The giant panda is one of the most widely recognized symbols of China. The natural habitat for this natural treasure is the temperate zone in central China, where bamboo grows in abundance. The giant panda is an endangered species. Currently only about 1,000 are left in the wilderness while over a hundred are living in Chinese zoos all over the country.