Which lake is the largest in China. China. Geography, description and characteristics of the country. Karst "Stone Forest" in Yunnan Province

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China is characterized by a very uneven distribution of rivers. If the east of the country is sufficiently watered, and there is an extensive hydrographic network, numerous rivers, then the west experiences a significant shortage of water, the rivers have an internal flow and are often watered only during the rainy season.

Numerous rivers flow in the east of the country, including major rivers Asia - Huang He, Yangtze, Xijiang. But even they are characterized by an uneven distribution of runoff throughout the year: its maximum falls on summer period monsoon rains. During this time, floods often cause catastrophic floods. Floods are especially intense on the Huang He and the rivers of northern and northeastern China. During the dry period, the flow decreases sharply. At this time, the rivers are fed by groundwater. In the third quarter of the 20th century, the construction of large hydraulic structures began in the PRC. Their creation pursued a dual goal - to obtain electricity and create reservoirs to regulate natural flow and accumulate water supplies for irrigating fields.

In the western part of China, there are very few rivers, and in large areas they are completely absent. In most cases, the rivers are shallow and are quickly lost in the sands or flow into drainless depressions. So-called saury are often found here - channels that do not have a permanent watercourse. They are filled with water only for a few hours after the rains. Only those rivers that receive snow feeding in the mountains have a permanent flow. Here, in the south and east of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the great rivers of Asia originate: the Huang He, Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Brahmaputra, Indus, flowing into the Pacific and Indian Ocean s.

The rivers of China are divided into two large groups: rivers of internal flow and external flow. Rivers of external flow flow into the sea or ocean. Their total catchment area is approximately 64% of the country's territory, and the volume of runoff reaches 96%, with more in the south. The main direction of flow of the rivers of the Pacific Ocean basin is from west to east. These include the Huang He, Yangtze, Heilongjiang (Amur), Zhujiang (Xijiang), Liaohe, Haihe, Huaihe, and others. The Yalutsangpo River carries its waters into the Indian Ocean. It is famous for the fact that its channel passes through the largest canyon in the world, which is 504.6 km long and 6009 m deep. Ertsis (Irtysh) belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin, rushing through the XUAR to the north.

Rivers of internal flow flow into lakes, are lost in salt marshes and deserts. Their catchment area is only 36% of the country's territory. The largest of them is the Tarim, which flows through the territory of the XUAR.

The largest river in China is Yangtze(Yangtzejiang, Changjiang, blue river), which is approximately 6300 km long. This is the third largest river in the world after the Nile and the Amazon, and the longest and most abundant river in Eurasia. Its source is located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, at an altitude of more than 5500 m above sea level. The area of ​​the Yangtze basin is 1,807,199 square kilometers. km, which is 18.8% of the country's area. The river is full of water: the volume of its flow reaches 37.7% of the total flow of rivers in China. Starting in the mountains, it passes through the deepest gorges with rapids and waterfalls of the Sino-Tibetan mountains, in the middle reaches southern part Sichuan Basin, one of the granaries of China, and downstream it breaks through three steep-walled gorges - the “Three Gate Gorge”, Sanmenxia, ​​famous for its beauty.

In the lower reaches, the river flows through the Jianghai and southern parts of the Great Plain of China. The width of the channel here reaches 2 km or more; the river is often divided into branches. In the regions of the middle and lower reaches, the climate is warm and humid, with fairly abundant rains and fertile soils. Here formed ideal conditions to maintain Agriculture. It is no coincidence that this is the main granary of the country, "a land rich in rice and fish." Since ancient times, silk weaving and trade have also been developed here. This is where Shanghai is located. The largest city China.

The Yangtze flows into the East China Sea, the delta area is approximately 80 thousand square meters. km. The river has a monsoon regime with a summer flood, at which time the water level rises to 10 or more meters above the plain. Despite the fact that Dongtinghu and Poyanghu served as natural reservoirs, receiving a significant part of the flood waters, until the middle of the 20th century, devastating floods were not uncommon here, from which even dams, the total length of which is 2.7 thousand km, could not be saved.

As V.V. Malyavin notes, “During the period from 1911 to 1932, 56 floods were recorded here, of which 42 were caused by cyclones, 9 by typhoons and 5 by severe thunderstorms. The Yangtze flood in 1931 covered an area inhabited by 25 million people and caused the death of 140,000. Droughts often occurred at the same time as the floods on the Yangtze in northern China. Only after the creation of a number of hydraulic structures, the nature of the river was pacified. Currently, more than 300 million inhabitants live in this area.

The Europeans gave the Yangtze the name "Blue River", however, in reality, the water in the river is yellow due to great content float in water. During the year, the river carries out 280-300 million tons of sediment, which settles in the channel, constantly increasing it. The Yangtze is the main shipping route of the country, the "golden transport artery". Navigation is possible almost to the foothills of the Sino-Tibetan Mountains, 2850 km inland, for sea vessels - to Wuhan. Currently, the waters of the river are also used for irrigation, mainly for rice fields.

The second largest river in China Huanghe which translates to "Yellow River". The color of the water is really yellow due to the abundance of loess. Its length is 5464 km (in different sources different figures are given), the basin area is 752443 sq. km. It originates in the east of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, at an altitude of more than 4000 m. upstream it crosses the lakes Orin-Nur and Dzharin-Nur, passes through the spurs of Kunlun and Nanshan. In the middle course, the river passes the Ordos plateau and the Loess plateau, where it makes a large bend. Then it passes through the Dragon Gate Gorge in the Shanxi Mountains. The last 700 km the river follows the Great Plain of China. In total, on its way, it crosses Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong and flows into the Bohai Gulf (Bohaiwan) of the Yellow Sea, forming a delta.

Like the Yangtze, the Huang He has a monsoon regime, a summer flood. At this time, the water rises by 4-5 m on the plains, and up to 15-20 m in the mountains. in the world. Due to this, every year the river delta moves towards the sea, and in some areas at a speed of up to 5 km per year.

In the lower reaches, the river intensively deposits sediments, which led to the excess of the channel above the level surrounding area 3-10 m. As a result, floods often occurred here, in the northern provinces their frequency reached two out of three years. To protect against floods, the Huang He and its tributaries were protected by dams, the length of which is currently about 5 thousand km. Their breakthroughs caused devastating floods and displacements of the channel at a distance of up to 800 km. Yes, in separate periods Huang He to the north shifted to the river. Haihe, in the south - to Huaihe, and flowed into the Yellow Sea to the north or south of the Shandong Peninsula.

Fertile fields and pastures are concentrated in the Yellow River basin. The subsoil contains deposits of minerals. The waters are used for irrigation. A whole system of hydraulic structures has been created on the river to protect against floods. For convenience, the Yellow River is connected by a canal to the river. Huaihe. Navigation is possible in some areas along the Great Plain of China. However, due to a number of environmental issues the river becomes shallow for most of the year, and navigation is possible only for small vessels. Huang He is traditionally considered the cradle of the Chinese nation, from here the origins of ancient Chinese culture can be traced. The river valley has been densely populated since ancient times, as a result of which the natural landscapes here are replaced by anthropogenic ones.

heilongjiang(Amur, Mong. Khara-Muren) flows in northern China. The total length of the river is 4440 km, if counted from the source of the Argun, and 2824 km from the confluence of the river. Shilka and Argun. It flows into the Amur Estuary of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Up to 41 thousand tons of sediments pass along the riverbed per day. The basin area is 1855 thousand square meters. km. The river passes through China for 3101 km. The border between China and Russia runs along the Amur. The spring flood is weakly expressed due to the lack of snow in winters, and merges with the flood caused by rains. Freeze up in the upper reaches - from the beginning of November to the beginning of May, in the lower reaches - from the end of November to the end of April. Amur is navigable throughout and is an important waterway.

River Huaihe located between the Yellow River and the Yangtze and, like them, flows through the Great Plain of China. Its length is 813 km, the catchment area is 187 thousand square meters. km. Like all rivers in the plain, the Huaihe is characterized by summer floods caused by the monsoon. Since the waters carry a lot of suspended particles, the river bed is continuously rising, and by now in a number of places it is above the adjacent plain. despite the construction of dams along the riverbed, the threat of floods persisted until the recent past. Like the Yellow River and the Yangtze, the Huai River also repeatedly changed its course after catastrophic floods and flowed either into the Yellow River, then into the Yangtze, then into the Yellow Sea. After the construction of large irrigation facilities in the 50-60s. In the 20th century, the threat of floods was largely eliminated. At present, through a system of lakes and canals, most of the flow enters the Yangtze. The river is navigable in its lower course, a significant amount of water is used for irrigation. Connected by the Grand Canal to the Yangtze and the Yellow River.

Xijiang- the largest and most full-flowing river in South China, its length is 2130 km, the basin area is about 437 thousand square meters. km. In the lower reaches, it is called Zhujiang (the left arm of the delta of the Xijiang River below the confluence with the Beijiang River). Zhujiang means "Pearl River", as pearl fishing has been common here for many centuries. The river originates in the Yunnan Highlands, flows most of the way in gorges along the southern foot of the Nanling Mountains and flows into the South China Sea, where it forms a delta (Zhujiangkou, Canton Bay), common with the Beijiang and Dongjiang rivers. The maximum flow near the river is observed in summer, seasonal fluctuations in the level reach 15-20 m. Floods are frequent, to protect against which more than 2 thousand km of protective dams have been built. Currently used for irrigation. Rich in fish. Shipping to Wuzhou. The seaport of Guangzhou (Canton) is located in the delta.

lancangjiang- 2153 km long, basin area 161430 sq. km. The river carries its waters through Qinghai, Tibet, Yunnan and flows into the South China Sea.

Tarim- the largest river of internal flow, formed as a result of the confluence of the Yarkand, Aksu and Khotan rivers, originating in the mountains of Kunlun, Karakoram, Tien Shan and Pamir. The length from the source of the Yarkand is 2030 km, which makes the Tarim the longest river in Central Asia. The basin area is about 1 million square meters. km. In the middle and lower reaches, it flows within the Tarim Basin, most of which is occupied by the Taklamakan Desert. The river forms several chaotic channels, which often change their position, as well as a complex delta, common with the Konchedarya River. Since the Tarim alternately feeds two lakes - Lop Nor and Karaburan Kol, they constantly change their locations and outlines. The flow of the Tarim is gradually lost to irrigation and evaporation, in some years the river does not even reach the lakes. In the 1st millennium AD along the Tarim was the route of the Great Silk Road.

Great Chinese Canal(Dayunhe) is one of the most famous in the world. It connects the water systems of Haihe, Huanghe, Huaihe, Yangtze, Qiantanjiang. Its length is 1801 km. In the north, starting in the Beijing region, in the south it reaches the city of Hangzhou in Zhejiang province. Throughout its course it includes natural waterways- the rivers Baihe, Weihe, Sishui, etc., as well as a number of lakes. The canal consists of several sections: the southern one was built in the 7th century, the northern one - in the 13th century, part of the central one (from Huayin to Jiangdu) - along the ancient Hangou canal of the 6th-5th centuries. BC. Renovated several times. This is the longest and oldest artificial canal.

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Provinces of China

The population in China in 2008 is about 1.32 billion people (a fifth of the world's population). In terms of territory, China ranks third after Russia and Canada (9.6 million sq. km). It borders Korea in the northeast. In the north it borders on Mongolia, Russia, in the west with hard-to-reach Himalayan mountains and the Tibetan plateau. In the southwest with Afghanistan, Nepal, Bunat, Pakistan and India. In the south with Vietnam, Laos, Burma. in the east and southeast, the coasts of China are washed by the waters of the East China and South China, By the yellow seas and has sea borders with Japan, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia. The length of the coastline of the main continent is 18,000 km, excluding about 5,000 islands. The land border is 22,000 km.
Three-level administrative division: provinces, counties (cities) and volosts (towns). China consists of 23 provinces (Taiwan's 23rd province), 5 autonomous regions: Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and Inner Mongolia, 2 Special Administrative Regions: Hong Kong ( Hong Kong) a former English colony and Macao (Macau) a former Portuguese colony, and 4 cities of central subordination: Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Tianjin. China currently has 32 autonomous regions, 321 cities and 2046 counties.

The rivers in China are mostly mountainous, so they have a lot of hydropower potential. The two largest rivers are the Yangtze and the Yellow River. These include Amur, Sungari, Xijiang, Tsagno, Yalohe. The rivers of eastern China are abundant and navigable. The western region of China is arid, having no a large number of rivers: Tarim, Black Irtysh, Ili, Edzin-Gol. The largest rivers in China originate from the Tibetan plateau and flow into the ocean.

Major rivers of China

• Yangtze (length 6300 km; basin area - 1.8 million sq. km)
• Huang He (length 5460 km; basin area - 0.75 million sq. km)
• Heilongjiang (length 3420 km; basin area - 1.6 million sq. km)
• Zhujiang (length 2200 km. Basin area - 0.45 million sq. km)
• Lancangjiang (length 2200 km. Basin area - 0.24 million sq. km)
• Nujiang (length 2000 km. Area - 0.12 million sq. km)

China is rich not only in rivers, but also in lakes. There are two main types: tectonic and water-erosion. The former are located in the Central Asian part of the country, and the latter in the Yangtze River system. In the western part of China, the largest lakes are: Lop Nor, Kununor, Ebi-Nur. Lakes are especially numerous in the Tibetan Plateau. Most of the lowland lakes, as well as rivers, are shallow, many drainless and saline. In the eastern part of China, the largest are: Dongtinghu, Poyanghu, Taihu, located in the Yangtze River basin; Hongzuohu and Gaoihu - in the Yellow River basin. During high water, many of these lakes become the country's natural reservoirs.

Large lakes of China

• Qinghai - Area 4583 sq. km. Depth 32.8 m. Height 3196 m. Qinghai. Salty
• Xingkai - Area 4500 sq. km. Depth 10 m. Height 69 m. Heilongjiang. Fresh
• Poyang - Area 3583 sq. km. Depth 16 m. Height 21 m. Jiangxi. Fresh
• Dongting - Area 2820 sq. km. Depth 30.8 m. Height 34.5 m. Hunan. Fresh
• Taihu - Area 2425 sq. km. Depth 3.33 m. Height 3.0 m. Jiangsu. Fresh
• Hulunhu - Area 2315 sq. km. Depth 8.0 m. Height 545.5 m. Inner Mongolia. Fresh
• Hongzehu - Area 1960 sq. km. Depth 4.75 m. Height 12.5 m. Jiangsu. Fresh
• Namtso - Area 1940 sq. km. Height 4593 m. Tibet. Salty
• Selling - Area 1530 sq. km. Height 4514 m. Tibet. Salty

Flora

The climate in China ranges from severe cold (-40 degrees) to sultry heat (up to +40 degrees Celsius) with large temperature fluctuations. In the north of China, the rainy season, in the south, a humid, hot summer. Typhoons are frequent on the southeast coast. On the territory of China grows cedar, larch, linden, oak, laurel, walnut, maple, magnolia, Japanese camellia, bamboo, palm trees, ash, birch. The vegetation is varied. Many plants began to be cultivated and grown at home. In the Tibetan Plateau, low and herbaceous vegetation of Tibetan sedge and swampland prevails. In the valleys of the eastern part of the highlands there are coniferous and deciduous forests.

Fauna

The diversity of the animal world in China is associated with big sizes and heterogeneity of relief and climate. Animal and vegetable world China is very diverse. There are unique animals: panda, leopard, tiger, elephant, wild yak, deer, elk, bear, sable, musk deer. In the northeast: elk, musk deer, roe deer, wild boar, chipmunk, squirrel. There are many ungulates in the steppes of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, including the Mongolian gazelle and saiga. In the taiga of Heilongjiang province, there are Brown bear, wolf, fox, lynx. Within the Greater Khingan there are predators - tigers and leopards, as well as fur-bearing animals - kolonok, solongoy, polecat, otter, lynx, squirrel, raccoon dog, wolf, badger. Wolves inhabit the plains, and rodents, such as gerbils, are found in abundance. In the southwest of China, the most interesting animals live in Sichuan and Yunnan. In bamboo groves in the mountains there are large and little panda, musk deer. Of the ungulates in Tibet, there are yak, orongo antelope, kukuyaman sheep, kiang, wild goats, and predators - Snow Leopard, Tibetan bear, lynx, wolf, red wolf, corsac fox, from rodents - gray hamster, Tibetan bobak. In southern China, there are a tiger, a clouded leopard, among tree animals - tupaya and fruit bats. From birds: bustards, herons, swans, cranes, ducks, blue magpie, pheasant, oriole. In the northeastern region: black grouse, kosach, gray and ptarmigan, stone capercaillie, hazel grouse, Himalayan snowcock, sandy grouse, kuksha, three-toed woodpecker, walnut, spruce crossbill, pink lentil.

On the territory of China, states in East Asia with an area of ​​9.6 million km 2 (third place in the world after Russia and Canada), more than 50 thousand rivers flow with a total length of 228 thousand km. China's surface water reserves rank sixth in the world.

Most of the rivers are part of the external flow system and have access to the seas of the Pacific Ocean, the Indian and Arctic Oceans, they have a total catchment area of ​​64% of the entire area of ​​the country.

Rivers of internal flow are few in number, separated from each other at a great distance, often shallow. They flow into lakes throughout the country, dry up in deserts, or disappear into salt marshes. China has a large number of lakes, with total area 80 thousand km 2.

Major rivers of China

The southwest of the country lies in the highlands of the Tibetan Plateau, the northern and northwestern in the belt of mountains and high plains, the east of China - in the lower part, composed of low accumulative plains and low mountains in the northeast and south of the country. Therefore, most of the rivers in China flow in an easterly direction and drain into the seas of the Pacific Ocean. The largest rivers in China are the Yangtze, Huanghe (Yellow River), Lancangjiang (Mekong), Heilongjiang (Amur), Zhujiang, Songhua, Nenjiang.

It has a length of 6300 km, which makes it the longest and most full-flowing river not only in China, but throughout the entire Eurasian continent. The area of ​​its drainage basin is 1.8 million km 2, which is 1/5 of the area of ​​the entire country. The Three Gorges HPP, built in 2012 on this river, is considered the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world. The river originates in the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, at an altitude of 5.6 thousand meters above sea level. Moving through the territory of the country, the river changes direction several times and lowers its height, flows into the East China Sea, forming a wide delta. It has more than 700 tributaries, the largest of them are Yalongjiang, Minjiang, Jialingjiang, Hanshui. The Yangtze is a monsoon-type river of nutrition, most of the water comes during the monsoon rains, there are often floods.

Huang He (Yellow River)

The second longest river in China and one of the longest in Central Asia, its length is 5.5 thousand km. It got its name "Yellow River" because of the yellowish hue of the water, colored by abundant sediments. The sources of the river are located in the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau at an altitude of 4,000 above sea level; The river is characterized by a monsoon type of nutrition with a summer flood. The water of the river is actively used for irrigation, electricity generation, river navigation(in the Great Plains of China). In order to avoid frequent floods on the river and its many tributaries, a large-scale system of dams was built, with a total length of more than 5 thousand km.

The third river in China after the Yangtze and the Yellow River in terms of length (2.2 thousand km) and full flow. It is also called the Pearl River, in its tributaries, pearl fishing was previously developed. It is formed by the confluence of the Xijiang, Dongjiang and Beijiang rivers, flows into the South China Sea south of Gongzhou, forming a wide delta, in one of the branches of which Hong Kong and Macau are located. The area of ​​the drainage basin is 437 thousand km 2.

Lancangjiang (Mekong)

The river has a length of 4.5 thousand km and flows through the territory of such states as China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, being the largest river in Indochina. The area of ​​the drainage basin is 810 thousand km 2. It originates in the Tibetan Plateau as Dza-Chu, in the middle course in China it is Lancangjiang, flows, forming a delta of nine branches, into the South China Sea in Vietnam. Tributaries - Mun, Emchu, Tonle Sap, San, Dzechu. It is used for irrigation, fishing, in the wide floods of the river they are engaged in rice cultivation.

Heilongjiang (Amur)

(The Amur River - divides the Russian-Chinese border between the cities of Haihe and Blagoveshchensk)

The Amur River, which in China is called the "Black Dragon River" of Heilongjiang, flows on the border of China and Russia. Its length is 2824 thousand km, originates in Mongolia on the Khentei Range, flows through the territory of Russia and China (44.2%), flows into the Amur Liman of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk in the Pacific Ocean basin. It flows through the territory of one Chinese province of Heilongjiang in the northeast of the country. Large tributaries in China are the Songhua and Ussuri.

The right largest tributary of the Amur, its length is 1927 km. It flows through the northeast of China through the provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang, on the banks there are large cities of Harbin, Jilin and Jiamusi. It originates on the Changbaishan Plateau (the border territory of China and Korea). It flows mainly along the Manchurian Plain, flows into the Amur near Chinese city Tongjiang on the northwestern border with Russia.

The largest lakes in China

There are a large number of lakes in China, with a total area of ​​80 thousand km 2, 12 lakes have an area of ​​more than 1 thousand km 2. Most of lakes is located in the eastern part of the country in the valleys of the Yangtze and Huanghe rivers. The lakes of the western part of the country (Tibetan Plateau) have no runoff, contain little water and are often saline. The largest lakes in China are Poyanghu, Taihu, Dongtinghu, Hongzehu, Nam-Tso, Qinghaihu (Kukunor).

The largest freshwater lake in China, its area may change depending on the season: 2.7 thousand km 2 (in winter), 5 thousand km 2 (in summer), length - 120 km, width - 17 km, average depth - 8.4 m, maximum - 25 m. It is located in the Jiangxi province in the southeast of China, on the right bank of the Yangtze River, they are connected by a channel.

The second largest lake in the country, the area is 2.8 thousand km 2. Located in the northeast of China in Hunan province, located in the flood basin of the Yangtze River, its area may change depending on the season. Also, the waters of four rivers flow into it: Xiangjiang, Yuan, Zi and Lishui.

The third largest lake in China, with an area of ​​2.2 thousand km. Its length is 60 km, width - 45 km, average depth - 2 m. It is located on the border of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. One river flows out of Suzhouhe, there are about 90 islands of various sizes in the lake.

The fourth largest lake in China, with an area of ​​​​2096 km 2. Located in the east of the country in Jiangsu province between the cities of Suqian and Huai'an. Stretching for 60 km from north to south and 58 km from east to west, it is the youngest of China's five freshwater lakes.

Qinghaihu (Kukunor)

The biggest salt Lake in China and the second largest salt lake in Central Asia after Issyk-Kul. It is located on the Tibetan plateau at an altitude of 3205 meters above sea level. Its area is 4.2 thousand km 2, length - 110 km, width - 80 km, maximum depth- 38 m.

One of the largest mountain salt lakes in China, located on the Tibetan Plateau (4718 meters above sea level). Its area is 1870 km 2 , length - 70 km, width - 30 km, maximum depth - 45 meters.

Numerous large rivers tirelessly flow throughout the vast country. There are more than one and a half thousand of them, and the total area of ​​​​their catchment area exceeds a thousand square kilometers. The total annual flow is 2.7 trillion cubic meters and is in third place in the world, while the total volume water resources occupies the first place. Potential energy of all water resources is 680 million kilowatts, of which 370 million kilowatts are already available. Mostly Chinese rivers flow from west to east and flow directly into the sea. Some fall into Pacific Ocean such as the Yangtze, Huang He, Heilongjiang and Zhujiang. Several rivers flow south into the Indian Ocean, such as the Yarlong Pzanbo and Pujiang. The exception is the Irtysh River, which alone carries its waters to the Northern Arctic Ocean. The rivers that flow directly into the seas are called the main ones. Others either disappear into deserts or flow into lakes or main rivers and are called tributaries, the Tarim River in Xinjiang - largest tributary countries.

The turbulent Yangtze is China's largest river. Its length is 6300 km, and it ranks third in the world in terms of length. The source of the Yangtze is located in the western part of Qihai Province, the channel runs through eleven provinces and autonomous regions, and it flows into the East China Sea. The Yangtze basin occupies one fifth of the entire territory of China. The river serves as the most important way of communication, and in addition, plays a significant role in the irrigation of lands. The main channel of the river, together with its tributaries, provides rich water resources, accounting for about 40% of the country's total water resources.

Huang He is the mother river, because ancient civilization China was born on its shores. This river also originates in Qihai Province, flows through nine provinces and autonomous regions, and flows into the Bohai Bay. Its total length is 5464 km. Over the centuries, the course of this river has changed several times. Its turbulent yellow waters not only bring good, but also cause destruction. The history of the Chinese people has always been accompanied by a struggle with the raging Huang He. In addition to rivers, there are many artificial canals in the country. The Grand Canal, opened during the reign of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, at one time connected the south of China with its north. It is laid but in a straight line from Haizhou to Beijing. The length of the canal is 1794 km, which makes it the longest canal not only in the country, but in the whole world. This main north-south waterway is currently being reconstructed, and one day it will be possible to board a boat in Beijing and take a long journey to the "heavenly places" of Suzhou and Hangzhou.

There are many lakes in the country that adorn China like a pearl necklace falling onto a mother's breast - there are more than one hundred and thirty of them, with a total area of ​​​​more than 100 square meters. km. There are also many ponds, that is, lakes of artificial origin. In the Yangtze River valley, in its middle and lower reaches, there are areas where I! freshwater lakes are abundant. Among them are Lake Boyan, the largest in the country; lakes Dongtinghu and Taihu, the second and third in size, and not so large lakes Hongze and Chaohu. There is as much lake water in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as nowhere else in the world. Most of the reservoirs are endorheic salt lakes. The largest of them is Qinghai Lake. The lake is abundant special kind Karpov Sutposurt Ppetrpki, first discovered here. Countless flocks of birds nest on the lake islands, chirping and flapping their snow-white wings, joyfully and freely soaring like angels in the boundless sky above the lake surface. Paradise for birds!

Most of the lakes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were formed as a result of faults earth's crust. Due to the excellent filtering properties of limestone, the water in them is transparent and clean. Diachin Pond in the southern suburbs of Kunming looks wonderful and recreates a dreamlike atmosphere. Numerous lakes provide residents with a convenient water communication. Water is in itself an important consumer resource. And this is in addition to the fact that it contributes to the irrigation of fields and the production of electricity.

Rivers and lakes adorn the country, they are also a source of disasters. From the legend "Da Yu saves his people from the flood", it is known how severely the inhabitants of the country suffered, (the descendants of Da K) inherited his determination and ability to withstand floods. It is necessary to tirelessly study and make every effort to preserve both water and land, while deepening the riverbeds to fight against the elements.

But there is something worse than a flood... This is a drought, when all vegetation dies on thousands of square kilometers of scorched lands. In the ancient legend "And shoots at nine suns," the description of nine suns simultaneously blazing in the sky illustrates the drought well. While the waters of the Yangtze overflow their banks and flood the river valley, the Yellow River is getting shallower day by day. It is necessary to redouble efforts to prevent the Yellow River from drying up: let its waters flow tirelessly and provide food forever!

One of the remarkable features inherent in a huge state called China is a great many fresh water bodies. These are numerous deep rivers that stretch for thousands of kilometers in length. They can be both deep, rich in underwater vegetable and animal world, and small, but at the same time incredibly beautiful and acceptable for swimming. Along with them, there are large lakes in China, which simply amaze with their beauty and purity. Therefore, we will now try to tell in great detail about what remarkable and famous reservoirs this country is famous for.

Chinese water "grid"

The large rivers and lakes of China are a whole water system, which is considered one of the largest in the world. In terms of full-flowing water, this state ranks sixth on the planet, following Brazil, Russia, Canada, the United States and Indonesia. Here there are both internal water bodies that do not go beyond the borders of the country with their channels and bays, and external ones that cross the borders of other powers and flow into the Indian, Pacific or Arctic Ocean. Most of the major rivers and lakes of China are located in the eastern part of the country, but many of them stretch to other regions. In total, all the river channels of the state make up 220 thousand kilometers, of which 64% is occupied by external waters, and the rest is inland water bodies, which are mainly shallow and small.

Brief information about the water bodies of China

In general, over 5,000 rivers flow in this country. The largest of them belong to external waters, and it is they who flow into the oceans. Among these rivers, it is worth mentioning the Yangtze, the Huang He (the two most big rivers and part-time part of the symbols of the country), Zhujiang, Heilongjiang and others. The rest, which we will name a little below, are internal. China's major rivers and lakes are not always interconnected, but smaller bodies of water tend to flow into vast reservoirs. So, all the rivers that flow inside the country often do not flow into the oceans, but into local lakes. It is also considered an important aspect that it is in the valleys of the country's largest rivers that a huge number of people live. Here the population density is much higher than in other regions. But the lakes of the country are rather a magnet for tourists. They are very beautiful here, clean and simply unique.

Water pride of Eurasia

When they talk about the largest rivers in China, the first thing they call a water artery called the Yangtze. In addition to the fact that the river has been a nurse and a mystical symbol of the country from time immemorial, it is also the first largest and full-flowing river in all of Eurasia. In the world, it ranks third in this data. Translated into Russian, "Yangtze" means " Long river". Actually the length of this water artery is 6300 km, and it is she who occupies a fifth of the territory of all of China. Along the Yangtze, the greatest population density can be traced, megacities, dams, factories and factories are being built here. In ancient times, it was thanks to the waters of this river that the Chinese were able to invent an irrigation system. Then her waters, which reflected in themselves blue sky were saints. The river had a second name - Blue or Blue, and its "brother" was the Yellow River, which was called Yellow.

clear yellow waters

Listing the largest rivers in China, it is impossible to lose sight of the famous Huang He, which in translation into Russian sounds like the “Yellow River”. The length of this natural vein of the country is 5464 km, and it originates at the foot of the Tibetan mountains. The Yellow River flows into the river without crossing the border of the state. Yellow these waters are given permanent sediments of various rocks, which are completely environmentally friendly and do not pose a danger to humans. Unlike the Yangtze, on the banks of which megacities, towns and cities are now growing, along the Yellow River there are quiet provincial towns. It was here that the Chinese ethnos, its culture and traditions were formed in ancient times.

Lakes - the beauty of the country

Now we will consider exactly the case when the large rivers and lakes of China are interconnected. Poyang Lake is considered the largest freshwater reservoir that does not have a current. It is it that is connected with the big river the state of the Yangtze by a small strait. This lake is located in Jiangxi province, that is, on the right bank of the river. It is believed that this reservoir is not only the largest in the country, but also one of the most beautiful and interesting. In summer, the water here has a slightly greenish tint, but it is very clean and transparent. In winter, many birds fly here and create their families here. By the way, another lake that is connected to Dongting is considered. It is very large, but shallow. It was in its valleys that the famous Chinese "dragon boats" were born.

Other lakes in China

But a part of it is considered to be Lake Hongzehu, which is completely different from it. Its waters are by no means cast yellow, but transparent blue, surrounded on all sides by rich greenery. The lake itself repeatedly overflowed, thereby blocking the Yellow River, after which the two reservoirs began to coexist as one. Last largest lake state is considered Chao, which is not connected with any river. A notable feature of the reservoir is Laoshan Island - a small green area where many trees and shrubs grow.

Conclusion

All major rivers and lakes in China are a great pride for the country. Here they meet clear waters, and polluted, but, despite this, locals proud of the history of their rivers, their power and greatness.