The Yangtze River & Huang He River
China's Majestic River
The Yangtze River is IMPORTANT!
For thousands of years this river helped keep people alive in ancient China. People relied on the river for fresh water to drink, water to help their crops grow and as a major way to travel and move products around the country. Today the rushing waters of the Yangtze River also help provide electricity to power the entire country!
Fast Facts about the Yangtze River
The Yangtze River is the third-longest river in the world. The snow from the Kunlun Mountains flows down into the Yangtze river basin and flows all the way into the East China Sea. This means that the river is a great source for transportation and also acts as a natural boundary between northern and southern parts of the country.
Geologic History
About 40 million years ago, drifting landmasses collided, causing huge areas of land to be pushed upward. The jagged peaks of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau were formed. The collision also created the way China's drainage pattern, in which all the major rivers flow west to east (left to right).
Quick example of how some mountains are formed
A great place to live!
In ancient China many farming villages moved to live along the banks of the Yangtze River and another major river called the Huang He (Yellow River). The water was important for growing crops and it allowed people to travel along the river to trade and sell their products.
Travel!
People have been traveling by boat on the Yangtze River since ancient times. A sturdy, flat-bottomed sail boat called a junk was used to carry large amounts of cargo throughout the river route.