Geography of Geography of ChinaChina

1. China was isolated. Why?1. China was isolated. Why?

Would you want to cross these Would you want to cross these to get into China?to get into China?

Cliffs along Huang He in Gansu

a. Mountains: south- Himalayasa. Mountains: south- Himalayaswest- Kunlun and Tien Shanwest- Kunlun and Tien Shan

b. Large deserts: north- Gobiwest- Takla Makan

c. Pacific Ocean- east

2. Impact of Isolation2. Impact of Isolation

a.a. Ethnocentric society developed Ethnocentric society developed

Ethnocentrism- the belief that your race or culture is better than all others.

Called China “Zhongguo” or Middle Kingdom

3. Population Distribution3. Population Distribution

a.a. 2/3 of China is mountains and deserts2/3 of China is mountains and deserts

b.b. 96% of pop. live along coast and river 96% of pop. live along coast and river valleys. Why? valleys. Why?

How people distribute themselves in an How people distribute themselves in an areaarea

There’s There’s farmable farmable

land land there.there.

4. Agriculture4. Agriculture

a.a. Only 11% of the land is arable.Only 11% of the land is arable.b.b. Arable=farmableArable=farmablec.c. China’s population: ~1 Billion people (1 China’s population: ~1 Billion people (1

Child Law)Child Law)

Farmers practice:1. subsistence farming- producing just

enough to meet your basic needs (little or no surplus)

2. terrace farming- carving steps into the sides of mountains for farming

5. Rivers in China5. Rivers in Chinaa.a. Huang He (Yellow River)Huang He (Yellow River)

1. earliest Chinese civilization developed in river 1. earliest Chinese civilization developed in river valley.valley.

2. loess- fine, windblown soil2. loess- fine, windblown soil

- very fertile- very fertile

- settles in river causing flooding- settles in river causing flooding

3. known as “China’s Sorrow” because of flood damage

Xi River

b. Chang b. Chang (Yangtze) (Yangtze)

1. Longest 1. Longest riverriver

2. 2. commercial commercial

c. Xi (Si)c. Xi (Si)

1. southern-1. southern-

most rivermost river

2. 2. commercialcommercial

6. Coastline6. Coastline

a.a. Long and Long and irregular (jagged)irregular (jagged)

Excellent harbors

Used for trade and transportation

7. Advanced Culture7. Advanced Culture

a.a. Advancements:Advancements:1. printing press1. printing press

2. gunpowder2. gunpowder

3. paper money3. paper money

4. earthquake 4. earthquake detectordetector

Each of the eight dragons had a bronze ball in its mouth. Whenever there was even a slight earth tremor, a mechanism inside the seismograph would open the mouth of one dragon. The bronze ball would fall into the open mouth of one of the toads, making enough noise to alert someone that an earthquake had just happened. Imperial watchman could tell which direction the earthquake came from by seeing which dragon's mouth was empty.