The Longest River in Asia, Here Are 5 Interesting Facts about the Yangtze River
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
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Yangtze River is one of the most famous rivers in the world located in China. The source of the Yangtze River originates from the Geladaindong Peak in the Tanggula Mountains which flows from west to east China through Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan, Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai, to the East China Sea.
The Yangtze River has more than 700 tributaries, five of which are more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) long. Every tributary of the Yangtze plays an important role in the Chinese economy.
Aside from the facts above, the Yangtze River still has a number of other interesting facts that are a pity to miss. Reported by China Travel Guide and Soft School pages, the following reviews.
1. The longest river in Asia
The Yangtze River is also commonly called the Chang Jiang River which in Chinese means 'long river'. The river, which is traditionally considered to be a separator between North and South China, has a length of about 6,397 km (3,975 miles).
With a length of nearly 4,000 miles, the Yangtze River is considered the longest river in Asia and ranks third as the longest river in the world after the Nile River (Africa) and the Amazon River (Brazil).
The Yangtze River flows through several cities, namely Yibin, Luzhou, Chongqing, Wanzhou, Yichang, Jingzhou, Yueyang, Wuhan, Jiujiang, Anging, Tongling, Wuhu, Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Nantong, and Shanghai. Three of them are the biggest cities in China, namely Wuhan, Shanghai and Chongqing.
2. The birth place of Chinese culture for centuries
Just like the Yellow River, the Yangtze River is also the birthplace of Chinese culture for centuries. Interestingly, it is found that the activity on the longest river in China can be traced back 27,000 years to the beginning of Chinese civilization.
Some Chinese cultures born in the Yangtze River ledges include Bashu culture in Sichuan; Jingchu in Hubei and Hunan; Wuyue in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai.
3. Home to the largest hydroelectric dam in the world
Along the Yangtze River there is a very large dam, the Three Gorges Dam or Three Gorges Dam. With a length of 2,335 meters (2,553.6 yd) and a height of about 185 meters (607 feet), the Three Gorges Dam has been named the largest hydroelectric dam in the world.
The main purpose of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam is to control frequent flooding during the last 2,000 years. In addition, the Three Gorges Dam also plays an important role for power plants, shipping, irrigation, aquaculture, to tourism.
4. Yangtze River Delta is the most populous and most prosperous region in China
The Yangtze River Delta is the most prosperous and most populous region in China. Reported by the China Travel Guide, the Yangtze River delta accounts for around 10 percent of the total population in China and about 20 percent of China's GDP.
Some cities around the Yangtze River which have a population of more than one million, namely Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Suzhou.
The Yangtze River Delta is also the country's largest rice barn which produces about 70 percent of rice and 50 percent of grain from all state production. In addition, the Yangtze River also provides water supply to residents who live along ledges and have been an important transportation route in China for more than 2,000 years.
5. Many animals in the Yangtze River are on the red list of endangered species
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Yangtze River cavity is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, ranging from high mountains, dense forests, wet marshes, and waterways.
In addition, the Yangtze River cavity is also rich in a variety of fauna, including 145 amphibian species, 166 reptile species, 378 species of fish, and more than 280 species of mammals.
Famous fish species in the Yangtze River, namely yellow head catfish, copper fish, Chinese shad, carp, anchovies, and Chinese puffer fish. But unfortunately, many animals in the Yangtze watershed are on the red list of endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The status of these animals varies from vulnerable (high risk of danger in the wild), endangered (high risk of extinction in the wild), to very threatened with extinction (very high risk of extinction in the wild).
Some endangered animals in the Yangtze River, including the finless porpoise, Chinese alligator, the giant turtles softshell turtle, the chinese paddlefish, to the yangtze sturgeon. These animals are threatened with extinction due to commercial use, the influence of tourism, and also the high pollution in the Yangtze River.
Well, that's a review of five interesting facts of the Yangtze River which is the longest river in Asia