Download Geography of China

China:
The Most Populous Country in the World
I begin to work when the sun rises;
I rest when the sun sets.
I dig a well for my drinking water;
I plow the field to provide my food.
Although it is 3,000 years old, this Chinese folk song describes the
lives of many farmers in Southern and Eastern Asia today. The
region’s rivers and fertile river valleys are among its important
natural resources.
Geography of China
Mountains
Rivers
Deserts
Landforms
Chapter 23
Where in the World?
China
Mountains
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Western China has the highest mountains.
The Himalayas are the border between Nepal
and China.
Mount Everest: Highest Mountain at 29,035 ft
Plateau of Tibet:
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Covers ¼ of China
The highest plateau on Earth
Nicknamed “roof of the world”
Why
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All rivers flow East from the highlands
Huang He (known as Yellow River)
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Known as the Yellow River due to the color of the silt (loess)
that covers the plains along parts of the river.
Nicknamed “China’s Sorrow”
Chang Jiang (known as Yangtze River)
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Alluvial soil- a deposit of clay, silt,
sand, and gravel left by flowing
streams in a river valley or delta,
Rivers? typically producing fertile soil.
China’s longest river
Xi Jiang
Note: loess-a loosely compacted yellowish-gray
deposit of windblown sediment (blown
in from the Gobi Desert)
Huang He River
Deserts
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Taklimakan
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Located in Northwestern China
One of the largest sandy deserts
Gobi
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Located in Central Northern China
Means “waterless place”
What About?…
Taiwan:
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An island; a country?… (depends on who you ask)-China (no), America (yes)
A republic; Taiwanese have declared themselves a nation
Multiparty democratic system
Chinese Nationalist government based there since 1949
Long conflict with mainland China
Hong Kong:
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An island; a special administrative region of China; legally part of China
lies on China's southeastern coast
a major port of Asia.
a center of trade, finance, and tourism due to former British rule
Tibet:
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Rooftop of the World
Was formally an independent or semi-independent state
A part of China since 1950’s; autonomous region of China
Mountain ranges isolate the country from outsiders
Traditionally a religious kingdom
Buddhist monks had a strong voice in the rule of Tibet before China took
control
Key Vocabulary
loess
alluvial soil
Mount Everest
Himalayas
North China Plain
Huang He River
Chang Jiang River
Mekong River
monsoons
terraces
The Gobi Desert
to the tune of the Brady Bunch theme song
Here’s the story of the Gobi (Gobee) Desert
that is located on the Asian continent
It’s a vast desert
within China
It’s name means “waterless”.
The Gobi Desert stretches into Mongolia
you can pronounce it Gah-be
if you wish
The most important thing
we want you to remember
is it’s one of two deserts
The Gobi Desert, the Gobi Desert
It’s the largest desert within China.
Now it’s YOUR turn!…
Landforms
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Create “geographically correct” song lyrics
for your assigned physical feature.
Be creative!
Mt. Everest
Himalayas
Plateau of Tibet
Huang He River
Chang Jiang River
Taklimakan Desert
Gobi Desert
Include:
2 facts for each and the
location
EQ: How does China’s
geography affect how the
Chinese people live?
Your task: You are to become a research
expert on China’s geography. Using the article
provided, your textbook and additional
resources, complete the graphic organizer for
each component of physical geography. Your
ultimate quest is to be able to explain how
geography affects the way that the Chinese
people live and thrive in their homeland.
Resources at your
fingertips:
China article
Chapter in your textbook
(pages and pages )
Vocabulary for China:
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Mount Everest: the highest mountain peak in the world, located in the
Himalayas on the border of China and Nepal.
Dynasty: a family of rulers
Genghis Khan: a Mongolian that invaded China in 1211 AD.
Kublai Khan: the founder of the Yuan Dynasty and conqueror of the
Song Dynasty in 1279 AD.
Confucius: a Chinese philosopher who taught the importance of moral
character and of individuals taking responsibility for the state of their
society.
Bureaucracy: the administration of a government through departments
called bureaus.
Taoism: a Chinese philosophy founded in the 200s BC by Lao Tzu.
Lao Tzu: wrote the Taoe-te Ching and described a force that guides
the universe calling it the Tao.
Vocabulary for Japan:
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Mount Fuji: the tallest mountain and an active volcano in Japan.
Ring of Fire: an area of volcanic activity along the borders of the
Pacific Ocean.
Typhoon: a hurricane that occurs in the western Pacific Ocean.
Shinto: a Japanese religion that developed around 300 BC
Clan: a group of families who trace their descent from a common
ancestor.
Heian Age: the golden age of Japanese culture, from 794 to 1185.
The Tale of Genji: the world’s first novel, written by Lady Murasaki
Shikibu of Japan in the 11th century.
Zen: a branch of Buddhism practiced in Japan, which emphasizes
that people can achieve enlightenment suddenly.
Samurai: a Japanese warrior who pledged to serve a particular lord
and protect his estate.
Shogun: in feudal Japan, the emperor’s chief general, who held most
of the country’s power.