Natural areas of China. Natural areas of China

CHINA, Chinese People's Republic(PRC), a state in Central and East Asia, includes China proper (18 historical provinces of the Chinese Empire), Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Northeast (Manchuria) and Tibet. The province of Taiwan, which is controlled by the People's Republic of China, is considered separately. The PRC occupies an area of ​​9,561 thousand square meters. km (without Taiwan).

Within China, three large orographic regions are distinguished: in the southwest, the Tibetan Plateau with an altitude of more than 2000 m above sea level; to the north of it there is a belt of mountains and high plains, located in the altitude range from 200 to 2000 m above sea level, and in the northeast, east and south of the country - low-lying accumulative plains (below 200 m above sea level) and low mountains.

The Tibetan Plateau covers more than a quarter of China's territory and includes the Tibet Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province and western Sichuan Province. The western and central parts of the highlands, located above 4000 m, are rightly called the “roof of the world.” Numerous ridges crossing Tibet have a latitudinal strike and rise to heights of 5500–7600 m. The ridges are separated by wide valleys, cold and mostly uninhabited. The highlands are framed by even higher mountain ranges: in the south - the Himalayas with the highest peak Qomolungma (Everest, 8848 m), in the northwest - the Karakoram and Pamir mountains, in the north - the majestic Kunlun, Altyntag and Qilianshan mountain ranges, which abruptly fall off in the north direction.

In the northeast of the Tibetan Plateau, between the Kunlun Mountains in the south and the Altyntag and Qilianshan ridges in the north, at altitudes of 2700–3000 m above sea level. The Tsaidam depression is located. The western part of the depression is occupied by desert, and in its central part there are extensive swamps and salt lakes. The mostly nomadic population of this area has been breeding horses for many centuries. The discovery of oil, coal and iron ore deposits in this basin and the development of rich salt deposits contributed to the development of local industry.

The northern and western regions of Tibet and the Tsaidam Basin are internal drainage basins. There are hundreds of endorheic salt lakes into which small rivers flow. On the northern slope of the Himalayas, the Brahmaputra River originates (in China it is called Matsang, and then Zangbo) and flows east for 970 km, and then, cutting through mountain ranges, turns south and enters the plains of Northern India. The Brahmaputra and its tributaries flow in deep sheltered valleys, which contribute to the concentration of sedentary populations in cities such as Lhasa, Gyangtse and Shigatse. Three of the world's greatest rivers, the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween, originate on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. In this area, the huge ridges that cross the Tibetan plateau curve in a south-easterly and then southerly direction and typically exceed 3000 m, with some peaks reaching higher elevations. For example, Guangshan Peak (Minyak-Gankar) in the Daxueshan Mountains in western Sichuan Province rises to 7556 m.

The belt of highlands and depressions adjoins the Tibetan Plateau in the north, northeast and east and has an altitude range from 200 to 2000 m. The autonomous regions of Xinjiang Uygur, or Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia and the plains of China proper, are confined to this belt, differing significantly in the nature of the relief.

In Xinjiang, located north of the Kunlun Mountains, there are two large inland drainage depressions - the Tarim and the Junggar. The Tarim Basin extends from Kashgar in the west to Hami (Kumul) in the east and has absolute heights from 610 m in the central part to 1525 m along the periphery. The depression is framed by the Kunlun and Altyntag mountains to the south, the Pamirs to the west, and the Tien Shan to the north. All these mountains have heights of more than 6100 m. In the east, the Tarim Basin is limited by less impressive mountain ranges with individual peaks exceeding 4300 m. One of the driest and most inaccessible deserts in the world, Taklamakan, is confined to its central part. The Tarim River and its tributaries, which originate in the mountains and are fed by glaciers, are lost in the sands of this desert or flow into the salt lake Lop Nor (in this area the PRC conducts its nuclear tests). North of the lake Lop Nor is the lowest land surface in East Asia - the Turfan depression, which extends approx. 100 km in the latitudinal direction and approx. 50 km – in the meridional. Its most depressed part has an absolute elevation of –154 m. The region of the Turfan Depression is characterized by huge annual temperature amplitudes: from 52° C in summer to -18° C in winter. Precipitation is rare.

To the north of the Tien Shan is the Dzungarian depression, bounded from the northwest by a number of ridges, the highest of which is the Dzungarian Alatau, and from the northeast by Altai. The surface of the Dzhungar depression is about 600 m lower than the Tarim, and the climate is not so arid. Nevertheless, large areas here are occupied by semi-deserts and steppes, where nomads live. In the north-west of Dzungaria, near Karamay, there is a large oil field, and in the south, in the Urumqi region, there is a deposit of coal and iron ore.

China statistics
(as of 2012)

The Tarim depression is drainless, and the Dzhungar depression is drained by the Ili and Irtysh rivers, the flow of which is directed westward, to the plains of Kazakhstan. Along the periphery of the Tarim Basin, on the loess foothill plains in the valleys of rivers flowing from the mountains, a ring of oases formed. Through the cities located in these oases, it is already approx. 2000 years ago, the Great Silk Road ran, connecting China with the Roman Empire.

Inner Mongolia occupies the Chinese portion of the vast Mongolian Basin, with the Gobi Desert at its center. In China, the depression extends in a large arc east of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the border with Russia. From the south and east, Inner Mongolia is framed by the Qilianshan (Richthofen), Helanshan (Alashan), Yinshan and Greater Khingan ridges, which have relatively low altitudes (900–1800 m). The altitudes of most of Inner Mongolia are 900–1500 m above sea level. The landscapes are dominated by dry steppes and semi-deserts. In the western part are the Alashan and Gobi deserts. A few short rivers, originating in the southern mountain frame, flow north and are lost in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.

The highlands, middle mountains and lowlands of China proper occupy a significant part of the country's territory south of Inner Mongolia and east of the Tibetan Plateau. In the south they form a system of ridges and extend to the east coast. This elevated area is divided into several large areas, including the Ordos Plateau, Shaanxi-Shanxi Plateau, Qinling Mountains, Sichuan Basin, Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and Nanling Mountains. All of them are located in the altitude range from 200 to 2000 m.

The Qinling Mountains are a system of ridges that cross central China from southern Gansu Province in the west to Anhui Province in the east. The mountain ranges are the border of the country's two main drainage basins - the Yellow and Yangtze rivers and sharply delimit China proper into northern and southern parts, differing in geological structure, climatic and soil characteristics, the nature of natural vegetation and a set of main crops.

The Shaanxi-Shanxi Plateau, located north of the Qinling Mountains and south of the Ordos Plateau, stretches from the Tibetan Plateau in the west to the lowlands of the North China Plain in the east. A distinctive feature of the plateau is the loess cover up to 75 m thick, which largely masks the original relief. The steep slopes of the hills are artificially terraced in many places, and the soils formed on the loess are fertile and easy to cultivate. At the same time, the loess is subject to water erosion, as a result of which the area is deeply cut by a network of ravines.

North of the Loess Plateau at altitudes of more than 1500 m above sea level. The Ordos plateau is located, characterized by desert landscapes. Sand dunes are common in its northwestern and southeastern parts, and the central part is replete with small salt lakes. The Ordos Desert is separated from the cultivated loess lands by the Great Wall of China.

The Sichuan Basin (or "Red Basin") lies south of the Qinling Mountains, immediately east of the ridges of the eastern frame of the Tibetan plateau - Daxueshan and Qionglaishan, forming a steep high chain, many of whose peaks exceed 5200 m. These ranges, together with the Minshan and Dabashan mountains to the north and the plateau of Guizhou Province in the south frame a basin, the bottom of which drops from 900 m in the north to 450 m in the south. The soils of this area are very fertile. It is one of the most densely populated areas in China. The Sichuan Basin is composed predominantly of ancient red sandstones, which overlie large but deeply buried Jurassic coal-bearing deposits. Large surface coal deposits are located along the northern, southern and southeastern edges of the basin. Clays and oil-bearing limestones are also widespread. Surrounded by high mountains, Sichuan has a reputation for being difficult to reach.

The Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, which is a much lower (average altitude 1800–2100 m above sea level) continuation of the Tibetan Plateau, is located to the south and southeast of the Sichuan Basin. The western part of this area is crossed by narrow (only up to 500 m), but deeply incised (in places up to 1500 m) valleys of the Salween and Mekong rivers, presenting serious obstacles to movement. This highly divided territory has long acted as a barrier between China, India and Burma. In the east, in Guizhou province, the nature of the relief is changing. In some places, the surface height drops to 900 m or less, the slopes become less steep, and the valleys widen.

The Nanling Mountains ("Southern Ranges") extend from the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau in the west to the Wuyi Ranges in the southeastern coastal provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang. This wide belt of low mountains, separating the Yangtze river basins in the north and the Xijiang ("Western") river basins in the south, is rich in minerals. Among them are numerous deposits of tungsten, antimony, lead, zinc and copper.

Low-lying accumulative plains. Only ok. 10% of China's territory is located at altitudes less than 200 m above sea level, but this is where most of the country's population is concentrated. There are five main lowland regions: the North China Plain, the Great Chinese Plain, the Huaihe River valley, the middle reaches basin and the Yangtze River delta, the Northeast (Manchurian) Plain and the Xijiang River basin. The North China Plain, the Huaihe River valley and the Yangtze Delta meet near the sea coast, forming a single strip of plains stretching from Beijing in the north to Shanghai in the south and interrupted only by the highlands in Shandong province. In the interior of the mainland, the depression to which the middle course of the Yangtze River is confined is separated from this vast plain by the Dabeshan Mountains (the eastern continuation of the Qinling mountain system). In the north, a narrow coastal strip connects the North China Plain with the Northeast. The Xijiang River basin is located south of the Yangtze River basin and is separated from it by the Nanling and Wuyi Mountains. Each large lowland plain is composed of sediment from one or more rivers.

Water resources - Yellow River and North China Plain. The Yellow River (translated as “yellow”), 5163 km long, originates in the Tibetan Plateau (Qinghai Province). Heading East torrent, it makes its way down from the plateau through the Liujiaxia gorge and further through the highlands of Gansu province. Near Lanzhou, the 2,400 km long “great northern bend” of the Yellow River Valley begins, which from the north skirts the Mu Us Desert on the edge of the Ordos Plateau, and then turns sharply to the south, crossing the central Loess region and forming the border between the provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi. In this section, the river carries a huge volume of silt, especially in summer, when it is at its deepest. Due to the large amount of solid runoff on the plains located downstream, floods are frequent, and the Huang He River itself is nicknamed “the grief of China.”

Having reached the Qinling Mountains, where the Weihe River flows into it from the west, the Yellow River turns sharply to the east, passes through Sanmenxia (“Three Gate Gorge”) and enters the North China Plain. When leaving this gorge, the river is at an absolute level of only approx. 180 m, while the distance to its confluence with Bohai Bay is 970 km. Here, on a gradually descending section of the valley, the river loses speed. As a result, over the course of thousands of years, the Yellow River regularly flooded, depositing sediment and gradually expanding and increasing the accumulative plain. When ok. 3000 years ago, Chinese civilization first arose in this territory; people tried to regulate the flow regime with the help of dams. However, the likelihood of destructive floods increased due to the fact that the area of ​​sediment accumulation was limited to the river bed. As the layer of silt grew, higher and higher dams had to be built until the river and ramparts were higher than the level of the surrounding plain. When the dam breaks, which often happens at the peak of the summer flood, the river floods the plain, flooding gigantic areas and destroying crops. Since the river's waters cannot return to the elevated bed, the Yellow River often changes its course. From 1048 to 1324 it flowed into Bohai Bay north of the Shandong Peninsula. In 1324 it connected with the Huaihe River, and its waters flowed into the Yellow Sea south of the peninsula, and in 1851 the Yellow River again began to flow into Bohai Bay. In 1938, the right bank dikes were destroyed by order of Chiang Kai-shek to prevent the advance of the Japanese army. In 1947, as part of a UN project, the river was returned to its former course and now flows back into Bohai Bay. On its way through the North China Plain, the Yellow River does not receive large tributaries. The Grand Canal connects it with the Yangtze River and the major seaports of Tianjin and Shanghai. The total length of this canal is 1782 km.

In 1955, the Chinese government began to implement the so-called. a “step plan” for regulating the Huang He River, including the construction of four large and 42 auxiliary dams on the main river and its tributaries. After the construction of the most important dam, a reservoir with an area of ​​2350 square meters was formed in the Sanmenxia Gorge. km, length approx. 300 km and a volume of more than 35 km3. This hydraulic structure counteracts the most powerful floods and is also designed to generate electricity, irrigate land and improve navigation. Large-scale programs are complemented by numerous local projects involving the construction of thousands of small dams on tributaries of the Huang He River and small rivers, terracing of loess hillsides to prevent erosion, and reforestation of large areas.

Huaihe River and its basin. Directly south of the lower Yellow River is the smaller but important river system of the Huaihe River, separated from the Huanghe River basin and the North China Plain by a barely visible watershed stretching from Kaifeng to Xuzhou, and by a somewhat more pronounced upland on the Shandong Peninsula, from Xuzhou to the Yellow Sea. The length of the Huaihe River is only approx. 1090 km, however, unlike the Huang He River, it has many tributaries, mostly left ones, flowing from northwest to southeast. The river and its tributaries drain an area of ​​174 thousand square meters abounding in lakes. km, covering the southern and eastern parts of Henan Province, the entire Anhui Province and the northern part of Jiangsu Province. The Huaihe River flows into the large Hongzehu Lake, from which its waters are carried in the form of natural rivers and through recently constructed canals into the Yellow Sea. Alluvial soils in the Huaihe River basin are very fertile, but the river itself has always been subject to powerful floods, so work to regulate the flow regime in its basin was given paramount importance. Ten dams have been built in the upper reaches of the main river and its tributaries. As a result, reservoirs were formed (the largest are Meishanshuiku and Fozilingshuiku in Anhui province). Dams with a total length of hundreds of kilometers were built and strengthened and complex irrigation measures were carried out.

Yangtze River and adjacent plains. The length of the Yangtze River is more than 5600 km. The river originates from glaciers in the central part of the Tibetan Plateau, flows south, forming deep gorges in the eastern part of the plateau and, having reached the highlands of Yunnan Province, turns sharply to the east. On this segment from rapid current The river is called Jinshajiang (“Golden Sand River”). Near the city of Yibin, the river enters the Sichuan Basin and flows at the foot of the mountains of its southern frame. Here it receives four large tributaries - Minjiang, Tuojiang, Fujian and Jialingjiang, which cross the basin from north to south and give it the name Sichuan (“Four Rivers”). In the middle reaches of the Minjiang River, near Chengdu, a complex system for regulating water flow, created by engineer Li Ping during the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC), still operates.

The Yangtze River makes its way from the Sichuan Basin through several picturesque gorges located between Fengtse and Yichang. This section of the river is difficult and dangerous. In summer, the current speed in places can reach 16 km/h. Passing Yichang, the river passes through a series of basins (plains), which are often collectively called the middle course of the Yangtze River. The first of these is an area abounding in lakes within the provinces of Hunan and Hubei. Its northern part is crossed by the Han River, which originates in the Qinling Mountains, flows through a wide valley in a southeast direction and flows into the Yangtze near Hankou (“Mouth of the Han River”), one of the cities of the Wuhan agglomeration. In the south, the Hunan basin is drained by the Xiangjiang, which originates in the Nanling Mountains and flows into the large Dongting Lake, which drains into the Yangtze River. Within this basin, the Yangtze is gaining full strength. While in the Chongqing region (Sichuan Province) the river’s width is only 275 m, in the vicinity of Wuhan its bed widens and reaches 1.6 km. The difference between low water and high water is estimated to be approximately 12 m. In winter, ships with a draft of more than 2 m must move with caution, while in summer, ocean-going ships with a displacement of 15 thousand tons can reach Wuhan.

Below Wuhan, before entering the next basin, the river bed narrows somewhat. This basin, located almost entirely to the south of the Yangtze, belongs mainly to the drainage basin of the Ganjiang River, which carries its waters through the large Poyang Lake before flowing into the Yangtze. Lakes Poyang and Dongting serve as large reservoirs on large tributaries of the Yangtze, regulating water flow in the summer, when the rivers are at their fullest.

The third basin, to which the middle course of the Yangtze River is confined, occupies the central and southern parts of Anhui province. Approximately midway between Wuhu and Nanjing, this plain meets the vast Yangtze delta plain.

The floodplain soils in the middle Yangtze basin, composed mainly of red alluvium brought from the Sichuan Basin, as well as sediment from the Hanshui, Xiangjiang and Ganjiang rivers, are very fertile. Hunan Province is one of the most important rice-growing areas in China. Although the Yangtze carries a lot of silty sediment, the high speed of the current contributes to the removal of most of it into the sea, as a result of which the Yangtze does not experience such destructive floods as the Yellow River, and its banks are less embanked. However, in the summer, when there is particularly intense snowmelt in Tibet or unusually heavy rainfall, floods occur. Thus, in 1931, an area of ​​approx. 91 thousand sq. km. To prevent the recurrence of such floods, two reservoirs were built, the capacity of which is supplemented by the natural lake reservoirs of Poyang and Dongting. The reservoir near Shashi (north of Dongting Lake) was built in 1954 almost entirely by hand in 75 days. Its area is 920 sq. km, capacity – 5.4 km3. A somewhat smaller reservoir is located near the city of Wuhan.

The Yangtze Delta begins about 50 km from Nanjing, upstream of the river. This completely flat surface, located slightly above sea level, is composed of silty sediments. It is steadily and rapidly moving towards the sea, as well as in a southern direction, into Hangzhou Bay. The groundwater table of the low-lying plain is located very close to the surface. This plain is crossed by countless drainage and irrigation canals, which are also used as routes of communication. Trees, mainly mulberries, are planted along the canals, serving as a base for local sericulture. The delta is replete with lakes, of which the largest is Taihu (“Great Lake”). The delta region is very densely populated. By 1968, three bridges were built across the Yangtze from the western border of Sichuan province to the sea. The largest, 6.7 km long, in Nanjing, has two levels - with a two-track railway and a four-lane road. In 1956, a large bridge was erected in Wuhan, and a slightly smaller one in Chongqing. At the mouth of the river is the large port city of Shanghai. This is not only the main point of concentration and redistribution of all manufactured goods of the vast Yangtze basin, but also the largest center of heavy and light industry in China.

Valley of the Xijiang (“Western”) River. The drainage basin of the Xijiang River, separated from the Yangtze River basin by the Nanling Mountains, is located mainly in the tropics. The source of the river is in the Nanling Mountains and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Then Xijiang crosses an area characterized by a variety of karst landforms, the so-called. remnant tower karst. The Xijiang River, with a total length of 2655 km, in the upper and middle reaches has a narrow valley sandwiched between mountains, and only below Wuzhou, where it forms a common delta with the Beijiang and Dongjiang rivers within the alluvial plain, does its flow become calm. Below the city of Xinan (Sanshui), where the Xijiang merges with the Beijiang River, it is divided into many branches, mostly created by man. The soils of this delta region are very fertile and there is a high population density.

The Leizhoubandao Peninsula and Hainan Island are located in the far south of the country. Hainan Island with an area of ​​34 thousand square meters. km is divided into two parts: the northern - wide coastal plain and the southern - mountainous area. The plain is densely populated, mostly by Chinese. The Miao and Lu people live in the mountains; the population density there is low.

The Northeast Plain (Manchurian) includes the basins of the Liaohe rivers in the south and the Songhua (Chinese: Songhuangjiang) rivers in the north, separated by ridges of low ridges. The Liaohe River originates in the Liaoxi Mountains and flows into the Liaodong Bay of the Yellow Sea. A significant part of its lower course passes within the Songliao Plain, where it is navigable. In the lower reaches there are fertile lands used in agriculture. In the southeast, the Northeast Plain is bounded by the Yalu River (Amnokkan).

The Songhua River with its tributaries Nenjiang and Lalinhe crosses the Northeast Plain in the north and flows into the Amur (Chinese: Heilongjiang), along which China's northern border with Russia passes. The eastern border of China and Russia runs along the Ussuri River (Chinese: Usulijiang). These rivers provide important communication routes during the summer months, but are frozen in winter. The Amur opens later than the Songhua, which is why vast wetlands are formed at their confluence.

Coastline. The length of the Chinese coastline is approx. 8000 km. It is divided into four main sectors. The northernmost part of the coast within the Bohai Bay and Liaodong Bay is slightly indented. brought here huge amount silt from the Shanxi Plateau by the Yellow River and other less deep rivers. The sea here is shallow, the coastline moves towards the sea every year, and there are few good natural harbors. To prevent siltation of the Tianjin-Tanggu outport, dredging work is constantly being carried out in Bohai Bay. Yingkou Port on Liaodong Bay freezes over in the middle of winter.

The coasts of the Shandong and Liaodong Peninsulas, composed of shales and gneisses and separated by an underwater trough, are characterized by dissected, sometimes steep, banks. There are numerous natural harbors here. The most important port - Qingdao is located on south coast Shandong Peninsula. Frequent fogs and dust storms make navigation off the northern coast of China difficult.

From the southern part of the Shandong Peninsula to Hangzhou Bay, the coast again becomes smooth as a result of the accumulation of silty sediments carried by the Yellow and Yangtze rivers. These sediments are transported south by the cold East China Current and fill Hangzhou Bay and the adjacent areas of the water area around the Zhoushanqundao archipelago. There are no natural harbors here. Wusong, Shanghai's outport, is kept navigable only by constant dredging.

Along the entire southeastern and southern sections of the coast from Hangzhou Bay to the Vietnamese border in the Gulf of Tonkin area, mountains approach the sea directly. Due to tectonic subsidence, the shores are uneven, deeply indented, the so-called. rias type. It has many convenient natural harbors, including ports such as Ningbo, Wenzhou, Xiamen (Amoy), Shantou (Swatou) and Hong Kong.

Population of China

China ranks first in the world in terms of population. The first population census was carried out on July 30, 1935 and determined the number of inhabitants at 601 million 938 thousand, of which 574 million 505.9 thousand were the population directly subject to the census, this included emigrants, students abroad, as well as residents islands of Taiwan. The absence in the country of not only regular censuses, but even current records does not make it possible to get a true idea of ​​the magnitude of natural population growth, which was hardly significant, since along with a high birth rate, there was also a high death rate. But at the same time, by 1957, about 656 million people lived in China, which amounted to 1/4 of the total population of the globe. And in 1986, the number of inhabitants reached 1060 million people, and according to the 1990 census - already 1 billion 134 million. Human. It is no coincidence that for two millennia China has been the most populous country in the world, which leaves its mark on all aspects of social life, and, above all, is reflected in the peculiarities of its demographic policy. According to the Chinese Constitution, planned childbearing must be carried out in the country. Students are prohibited from marrying; one family must have no more than one child, and the birth of a second or third child requires permission from a special committee on planned childbirth. Despite the implementation of such a strict demographic policy, the population of China, according to expert forecasts, by the year 2000 will exceed 1.3 billion people.

In the PRC, as in any socialist country, the land, its subsoil and industrial enterprises belong to the people, and only a small part in relation to state property is in the hands of private owners, therefore in China there are no large owners, and the main classes are peasants and workers , traders and intelligentsia.

The ethnic composition of China includes about 50 nationalities. The vast majority of China's population is Chinese (Han). In addition, representatives of the following national and ethnic groups: Zhuang, Uyghurs, Huizu, Tibetans, Miao, Manchus, Mongols, Bui, Koreans, Tutjia, Dong, Yao, Bai, Hani, Tai, Li, Lisu, She, Lahu, Wa, Shui, Dongxiang, Na-si, Tu , Kyrgyz, Jingno, Mulao, Sabo, Salars, Bulans, Gelao, Maoan, Pumi, Nu, Aian, Benlurs, Yugurs, Baoan, Orogons, Gaoshan, Hezhe, Menba, Loba, Tatars, Uzbeks, Kazakhs and Russians. All multi-ethnic population China belongs to three language families and inhabits more than 1/2 of the entire territory of the country.

To date, China has more than 800 million working-age people, of which 2/5 are young people. 51.182% are men and 48.18% are women. Like many national countries, China is characterized by significant contrasts in settlement. The population is unevenly distributed throughout the country: to the East of the conventional line running from the city of Heihen to the city of Tengchong on Yunan, in an area of ​​not much more than 1/3 of the country's territory, about 90% of the total population is concentrated, and the average density here exceeds 170 people. km2. In the remaining, larger western part of the country there are only a few people per square kilometer. The plains along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the lowland strip of the Southeast coast, where in some places the population density reaches 600-800 people/km2, are especially densely populated. In addition, there are more than 30 cities in China with a population exceeding 1 million people, including: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Harbin, Tsang-shin, Tatyuan, Luida, Slan, Chengdu, Qingdao.

Source - Internet sites

CHINA

Territory - 9.6 million km 2.

Population - 1 billion 222 million people since 1995

The capital is Beijing.

Figure 10. Administrative divisions and economic zones of China.
(to enlarge the image, click on the picture)

Geographical location, general overview.

The PRC is the third largest country in the world by territory and the first by population - located in central and eastern Asia. The state borders on 16 countries, 1/3 of the borders are in the CIS countries.

The economic and geographical position of the PRC is very favorable, since being located along the Pacific coast (15 thousand km), the country has access to the sea from the most remote inland corners through the Yangtze River. The coastal location of the PRC contributes to the development of its economy and foreign economic relations.

China is one of ancient states world, which arose in the 14th century BC, has a very complex history. Due to the obvious benefits of its position, the wealth of natural and agroclimatic resources Throughout its existence, China has attracted the attention of various conquerors. Even in ancient times, the country protected itself with the partially preserved Great Wall of China. In the last century, China was a pro-colony of England, after its defeat in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 - 1895. The country was divided into spheres of influence between England, France, Germany, Japan and Russia.

In 1912, the Republic of China was formed. In 1945, after the defeat of the Japanese invaders with the help of the USSR, the People's Revolution occurred. In 1949, the People's Republic of China was proclaimed.

Natural conditions and resources.

The country lies within the fractured Chinese Precambrian Platform and younger areas. As part of this, the eastern part is mainly lowland, and the reserved upland and mountainous part.

Various mineral deposits are associated with various tectonic structures. In terms of its supply, China is one of the leading countries in the world; it stands out primarily for its reserves of coal, non-ferrous and ferrous metal ores, rare earth elements, and mining and chemical raw materials.

In terms of oil and gas reserves, China is inferior to the leading oil countries of the world, but in terms of oil production the country has reached 5th place in the world. The main oil fields are located in Northern and Northeastern China, the basins of inland China.

Among the ore deposits, the Anshan iron ore basin, located in coal-rich Northeast China, stands out. Non-ferrous metal ores are concentrated mainly in the central and southern provinces.

The People's Republic of China is located in temperate, subtropical and tropical climate zones, with the climate in the west being sharply continental and in the east being monsoonal, with a lot of rainfall (in summer). Such climatic and soil differences create conditions for the development of agriculture: in the west, in the arid regions, livestock farming and irrigated agriculture are mainly developed, while in the east, on the especially fertile lands of the Great Chinese Plain, agriculture predominates.

The water resources of the PRC are very large; the eastern, more populated and highly developed part of the country is most endowed with them. River waters are widely used for irrigation. In addition, China ranks first in the world in terms of theoretical hydropower resources, but their use is still very small.

China's forest resources are generally quite large, concentrated mainly in the northeast (taiga coniferous forests) and the southeast (tropical and subtropical deciduous forests). They are intensively used on the farm.

Population

China is the first country in the world in terms of population (almost 1300 million people or 20% of all inhabitants of the Earth), and it has probably held the palm for many centuries. In the 70s, the country began to implement a demographic policy aimed at reducing the birth rate, because after the formation of the People's Republic of China (in the 50s), due to a decrease in mortality and an increase in living standards, the population growth rate increased very quickly. This policy has borne fruit and now natural growth in China is even below the world average.

China is a young country (1/3 of the population is under 15 years of age). It differs in the intensity of labor migration, both within the country and outside its borders.

China - multinational country(there are 56 nationalities), but with a sharp predominance of the Chinese - about 95% of the population. They live mainly in the eastern part of the country; in the west (most of the territory) live representatives of other nationalities (Gzhuans, Hui, Uighurs, Tibetans, Mongols, Koreans, Manjurs, etc.).

Despite the fact that the PRC is a socialist country, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are practiced here (in general, the population is not very religious). The country is home to the world center of Buddhism - Tibet, occupied by China in 1951.

Urbanization is developing rapidly in China.

Farm

The PRC is an industrial-agrarian socialist country developing in lately at a very fast pace.

Economic modernization is progressing at different rates in different regions of China. Special economic zones (SEZs) have been created in Eastern China to take advantage of their advantageous coastal location. This strip occupies 1/4 of the country's territory, 1/3 of the population lives here and 2/3 of the GNP is produced. The average income per inhabitant is 4 times higher than in the more backward inland provinces. The territorial structure of the country's economy is represented mainly by established large industrial hubs; agriculture plays a major role, in which the majority of the economically active population (EAP) is employed.

In terms of GDP, China has taken 2nd place in the world, although in terms of GNP per capita it has not yet reached the world average (about $500 per year).

Energy. China occupies one of the leading places in the world in energy production and electricity generation. China's energy sector is coal (its share in the fuel balance is 75%), oil and gas (mostly artificial) are also used. Most of the electricity is produced at thermal power plants (3/4), mainly coal-fired. Hydroelectric power stations account for 1/4 of the electricity produced. There are two nuclear power plants, 10 tidal stations, and a geothermal station has been built in Lhasa.

Ferrous metallurgy- is based on its own iron ore, coking coal and alloying metals. China ranks 1st in the world in iron ore mining and 2nd in steel production. The technical level of the industry is low. The largest factories in the country are those in Anshan, Shanghai, Broshen, as well as in Benxi, Beijing, Wuhan, Taiyuan, and Chongqing.

Non-ferrous metallurgy. The country has large reserves of raw materials (1/2 of the produced tin, antimony, and mercury are exported), but aluminum, copper, lead, and zinc are imported. Mining and processing plants are represented in the north, south and west of China, and the final stages of production are in the east. The main centers of non-ferrous metallurgy are located in the provinces of Liaoning, Yunnan, Hunan, and Gansu.

Mechanical engineering and metalworking- occupies 35% in the industry structure. The share of production of equipment for the textile industry remains high, while electronics, electrical engineering, and the automotive industry are rapidly developing. The structure of production enterprises is diverse: along with modern high-tech enterprises, handicraft factories are widespread.

The leading sub-sectors are heavy engineering, machine tool building, and transport engineering. The automotive industry (6-7th place in the world), electronics and instrument making are developing rapidly. The predominant part of China's engineering products is produced in the coastal zone (over 60%), and mainly in large cities (the main centers are Shanghai, Shenyang, Dalian, Beijing, etc.).

Chemical industry. Relies on coke and petrochemical products, mining chemicals and plant raw materials. There are two groups of production: mineral fertilizers, household chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Light industry- traditional and one of the main industries, uses its own, mainly natural (2/3) raw materials. The leading sub-sector is textile, providing the country with a leading position in the production and export of fabrics (cotton, silk and others). The sewing, knitting, leather and footwear sub-sectors are also developed.

Food industry- for a country with such a large population, it is extremely important; the processing of grain and oilseeds is in the lead; the production and processing of pork (2/3 of the volume of the meat industry), tea, tobacco and other food products is developed.

As before, the country has developed production of traditional sub-sectors: textiles and clothing.

Agriculture- provides food to the population, supplies raw materials for the food and light industries. The leading sub-sector of agriculture is crop production (rice is the basis of the Chinese diet). Wheat, corn, millet, sorghum, barley, peanuts, potatoes, yam, taro, and cassava are also grown; industrial crops - cotton, sugar cane, tea, sugar beets, tobacco, and other vegetables. Livestock farming remains the least developed sector of agriculture. The basis of livestock farming is pig breeding. Vegetable growing, poultry farming, beekeeping, and sericulture are also developed. Fisheries play a significant role.

Transport- provides mainly communication between seaports and inland areas. 3/4 of all cargo transportation is provided by railway transport. Along with the recently increased importance of maritime, automobile and aviation, the use of traditional types transport: horse-drawn, pack, transport carts, bicycles and especially river transport.

Internal differences. In the early 1980s, in order to improve planning, three economic zones were identified in China: Eastern, Central and Western. The eastern region is the most developed, with the largest industrial centers and agricultural areas located here. The center is dominated by the production of fuel and energy, chemical products, raw materials and semi-finished products. The western zone is the least developed (livestock farming, mineral processing).

Foreign economic relations. Foreign economic relations have been developing especially widely since the 80-90s, which is associated with the formation of an open economy in the country. Volume foreign trade- 30% of China's GDP. In export leading place occupied by labor-intensive products (clothing, toys, shoes, sporting goods, machinery and equipment). Imports are dominated by mechanical engineering products and vehicles.

Problems and tests on the topic "China"

• China - Eurasia 7th grade

  Lessons: 4 Assignments: 9 Tests: 1

Leading ideas: show the diversity of cultural worlds, models of economic and political development, interconnection and interdependence of countries around the world; and also be convinced of the need for a deep understanding of the laws of social development and the processes that occur in the world.

Basic concepts: Western European (North American) type of transport system, port-industrial complex, "development axis", metropolitan region, industrial belt, "false urbanization", latifundia, ship stations, megalopolis, "technopolis", "growth pole", "growth corridors"; colonial type of industrial structure, monoculture, apartheid, subregion.

Skills and abilities: be able to assess the influence of EGP and GGP, the history of settlement and development, characteristics of the population and labor resources of the region, country on the sectoral and territorial structure of the economy, the level of economic development, the role in the MGRT of the region, country; identify problems and forecast development prospects for the region and country; highlight specific, defining features of individual countries and explain them; find similarities and differences in the population and economy of individual countries and give an explanation for them, draw up and analyze maps and cartograms.

Huge, occupying a favorable geographical location - China. It is located in East Asia. Its relief is very diverse. China has mountains, hills, plains, highlands, river valleys, and deserts. This But vast areas of China are deserted. After all, most of the population is concentrated on the plains.

Geographical location

On the world map, China occupies a position on the western coast of the Pacific Ocean. Its area is almost equal to the area of ​​all of Europe. China covers an area of ​​9.6 million square kilometers. This country is surpassed in area only by Russia and Canada.

The territory of China stretches for 5.2 thousand kilometers from east to west and 5.5 thousand kilometers from south to north. The easternmost point of the country is located at the confluence of the Ussuri and Amur rivers, the westernmost - in the southernmost - among the northernmost - on the Amur River in Mohe County.

On the world map, China is washed from the east by several seas that are part of the Pacific Ocean. The country's coastline stretches for 18,000 km. The sea in China creates a border with five countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Brunei and the Philippines.

There is a land border from the south, north and west. Its length is 22117 km. By land, China has borders with Russia, North Korea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, India, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar.

China's geographical position is quite favorable for its economic development.

Relief

The country's topography is very diverse. China, whose geography is wide, has a stepped landscape. It consists of three levels, descending from west to east.

In the southwest of the state are the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas. They are the highest level in the landscape of a country like China. The geography and topography mostly consists of uplands, plateaus and mountains. The lowest level, consisting of plains, is located near the coast.

Southwest China

Part of the world's highest mountain system is located in the southwest of the country. In addition to China, the Himalayas are located in the territories of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan. On the border of the state in question there are 9 of the 14 highest mountains on the globe - Everest, Chogori, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Shishabangma, Chogori, several peaks from the Gasherbrum massif.

Located north of the Himalayas. It is the largest in area and the highest plateau in the world. It is surrounded by ridges on all sides. In addition to the Himalayas, the neighbors of the Tibetan Plateau are the Kunlun, Qilianshan, Karakorum, and Sino-Tibetan mountains. The latter of them and the adjacent Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau are a difficult-to-reach area. It is cut by the deep Salween and Mekong.

Thus, the characteristics of the geographical location of China in the southwest are distinguished by the presence of mountainous regions.

Northwestern China

In the north-west of the country near the Tibetan Plateau are the Tarim Basin, the Taklamakan Desert and the Turfan Basin. The latter facility is the deepest in East Asia. Even further north is the Dzungarian Plain.

East of the Tarim Basin the geographic contrast is even greater. China in these places is changing the landscape to steppes and deserts. This is the territory of the autonomous region. It is located on a high plateau. Most of it is occupied by the Gobi and Alashan deserts. The Loess Plateau adjoins them from the south. This area is very fertile and rich in forests.

Northeast China

The northeastern part of the country is quite flat. There are no high mountain ranges here. The Songliao Plain is located in this part of China. It is surrounded by small mountain ranges - the Greater and Lesser Khingans, Changbai Shan.

Northern China

The main agricultural zones are concentrated in northern China. This part of the country consists of vast plains. They are well fed by rivers and are very fertile. These are plains such as the Liaohes and North China.

Southeast China

The southeastern part of the country stretches from the Huaiyanshan Range to the Qinling Mountains. It also includes the island of Taiwan. The local landscape consists mainly of mountains interspersed with river valleys.

South China

In the south of the country there are areas of Guangxi, Guangdong, and partly Yunnan. This also includes the year-round resort, Hainan Island. The local terrain consists of hills and small mountains.

Climate and weather

The country's climate is not uniform. It is influenced by geographic location. China is located in three climate zones. Therefore the weather in different parts countries are different.

Northern and western China are located in the temperate continental climate zone. The average temperature here in winter is -7°C, although sometimes it drops to -20°C. In summer the temperature is +22°C. Winter and autumn are characterized by strong drying winds.

Central China lies in a subtropical climate zone. In winter, the air temperature ranges from 0 to -5°C. In summer it stays at +20°C.

Southern China and the islands have a tropical monsoon climate. There, the thermometer in winter ranges from +6 to +15°C, and in summer it rises above +25°C. This part of the country is characterized by powerful typhoons. They occur in winter and autumn.

Annual precipitation decreases from the south and east to the north and west - from approximately 2000 mm to 50 mm.

Population

According to 2014 data, the state has a population of 1.36 billion people. The large country of China is home to 20% of the world's inhabitants.

The state is on the verge of a demographic resettlement crisis. Therefore, the government is struggling with the high birth rate. His goal is one child per family. But demographic policy is being pursued flexibly. Thus, ethnic minorities, as well as families living in rural areas, are allowed to have a second child if the first child is a girl or has physical disabilities.

Part of the population opposes such a policy. They are especially unhappy with it in rural areas. After all, there is a higher need for birth large number boys as the future workforce.

But population growth is projected to rise despite this. According to calculations, in 2030 China will have a population of one and a half billion people.

Population density

The population is distributed very unevenly throughout the country. This is due to differences in geographical conditions. The average population density is 138 people per square kilometer. This figure looks quite acceptable. He's not talking about overpopulation. After all, the same figure is typical for some European countries.

But the statistical average does not reflect the real situation. There are areas in the country where almost no one lives, but Macau has a population of 21,000 people per square kilometer.

Half of the country is practically uninhabited. The Chinese live in river basins, on fertile plains. And in the highlands of Tibet, in the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts there are almost no settlements.

National composition and language of the population

Different nationalities live in the country. Most of the population considers themselves Han Chinese. But besides them, there are 55 nationalities in China. The largest nations are the Zhuangs, Manchus, Tibetans, the smallest are the Loba.

Dialects in different corners countries are also different. The difference between them is so great that a resident of the south of China will not understand a resident of the north. But the country has a national language, Putongha. Chinese residents moving from region to region are required to own it to avoid communication problems.

The Mandarin, or Beijing, dialect is also widespread in the country. It can be considered an alternative to putunkha. After all, 70% of the population speaks Mandarin.

Religion and beliefs of the population

Since the mid-20th century, China, as a communist state, has discouraged adherence to religious beliefs and convictions. Atheism was the official ideology.

But since 1982 there has been a change in this matter. The right to freedom of religion was included in the constitution. The most common religions here are Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. But Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are also popular.

Largest cities

There are not many big cities in China. The population of this country is not urbanized. But where the construction of a city begins, it grows to the size of a huge metropolis, uniting large number residential, business, commercial, industrial and agricultural areas. For example, Chongqing. It is the largest representative of such megacities. According to information for 2014, 29 million people live in it. Its area is almost equal to the area of ​​Austria and is 82,400 square kilometers.

Other major cities in the country are Shanghai, Tianjin, Harbin, Guangzhou and, of course, Beijing, the capital of China.

Beijing

The Chinese call Beijing Beijing. This translated means Northern Capital. The urban layout is characterized by strict geometry. The streets are oriented according to parts of the world.

Beijing is the capital of China and one of the most interesting cities in the country. Its heart is Tiananmen Square. Translated, this word means “gate of heavenly peace.” The main building on the square is the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.

An important landmark of the city is the Forbidden City. They call him Gugun. It is a beautiful and ancient palace ensemble.

No less interesting are Yiheyuan and Yuanmingyuan. These are garden-palace complexes. They surprisingly combine miniature rivers, graceful bridges, waterfalls, and residential buildings. There is wonderful harmony and a feeling of unity between man and nature here.

The capital has many temples of such religious movements as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. One of them is the most interesting. This is the Tian Tan Temple of Heaven. It is the only round-shaped religious building in the city. It has a unique wall. If you say a word near it, even in the quietest whisper, it will spread along its entire length.

The Yonghegong Temple of Eternal Peace is also noteworthy. This is a Lamaist religious building. It contains a Buddha statue carved from a single sandalwood trunk. Its length is 23 meters.

There are many museums in Beijing. Particularly notable is the National Art Gallery. It stores large collection Chinese painting. No less interesting is the Museum of National History, where you can trace the entire path of development of China.

The attraction is Wangfujing Street. This is a favorite place for walking, both among tourists and the local population. The history of the street began more than 700 years ago. Now it has been reconstructed. The street is located in the shopping center area. It harmoniously combines ancient and modern cultures.

The Great Wall of China begins not far from Beijing. Most people associate the country with it. This is a grandiose building. It stretches for 67,000 km. The construction of the wall took more than 2000 years.

It is an East Asian state with a rich history in the past and one of the largest powers in the present. According to historians, China is one of the oldest countries in the world; the age of Chinese civilization can be about five thousand years. Humanity owes him many inventions, cultural values ​​and the most ancient philosophy, relevant to this day. In the modern world, China (People's Republic of China) occupies a prominent political and economic situation. Now China is already laying claim to the position of the world's largest economy.

Geographical characteristics

Territory and location

In terms of area, China ranks third in the world after Russia and Canada. It is located in the southeast of the Asian continent, and is washed by the seas of the Pacific Ocean. This, the largest state in Asia, borders on the west with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Korea. In the south, China's neighbors are India, Pakistan, Burma (Myanmar), Nepal, Laos, Vietnam and Korea. The longest line of the border between China and Russia, its long eastern part stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Mongolian-Chinese border, and then a very small western (only 50 km) part from Mongolia to the Kazakh-Chinese border. China shares maritime borders with Japan. The total area of ​​the state is 9598 thousand square kilometers.

Population

With such a vast territory, China is inhabited by many nationalities and ethnic groups that form a single nation. The most numerous nationality is the “Han”, as the Chinese call themselves, the remaining groups make up 7% of the total population of the country. There are 56 such ethnic groups in China, the most notable among them are the Uyghurs, Kyrgyz, Daurs, Mongols, all of them belong to the Turkic language group. Among the Han Chinese there is also a division into southern and northern, which can be traced by dialect and dialect. We must pay tribute to the government policy of the state, which leads to the gradual erasure of national differences. The total population of China is about 1.3 billion people, and this does not take into account the ethnic Chinese living in different countries of the world. According to sociologists, the Chinese make up a quarter of the entire world population.

Nature

China can rightly be called a mountainous country. The Tibetan Plateau, located in the southwest, covers about 2 million square kilometers, almost a quarter of the total area. The mountains of China descend in steps towards the sea. From Tibet, at an altitude of 2000-4000 meters above sea level, there is a second stage - Central China and the Sichuan Mountains with altitudes up to 2000 meters.

The highland plains are also located here, and the great rivers of China originate from here. The third mountain step descends to the Great Chinese Plain in the east of the country, its area is 352 thousand square kilometers and it extends along the entire eastern sea coast. The height of this area is up to 200 meters above sea level. These are the most fertile and most densely populated areas of China, the valleys of the Yellow and Yangtze rivers. The southeast of the country is limited by the Shandong Mountains, the famous Wuyi Range and the Nangling Mountains. Thus, more than two-thirds of the total area is occupied by mountain ranges, highlands and mountain plateaus. Almost 90% of China's population lives in the Yangtze, Pearl and Xijiang river valleys in the southeast, which are fertile valleys. The valley of the great Yellow River is much less densely populated due to the unpredictable nature of the river...

China's rivers cover about 65% of the entire territory; external water systems carrying water to the Pacific and Indian Oceans dominate over internal ones. These are the Yangtze, Yellow River, Amur (Hei Longjiang - Chinese), Zhujiang, Mekong (Lan Cangjiang - Chinese), Nujiang. Inland rivers are of little importance. The existing small lakes are mostly located in mountainous areas. However, several large lakes are known to many, this is Qinghai - a large salt lake, the second in area after Issyk-Kul. Poyanghu, Dongtinghu, Taihu, located in the Yangtze River valley, are large freshwater lakes. They are of great importance for agriculture and fish farming. There are many man-made reservoirs. The total area of ​​China's lakes, large and small, is 80 thousand square kilometers...

Apart from the Mekong River, which passes through neighboring Laos and Vietnam and flows into the Indian Ocean, all other rivers in China have access to the Pacific Ocean. Coastline from North Korea to Vietnam is 14.5 thousand kilometers. This is the South China Sea, the Yellow Sea, the Korean Gulf of the East China Sea. The seas are important to the lives of ordinary Chinese and to the country's economy. The trade routes uniting all of Southeast Asia run along these seas and are the unifying beginning of this region...

Thanks to the climatic diversity, it is varied and flora, and at the same time the animals living in these territories. A very large part of the vegetation is represented by bamboo forests; they occupy up to 3% of China's forests. The border areas in the north are taiga, the southern mountainous areas are jungles. The vegetation of the mountains of the southeast is very rich and varied. Here you can find many endemic species of the humid subtropics, while boreal floodplain forests are practically absent. In the mountains of the west you can find familiar coniferous forests - larch, pine, cedar; when moving to the south and east - broad-leaved forests with maples, oak and many relict woody plants. Closer to the sea coast, evergreen broad-leaved forests begin to predominate; on the coast itself there are mangrove forests. Endemic species are represented by shrubs and small trees of the Rosaceae family - plum, apple, pear. China is the birthplace of tea trees and shrubs - camellias.

The fauna is also rich and diverse, but the increasing influence of humans and the development of natural areas is reducing the habitats of wild animals. There are a lot of rare and endangered species, especially endemic bird species - crowned red crane, long-eared pheasant, scoter. Among the animals are the golden monkey and the bamboo panda bear, in the rivers there are the river dolphin and the freshwater crocodile. On the territory of China, five large reserves have been organized to protect rare species; they are designed to protect the biocenoses of certain regions, and have the status of biosphere...

Thanks to its territory, mountainous regions and sea coast, China is located in all possible climatic zones, excluding the Arctic. Sharply continental climate in the highlands and subtropics in the southeast. Moderate climate in the northeastern regions bordering Russia and climatically similar to it, the tropics of Hainan Island, a world famous resort. Despite such diversity, most of China's territory is classified as having a temperate continental climate; the most populated part of the country lives in it. If the climate in the northeast of the country is mild, winter temperatures do not drop below -16˚С, and summer temperatures do not exceed +28˚С. In the regions bordering the taiga of Russia, frosts down to -38˚С are observed in winter. There is practically no winter on the tropical coast and Hainan Island.

The climate of densely populated areas, especially the southeast, is influenced by the summer monsoons; the climate here is humid. As you move north and west, the amount of precipitation decreases; on the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding areas there are already dry summer months and frosty winters, this is the area of ​​​​the famous Gobi Desert...

Resources

As a country of young mountains, China is rich in mineral resources, coal, precious and rare earth metals. There are large deposits of iron ore in the mountains, and geological exploration of the coast has revealed the presence of rich oil deposits. In terms of coal production, China ranks one of the first places in the world and a leader in the region. Deposits of mineral raw materials are concentrated mainly in the northern regions, hydrocarbons, oil shale and coal - in central China and the coastal shelf. The mountains provide rich gold-bearing veins; China also occupies one of the first places in the world economy in gold mining and smelting...

China is actively developing and using the full potential of the natural resources of the earth's subsoil within its territory, extracting and processing such minerals as coal, iron ore, oil, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium...

Today, China's economy is one of the fastest growing. Gross product growth has increased so sharply in recent years that it is commonly called the Asian miracle. Previously an agricultural country, China has now surpassed even Japan in its growth. Such efficient economic growth is based not only on rich mineral and labor resources. The centuries-old experience of trade, the thousand-year-old wisdom of the east and the hard work of the people had an impact. China's most notable successes lie in fuel energy, electronics, consumer goods and textiles. Nuclear energy and, in union with Russia, the space industry are developing powerfully. Agriculture has been brought to new level using all the latest scientific achievements. While the whole world is arguing about the possibilities of genetic engineering, in China every peasant is already using these developments at their primitive, but quite effective level...

Culture

The culture of China dates back more than a millennium. We can talk for hours about China's contribution to world achievements. If such inventions as the wheel, paper, and gunpowder are disputed by other cultures, then the production of porcelain, the cultivation of tea, and silk undoubtedly remain with the Chinese civilization. The peoples inhabiting China have invested their efforts into this culture. In addition to the southern and northern Han and Chinese, the country is inhabited by many nationalities and language groups that contribute to the diversity of musical, visual culture, applied arts and poetry...

Chinese Buddhism and Taoism are the most famous in the world, and the philosophy of Confucius is studied as an applied science for leaders at the highest echelons of power. The martial arts of China were developed and brought to such a level that they turned from the art of killing into the art of the moral and physical health of the nation.

China gave the world great thinkers - Confucius and Zhuang Tzu, great poets Li Bo and Sun Tzu, great military leaders and wise rulers. The wisdom of the ancient East made it possible in the modern world to use the same philosophical truths that give rise to material well-being from spiritual values.