Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Yangtze River

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Yangtze River

Yangtze River. Photo by: Boris Kasimov. WIKIMEDIA

The Yangtze River is located in china. It is ranked as the longest river in Asia and the third-longest in the world. The river flows entirely within china and is classified as the longest in the world to flow entirely in one country.

Yangtze River originates from Jari hill in Tanggula mountains, Tibetan plateau. It flows 6,300 km and empties easterly direction of the east china sea.

Its drainage covers one-fifth of the land area of China. It occupies one-third of the country’s population.

The river has played a major role in China, such in history, culture, and the economy. The river has been used for irrigation, sanitation, industry, boundary marking, transportation, and war for thousands of years.

It generates 20% of china’s GDP. The Three Gorges Dam on the river is the largest hydroelectric power station in the world.

Let’s learn more interesting facts about the river and why should plan a visit to this natural beautiful site.

1. Yangtze River Source is at Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Dusk on Chang Jiang (Yangtze)
Photo by: Andrew Hitchcock. WIKIMEDIA

The Yangtze river source is from several tributaries in the eastern part of the Tibetan plateau. Traditionally, the source of the river was recognized as the Tuotuo.

This is at the base of a glacier which lies on the west of Geladandong mountain in the Tanggula mountains. The other source was discovered in the late 20th century.

This source is at Jari hill at the head of the Dam Qu tributary. It is the longest river distance from the sea.

its approximately 325 km southeast of Geladandong. After this, it flows eastwards and pours itself into the East China Sea.

2. It is the Longest River in Asia and The Third Longest in the World

The river is as long as 6,397 km(3,975 miles). The Yangtze River is classified as the longest river in Asia.

It is also the third-longest river in the world, after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America.

The river runs across china from the Qinghai-Tibet plateau in the west to the east china sea in the east. This is the major fact that makes it great among other famous rivers.

3. It is a Natural Boundary between North and South China

The Yangtze is regarded as a boundary between north China and south china. This is because of the difficulty of people crossing the river.

However, the geographical divider of North and South China is the Qinling Mountains-Huai River. To the south of the river, the climate is warm and humid with adequate rainfall.

To the north, the climate is dry with lower temperatures and less rain. The main grain in the north is wheat and in the south it’s rice.

4. The Major Cities along the Yangtze River are also Popular Tourist Destinations

3 Gorges Cruise down the Yangtze River in China. Photo by: Tuner Tom. WIKIMEDIA

They are four major cities along the Yangtze River. These are Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai.

Wuhan is the largest transport hub. It is located in the center of china. It is also a shipping center in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

Yantzegqing is the center of finance, science and technological innovation, shipping and trade, and logistics in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

Nanjing has been the political, economic, and cultural center of South China. It has a special status in Chinese history.

Shanghai is the largest city in China, and by city proper population it’s the largest city in the world. Its location at the mouth of the Yangtze aided its development as one of the largest ports in the world.

5. The Drainage Basin of the River Occupies 1/5 of China’s Land Area

The drainage of the Yangtze River is quite large. It comprises one-fifth of the land area of China, which is 1.8 million square kilometers. It is also home to nearly one-third of the country’s population.

The River flows through 11 provincial-level administrative regions, this is; Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan, Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shanghai.

6. The Word’s Largest Hydropower Station is on the Yangtze River

Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest hydropower station. Its located on the Yangtze.100 billion kWh of electricity is generated in a year, it sustains the daily needs of approximately 200 million people in a dozen of provinces.

However, they are other dams operating on the upper portion of the tiver, the Jinsha River. These are Xiluodo Dam. It is the third-largest power station in the world.

The Baihetan dam is also based on this river and it is the second largest after the Three Gorges Dam.

7. The Yangtze River has a Huge Number of Tributaries

The Yangtze has more than 700 tributaries. Eight of the tributes have a basin area of over 50,000 square If. They also have a length of more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).

The tributary that has the largest runoff is the Minjiang River. Jialing River tributary has the largest basin.

Hanjiang River and Ya-lung River are the tributaries with the longest length. Other major tributaries of the Yangtze River include Wujiang River, Ruanjiang River, Xiang River and Ganjiang River.

8. When Was the First Bridge Constructed Across Yangtze River?

Jiangjing_Yangtze_river_bridge.
Photo by: Zeus. WIKIMEDIA

There were no bridges on the Yangtze River from Yibin to Shanghai until 1957. Ferries were used by travelers to cross the river.

This was dangerous as evidenced by the Zhong’anlun disaster on October 15, 1945. In 1949, the construction of the Wuhan Yangtze River bridge began.

It was built from 1955 to 1957. This was the first bridge to be constructed across the river. The second bridge was a single-track.

It was built upstream in Chongqing in 1959. The Yangtze River and its tributaries have over 50 bridges since then.

9. The Chongqing–Yichang Route is the Most Popular for Yangtze Cruises

If you planning to visit the river, this is the first place you should consider. A cruise is the most popular way to tour the river and see some of the most spectacular scenery.

The route between Chongqing and Yichang has a richness of natural and manmade scenery. It has also cultural sites such as the Three Gorges Dam. visitors also get a chance to go on excursions to Fengdu, Gost city,shibaozhai, and Shennong stream.

10. The Yangtze has Been Important to Chinese History, Culture, and the Economy

Yangtze River near Shanghai
Photo by: Jakub Hałun. WIKIMEDIA

The river has played a major role in the history, culture, and economy of China. Human activities along with the river date back to 27,000 years ago.

The lower Yangtze has been the major population center. Irrigation systems have been developed along the River, agriculture produce has become stable and abundant.

The area is referred to as the wealthiest and most developed part of China. The river is the backbone of China’s inland water transportation for about 2,000 years. Today, the Yangtze River contributes around 20-40% of the GDP of China.

Last but not least, the Yangtze River is rich in aquatic organisms. They are more than 4,300 kinds of aquatic organisms in the Yangtze River Basin.

It has more than 400 species of fish. However, Some species have even become extinct.