The larger the territory, the more likely it is that this territory will contain a large number of water arteries, large and small rivers, and water reservoirs, seas and freshwater lakes. This statement, in any case, is equally true both for Russia and for its great neighbor - China, the third largest country in the world in terms of area.

There is, however, one significant difference between Russia and China in this sense - there are no inland seas in China.

Due to the "enormity" of the territory of the People's Republic of China and a number of its geographical features (for example, the obvious uneven distribution of the water resources of this country), the number of rivers in this country cannot be established accurately; it is only known that there are no less than one and a half thousand and up to five thousand of them in the Celestial Empire, and the “total capacity”, that is, the area of ​​\u200b\u200btheir basin exceeds 1000 square meters. km.

At the same time, according to the official indicator of the annual flow (2600 billion cubic meters), China occupies one of the first places in the world.

By the way, in some sources, the number of rivers in China is brought up to 50,000 and it is said that China de "abounds in rivers." True, they, these same sources, in no way indicate how such a calculation was carried out, and what was the method of this calculation itself.

Some of these rivers are included in the “most-most” category, such as, for example, the famous Irtysh, the left one, the main tributary of the no less famous Obi- the longest tributary river on the planet, flowing through three countries at once - China, where its source is located (on the border of Mongolia, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region), Kazakhstan and Russia. As a tributary of the Ob flows into the Ob Bay of the Kara Sea.

Length - 4248 km, the area of ​​​​the basin of this river - 1643 thousand square meters. km.

And the largest river on the Indochina Peninsula, whose waters also flow through the lands of the Celestial Empire and five other states of Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam), is Mekong, it is also the "River of the Nine Dragons", the length of which is about 4,500 km, and the basin area is 810 thousand square meters. km. The Mekong carries its waters to the South China Sea.

The Mekong is well known in Europe and the US, primarily due to Francis Ford Coppola's anti-war films Apocalypse Now (1979) and Oliver Stone's Platoon (1986) about the US war in Vietnam.

Another river from the "most-most" - Huanghe, the famous "Yellow River", one of the largest in all of Asia, the most important river of the ancient history of the Celestial Empire, in the basin of which the formation and further development of the modern Chinese ethnic group took place. The Huang He flows into the Yellow Sea.

The length of the Yellow River is 5464 km, the basin area is 752 thousand square meters. km.

And the river Brahmaputra, whose waters flow in three countries at once - in China, India and Bangladesh - a tributary of another famous river, the Ganges, one of the largest in South Asia. Its length is 2896 km, and the basin area is 651,334 sq. km, which, as they say, "inspire". It flows into the Indian Ocean.

The main rivers of China - TOP-10

The list of the main water arteries of the Celestial Empire published here is rather subjective and therefore may differ in one way or another from the information previously published in official sources. The main criterion in compiling this list was the length of the rivers mentioned in it.

  1. yangtze,
  2. Huang He (Yellow River)
  3. Heilongjiang (Amur),
  4. Songhua,
  5. Zhujiang (Pearl River),
  6. Brahmaputra,
  7. mekong,
  8. Nujiang,
  9. hangang,
  10. Liaohe.

The information for this list was taken from Runet publications on the geography and hydrography of the People's Republic of China.

Apparently, due to the fact that only its sources are in China, the aforementioned Irtysh is absent from this list, but the right, largest tributary of the Amur, the Sungari River, which is almost two times shorter than the Irtysh, is present.

The longest river in China is the main navigable river

The longest and most full-flowing river of the Eurasian continent is the Yangtze River, the basin of which covers almost a fifth of all the lands of the Celestial Empire, and almost a third of the entire current population of the People's Republic of China lives on its banks.

The length of the Yangtze is about 6300 sq. km, and the area of ​​​​its basin simply cannot but impress - 1,808,500 km2, this is the third largest river in the world, after the Amazon and the Nile, the longest in China and the main navigable river of this country.

The ancient high-speed Yangtze or, literally, the “Long River”, the source of which is located on the peak of Geladandong of the Tanggulashan mountain range, changing its names along its entire length, is another important water artery in the history of China, its culture and economy, because here, in the lower reaches this great river, once the civilization of South China was born, several times it was the natural border between North and South China.

Many important battles took place on the banks of the Yangtze, which had an undeniable impact on the entire further course of the history of the Celestial Empire in ancient times and the early Middle Ages.

One of the attractions of China is its rivers. If you add up the length of all, then in total you get 220 thousand km.

The water arteries of the country form the internal and external systems. Outer rivers flow into the sea or have access to the ocean. There are few internal rivers, and they are located at a significant distance from each other, flow into lakes or are lost in swamps and deserts. In many parts of China's rivers have become shallow.

Among the abundance of rivers, there are those that are known to the whole world and enjoy special love among tourists - the Huang He, the Yangtze, the Zhujiang.

Huanghe

This is one of the largest rivers in Asia. Translated into Russian, it means "Yellow River". And its water is actually yellow. This color gives it sand. It, in turn, flows into the Yellow Sea. It is believed that it was on the banks of this that the Chinese ethnos began its history and formation. That is why the Yellow River of China is rich in tourism resources, and the whole history of the great Chinese people is reflected on its banks. That is why river tours offered by numerous travel agencies are quite popular. Huang He was included in the list of twelve state tourist routes.

On the banks of the river you can meet peoples who have managed to preserve their original and colorful customs. There are quite a lot of monuments of architecture, antiquity, culture. There is always something to see here. These are statues of warriors and horses in the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, Buddhist relics in Shanxi province, the legendary Shaolin wushu school and much more. Unique landscapes amaze with their beauty.

Yangtze

This river is also called Blue. Arriving in China, you probably expect to see clean and transparent waters. But it's not. In fact, the Yangtze is rather muddy, and it most likely got its name in opposition to the Yellow River. Another common name is "Long River", or Changjiang. But this is the pure truth, because this water artery is one of the longest and full-flowing in Eurasia. Its length is 6 thousand km, and in some places it reaches a width of 2.5 km!

The Blue River of China has many sights and beauties. For example, its shores are formed mainly by mountains covered with green vegetation and steep gorges. The upper Leaping Tiger Gorge is the deepest in the world. The height of the stone walls is 2 thousand meters, and the height of the mountains towering above it reaches 4 thousand meters! Of the man-made "miracles" of the dam and hydroelectric power station, which are the largest in the world.

Zhujiang

The Pearl River of China also got its name not at all because it contains pearls, but because of the island that lies in the middle of the channel. This is a rock that over time was polished by nature almost to a radiant sheen, which is why it began to resemble a pearl. The island is called the Sea Pearl. Zhujiang ranks third in the ranking of "China's longest rivers" with a score of 2129 km.

One of the most favorite entertainments for tourists is a night river cruise in Guangzhou. A magnificent picture opens up to tourists: the bright lights of the city are reflected in the dark jade waters. Everything looks quite romantic!

China is being made an attractive country for tourism - an abundance of attractions, an interesting culture, and a history dating back to antiquity. On the territory of China there are many picturesque mountains, rivers, waterfalls and gorges.

One of the largest rivers in China is the Yangtze, with a length of 6300 kilometers. In the snow-capped mountains of Geladandong, it originates and flows through eleven provinces. It is called the river of contrasts. It flows first through the fields, then through the foothills, turning into mountains and gorges, changing into hills.

In length, it is second only to the Nile and the Amazon. The Three Gorges Dam, one of the world's largest hydroelectric dams, was built on this river. It flows through deep valleys and high mountains. The river is fraught with rich water resources.

The Yangtze is the country's main and most convenient shipping route, which runs from west to east. It is called the "golden transport artery", it seems that nature itself has adapted it for navigation.

Warm and humid climate, abundant rainfall and fertile soil are excellent conditions for the development of agriculture. The main granary of the country is located here.

The Yangtze River has long been famous for its beauty. There are many legends about local sights. This is the main highway of China, the most abundant and longest river in Eurasia. The Yangtze River divides northern and southern China into two parts. The largest cities of China are located on the Yangtze - Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing. The city of Shanghai is located in the river delta.

Huanghe

Talking about the two main rivers of China, it should be said that the second largest river of the state, with a length of 5464 kilometers, is the Yellow River, originating in the Tibetan Plateau. It means "yellow river". It rushes in a stormy stream to the east, down from the plateau through the gorges, further through the highlands of Gansu province.

Especially in summer, it carries a huge amount of silt, when the river is at its fullest. Often there are floods, for which the river is called "the grief of China." Then it goes to the North China Plain. When leaving the gorge, it flows into the Bohai Bay. Now many hydropower facilities have been built in the upper reaches of this river. Where the river loses speed, and Chinese civilization was born.

One of the remarkable features inherent in a huge state called China is a great many fresh water bodies. These are numerous full-flowing rivers that stretch for thousands of kilometers in length. They can be both deep, rich in underwater flora and fauna, and shallow, but at the same time incredibly beautiful and acceptable for swimming. Along with them, there are large lakes in China, which simply amaze with their beauty and purity. Therefore, we will now try to tell in great detail about what remarkable and famous reservoirs this country is famous for.

Chinese water "grid"

The large rivers and lakes of China are a whole water system, which is considered one of the largest in the world. In terms of full-flowing water, this state ranks sixth on the planet, following Brazil, Russia, Canada, the United States and Indonesia. Here there are both internal water bodies that do not go beyond the borders of the country with their channels and bays, and external ones that cross the borders of other powers and flow into the Indian, Pacific or Arctic Ocean. Most of the major rivers and lakes of China are located in the eastern part of the country, but many of them stretch to other regions. In total, all the river channels of the state make up 220 thousand kilometers, of which 64% is occupied by external waters, and the rest is inland water bodies, which are mainly shallow and small.

Brief information about the water bodies of China

In general, over 5,000 rivers flow in this country. The largest of them belong to external waters, and it is they that flow into the oceans. Among these rivers, it is worth mentioning the Yangtze, the Huang He (the two largest rivers and part of the symbolism of the country), the Zhujiang, Heilongjiang and others. The rest, which we will name a little below, are internal. China's major rivers and lakes are not always interconnected, but smaller bodies of water tend to flow into vast reservoirs. So, all the rivers that flow inside the country often do not flow into the oceans, but into local lakes. It is also considered an important aspect that it is in the valleys of the country's largest rivers that a huge number of people live. Here the population density is much higher than in other regions. But the lakes of the country are rather a magnet for tourists. They are very beautiful here, clean and simply unique.

Water pride of Eurasia

When they talk about the largest rivers in China, the first thing they call a water artery called the Yangtze. In addition to the fact that the river has been a nurse and a mystical symbol of the country from time immemorial, it is also the first largest and full-flowing river in all of Eurasia. In the world, it ranks third in this data. Translated into Russian, "Yangtze" means "Long River". In fact, the length of this waterway is 6300 km, and it is she who occupies a fifth of the territory of all of China. Along the Yangtze, the greatest population density can be traced, megacities, dams, factories and factories are being built here. In ancient times, it was thanks to the waters of this river that the Chinese were able to invent an irrigation system. Then its waters, which reflected the blue sky, were holy. The river had a second name - Blue or Blue, and its "brother" was the Yellow River, which was called Yellow.

clear yellow waters

Listing the largest rivers in China, it is impossible to lose sight of the famous Huang He, which in translation into Russian sounds like the “Yellow River”. The length of this natural vein of the country is 5464 km, and it originates at the foot of the Tibetan mountains. The Yellow River flows into the river without crossing the border of the state. The yellow color of these waters is given by the permanent deposits of various rocks, which are completely environmentally friendly and do not pose a danger to humans. Unlike the Yangtze, on the banks of which megacities, towns and cities are now growing, along the Yellow River there are quiet provincial towns. It was here that the Chinese ethnos, its culture and traditions were formed in ancient times.

Lakes - the beauty of the country

Now we will consider exactly the case when the large rivers and lakes of China are interconnected. Poyang Lake is considered the largest freshwater reservoir that does not have a current. It is it that is connected to the largest river of the Yangtze state by a small strait. This lake is located in Jiangxi province, that is, on the right bank of the river. It is believed that this reservoir is not only the largest in the country, but also one of the most beautiful and interesting. In summer, the water here has a slightly greenish tint, but it is very clean and transparent. In winter, many birds fly here and create their families here. By the way, another lake that is connected to Dongting is considered. It is very large, but shallow. It was in its valleys that the famous Chinese "dragon boats" were born.

Other lakes in China

But a part of it is considered to be Lake Hongzehu, which is completely different from it. Its waters are by no means cast yellow, but transparent blue, surrounded on all sides by rich greenery. The lake itself repeatedly overflowed, thereby blocking the Yellow River, after which the two reservoirs began to coexist as one. The last largest lake of the state is Chao, which is not connected to any river. A notable feature of the reservoir is Laoshan Island - a small green area where many trees and shrubs grow.

Conclusion

All major rivers and lakes in China are a great pride for the country. There are both clean and polluted waters here, but despite this, the locals are proud of the history of their rivers, their power and grandeur.

Lots of rivers. The rivers of China can be large and small, calm and rather turbulent, short and long. In short, they are as different as China itself.

Yangtze

The largest river in China, with a total length of 6300 kilometers, second only to the Amazon and the Nile in this indicator. It originates in the mountains of Geladandong and makes its way through eleven provinces. The landscapes of the river are constantly changing, for which the locals call it the “river of contrasts”.

The Yangtze is navigable for almost its entire length and is the most convenient waterway in the country. In addition, it conditionally divides China into two parts: northern and southern. On the banks of the river are the largest cities of the country: Nanjing; Wuhan; Chongqing; .

Zhujiang

Zhujiang (also called the Pearl River) passes through the territory of eight provinces. Such an unusual name was given to the river by an island located on it. The water polished its shores so carefully that they became surprisingly smooth and in this way resemble the surface of a pearl.

The Pearl River is of particular interest to the guests of the country. It is extraordinarily beautiful at night, when the numerous bridges connecting its banks are illuminated. The banks of the river surprise with a large number of attractions located here.

Huanghe

This is the second largest river in the country (5464 kilometers), taking its source in the Tibetan Plateau. The Yellow River is translated as "Yellow River" because of the special color of its water. In the summer, there is a huge amount of silt in its waters. It is during this period that the river is especially full of water and often overflows its banks.

Liaohe

The Liaohe is a major river in northeastern China. The very first mention of it dates back to 475-221. BC. The river has two sources at once. One is located in the east, the other in the west.

heilongjiang

Heilongjiang runs along the border of the territory and China. And if for the Chinese this river is called Heilongjiang, then for us it is our native Amur. The river bends the territory of China from the east and flows into the waters of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. The total length of Heilongjiang is 4370 kilometers and it is the eleventh longest river on the planet.

The Heilongjiang riverbed passes through amazingly picturesque places. If you look at it from a bird's eye view, it surprisingly resembles a black dragon. Which, in fact, is reflected in its name.

Hangang

Hangang (or Hanshui River) is one of the powerful tributaries of the Yangtze, with a length of 1532 kilometers. According to historians, it was she who gave the name to the kingdom of Han and one of the royal dynasties - also Han.