The Yangtze River is the longest and busiest river in Asia, the longest river in the world that flows entirely within one country. And the third longest river in the world after the Nile and the Amazon. It is the sixth-largest river in the world in terms of the amount of water discharged into the sea (behind the Amazon, Congo, Ganges-Padma, Orinoco and Madeira). The Yangtze releases 8 million gallons into the East China Sea every second. The average discharge is 30,166 cubic meters a second with a minimum of 2,000 m2 a second and a maximum of 110,000 m2 a second. The river begins its journey in the glacial meltwaters of the Tanggula Mountains in Tibet and flows approximately 6,300 kilometers until it empties in the East China Sea near the city of Shanghai. The Yangtze cuts through several mountainous areas. The river flows through or borders 10 provinces. The drainage basin of the Yangtze covers 20% of China. As the largest water system in China, Yangtze River is historically, economically and culturally important to the country.
The Three Gorges Dam, completed in May 2006, is the world’s largest hydropower station, according to International Water Power & Dam Construction magazine. It measures 192 meters high and 2.3 km across. The dam is located about 1,610 km west of Shanghai, in the Three Gorges Region, an area widely considered the most scenic region in the Yangtze River. The Three Gorges (three narrow, adjacent valleys) are situated along the middle reaches of the river.
The Chinese call the Yangtze Chang Liang (“Long River”) and Jinsha Jiang (“Gold Sands River”) and use the name Yangtze only to describe the Lower Yangtze or the section of the river near the mouth. Yangtze (also spelled Yangzi) means “child of the ocean.” The name likely comes from an ancient ferry crossing called Yangzi or Yangzijin. Europeans who arrived in the Yangtze River Delta region used Yangtze thinking the name applied to the whole river.
The major cities along Yangtze River are Chongqing, Yichang, Wuhan, Nanjing and Shanghai. All of their agriculture, tourism, transportation and industry benefit a lot from the Yangtze. The river has over 700 tributaries; the main ones are Hanjiang, Yalongjiang, Minjiang, Jialingjiang, Wujiang, Xiangjiang, Yuanjiang and Ganjiang. The Yangtze River and its tributaries have over 50 bridges, all of which were built after 1955. Before this, people used to cross the river using ferries. The first major bridge across the Yangtze River was the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge built in 1957.
When the Yangtze River first appeared on maps made by the English it was named Quian, and Quiansui – names given by Marco Polo. The earliest evidence of human activity on the banks of the Yangtze River dates 27,000 years ago.
The Yangtze River basin, an area covering 448 million acres, is one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth — from towering mountains and thick forests to marshy wetlands and waterways, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The region is home to more than 280 species of mammals, 145 species of amphibians, 166 species of reptiles and 378 species of fish. Species of fish include the yellow head catfish, carp, copper fish, Chinese shad, eel, anchovies and the Chinese puffer fish. The Yangtze River is also home to some rare creatures, including the Yangtze River dolphin. This mammal was unusual because it only lived in this Chinese river, which is fresh water. Most dolphins live in the ocean. Sadly, scientists think that they are now extinct, or have died off. These creatures ate fish, and people think pollution in the river poisoned the fish and killed the dolphins. Other rare creatures that you can find in the Yangtze River are the Chinese Alligator and Giant Soft-shell Turtle. However, these creatures are also in danger of becoming extinct. The critically endangered Chinese alligator, which numbers only around 200 in the wild, also lives in the lower regions of the river and its surrounding lakes. Although the Chinese alligator resembles the American gator, it is much smaller, reaching lengths of only 1.5 m.
The Yangtze River basin is considered the great granary of China. The economy of the basin focuses largely on agriculture. The grains produced here — 70 percent of which is rice — is enough to feed half of the country’s population. Other crops grown here include barley, cotton, wheat, corn and beans.
The river is one of the busiest in terms of traffic. Ships use it to transport coal and manufactured goods. Passenger ships also use the river, and Yangtze River cruises are become quite a big tourist attraction. A cruise is the most popular way to tour Yangtze River. The route between Chongqing and Yichang is the most popular one. The ships are built as four-star standard or above. It takes 4 days and 3 nights from Chongqing to Yichang downstream, and 5 days and 4 nights from Yichang to Chongqing upstream. The cruise ship will pass through the Three Gorges, the gathering of Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge, which are lined with fantastic rocks and peaks on both banks. The ship will also stop over at Three Gorges Dam.
Traveling through China, from east to west, one finds a multitude of cultures and customs rooted along the river. Depending on location, this rich cultural heritage varies. There are three different reaches or stages of the river: upper, middle, and lower. In The upper reach region, the summers are hot and the winters are cold. In the middle reach, the climate is somewhat similar to the upper reach, with hot summers but mild winters. The famous Three Gorges are located here. The lower reach, contains the plains of eastern China. The climate here is very different from the other reaches. It has more distinct seasons characterized by warm springs, sizzling summers, mild autumns, and cool winters.
Yangtze River is the cradle of Chinese civilization and reputed “Mother River” of China. Yangtze River gestated Hemudu Culture in its lower reaches about 7,000 years ago. Later, it gave birth to southern Chinese cultures, like Chu Culture, Wu and Yue Culture, etc. It has provided water for the lives of people and for irrigating crops. It has been a natural route of transportation. It still breeds one third of Chinese population nowadays.
