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China's Geography, Climate and Weather

China's size is significant with 9.6 million square kilometres of land area. This land is also significant because it contains every arable and mineral resource in large enough quantities for exportation. These resources have previously helped China to maintain a self-sufficiency policy in the areas of agriculture and important mineral deposits. Now, however, demand in some areas is exceeding supply so China now imports much more of these major commodities from other nations.

At the present time, around thirteen percent of China's landmass can be used for farming and food production. The country is now more often producing specialized products for export to other nations. China is becoming more interested in environment-friendly farming practices than previously. China is also interested in foreign investment in the country's resources. As a last resort, China considers its need to import when there is a shortage in domestic Chinese products for its citizens to use.

Of course, with China's large size, there is great diversity in crops and in what type of manufacturing can be done in the various areas. Weather in China varies from semi-tropical regions to quite cool winters, depending on what area of the country one is in. Some parts of China have no winter weather while other parts have no summer season. However, most of China falls into the patterns associated with the temperate climatic zones. Monsoon winds and rainfall also affect the climate in China and the types of crops which can be grown in various areas.

Major Geographic Regions of China

Generally speaking, the elevations are highest in western China and gradually decrease as one travels eastward. From heights of 4000 meters above sea level in the western mountain regions elevations get lower to around fifty meters above sea level in the coastal eastern areas.

Some five thousand islands are included in the country including Taiwan, Hainan and Zongming Islands.

Tibetan Plateau

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the western regions of China is sometimes referred to as the 'roof of the world' since it is the largest and highest plateau on Earth. This area covers around 2.2 million square kilometres with an average elevation of 4000 meters above sea level. None of China's more important rivers are located in this region. Thus, due to the high elevation and lack of large rivers, this area of China was rather sparsely populated in the past.

Tarim & Dzungarian basins of Xinjiang

North of the Tibetan Plateau is the Tarim and Dzungarian basins of Xinjiang separated by the Tian Shan.

Inner Mongolian Tableland

To the north of what we usually think of as China proper is the tableland of Inner Mongolia. It is a large and rather cold area of China. Dust storms often begin in this region and spread into the north areas of China proper.

Manchurian Areas

This is considered an outer territory of China. This area, as well as China Proper, experiences a great wind reversal each year called the Asiatic monsoon. As North China, Manchuria has severely cold winters. Rivers are often frozen for four to six months of the year.

China Proper

This area of China is the largest by far, covering about eighty percent of the country. It is also the most populated area of China. It includes the Pacific coastal areas and the three great river valleys in China, the Huang He, the Chiang Jiang and Xi Jiang Rivers. This region of the country is made up of three divisions, North China, Central China and South China.

North China with the Huang He River Basin
This division is made up largely of the Yellow River (Huang He) basin and extends as far south as the Qingling Mountains. Included in the North China division are the mountains of the Shandong peninsula, the North China plain and the Loess Plateau of the northwest. Almost every year the Huang He River floods its banks, becoming a river full of mud.

The Qingling Mountains are a natural dividing line between semiarid North China and the more humid areas of Central and South China. These mountains also form a natural division between the grain-growing North China and the rice-growing southern regions.

North China has cold winters and occasional dust storms. Uncomfortable summer weather is rather common in this division of China proper due to high humidity.

South China
The valleys of the Xi and Pearl Rivers as well as the plateau of Yunnan and Guizhou make up the area of the division being referred to as South China. This is the wettest as well as the warmest region of China proper during the summer. Winters are mild and usually experience no frost. This tends to be a more typhoon experiencing area of China proper.

Central China with Yangtze River
The Central China division includes the Yangtze River, the central Chang lowlands and delta and the Sichuan basin. This area has warm summers and rather mild winters. Cities in this region include Shanghai and Hankou. There are usually only five to ten days of snowfall in this division of China. In the summer, some humidity brings discomfort for a while.

The Yangtze (Chang Jiang) River, including its tributaries, drains about one fifth of China's total area. It is the 6300 km main street of China. It is one of the busiest inland waterways on the planet.

For variety in weather, land types and geography, China offers the most. From high elevations to desert to beautiful semi-tropical scenery, China has nearly everything.