The Yangtze River in China is an impressive river with a total length of approximately 6.300 kilometers and a drainage area of ​​1.800.000 square kilometers. This makes it the third largest river in the world, after the Amazon and the Nile, and the longest river in China and on the continent.
For this reason, we are going to dedicate this article to telling you how impressive the Yangtze River is, its characteristics and much more.
Key features
Its strong flow is significant in China, accounting for 40% of the country's available water. Economically, the river is also an important factor in agricultural production. Furthermore, its waters serve China's largest hydroelectric power plant and the world's largest dam, the Three Gorges Dam.
The average flow of the Yangtze River is 31.900 m³/s. It is a monsoon river , affected by rainfall from May to August, with the flow increasing and then decreasing from September to April. Winter is its lowest season.
It stretches over 6.000 kilometers and encompasses more than 1.800.000 square kilometers of basins. In total, it covers one-fifth of China's land area. At the same time, one-third of the total population lives within its basin. Its impact on the economy is 20% of GDP.
Due to its length, it holds the title of the third longest river in the world, as well as the longest river flowing in the same country. From west to east, it runs through 8 provinces, 2 municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the Tibet Autonomous Region, winding and winding its way to the sea.
Its middle and lower sections consist of various wetlands and lakes, which interconnect, forming a kind of web that allows for the distribution of fauna. However, this has been lost due to modifications made to the ecosystem by humans.
The Yangtze River is over 6.000 kilometers long and bears witness to a rich and diverse culture and ecosystem. From the Naxi and Tibetans who live in the mountains far from the rest of the world, through Buddhist shrines and relaxation, to busy industrial areas.
Production and uses of the Yangtze River
It has a different name in each region it flows through. At its source, it was called Dangqu, the swamp river, or Drichu. At its midpoint, it is called the Jinsha River. Downstream, it is called the Chuantian River or Tongtian River.
Another consequence of such a wide range of cities is the diversity of climates. The Yangtze River flows through some of China's famous "furnace cities" and is extremely hot in summer. At the same time, you experience other regions that stay warm throughout the year and regions that experience extremely cold winters.
The Yangtze River Valley is fertile. The Yangtze River plays an important role in irrigating cereal crops, with the largest area dedicated to rice, which accounts for 70 percent of production, as well as wheat and barley, grains such as beans and corn, and cotton.
The river is threatened by pollution, overfishing, excessive dam construction, and deforestation . However, despite these warnings, largely due to overpopulation and its impact on wildlife, the river remains one of the most biodiverse bodies of water.
flora of the yangtze river
In several locations along the Yangtze River, vegetation has been cleared, primarily for human use. This poses a significant threat, as plants lose their ability to absorb water, which can lead to habitat loss.
Despite this factor that makes it impossible to identify the types of native vegetation and that introduced by man, typical river flora can still be found, especially in less populated areas such as those upstream and in parts of the middle.
The upper reaches of the river are found in the mountains, with species such as willow and juniper, as well as other alpine shrubs. The middle section is characterized by broadleaf forests and scrubland , and the final stretch is a plain where the rivers often overflow.
The lower, more populated path is mainly used for growing cereals, and almost all the typical plants of the area have been cut down, leaving only a few bushes. In the estuary, as it flows into the sea, aquatic plants such as mangroves can be seen.
Fauna
The Yangtze River is one of the most biodiverse bodies of water in the world. A 2011 study identified 416 species of fish, of which approximately 112 were endemic to its waters . There are also around 160 species of amphibians, as well as reptiles, mammals, and waterfowl that depend on its waters.
The predominant fish that inhabits the Yangtze are the cyprinids, although other species of the order Bagres and Perciformes can also be found in smaller numbers. Among them, Tetradentate and Osmium are the rarest.
Factors such as overfishing, pollution and the number of constructions that interfere with the course of the river have wiped out or endangered a large number of endemic species, of which only 4 out of 178 can inhabit the entire course of the river.
Some species that can only be found in this area are the Yangtze and Chinese sturgeon, finless porpoise, white sturgeon, alligator, northern blackfish, and Chinese giant salamander.
Previously, the Yangtze was home to two of the most iconic species of its environmental disaster: the giant softshell turtle and the Yangtze dolphin, also known as the white softshell turtle. Both were declared functionally extinct after being critically endangered.
Tributaries of the Yangtze River
To maintain its strong flow, the Yangtze River receives a large number of tributaries from its source to its destination, in addition to the water it receives during the rainy season. In total, there are more than 700 smaller canals that feed the Yangtze. The most important of these is the Han Chinese Canal, which is in the middle stage of the Yangtze River system.
The main rivers in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River are the Jinsha-Tongtian-Tuotuo water system, the Yalong River and the Minjiang River, and the upper reaches of the Wujiang River.
In its middle section, it receives water from Dongting Lake, which is itself fed by the Yuan, Xiang, and other rivers. Additionally, its left bank receives the swift-flowing Han River. Downstream is the Huaihe River, a tributary. The Yangtze River used to flow back into Poyang Lake at this time, but it has now dried up.