{"id":15173,"date":"2024-03-12T04:35:24","date_gmt":"2024-03-12T03:35:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=15173"},"modified":"2024-03-12T04:35:24","modified_gmt":"2024-03-12T03:35:24","slug":"is-the-yangtze-river-evil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/is-the-yangtze-river-evil\/","title":{"rendered":"Is The Yangtze River Evil"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Physical, Cultural and Economic Impact of the Yangtze River<\/h2>\n

The Yangtze River is the longest river in the world and it plays an important role in the economy, culture and environment of China. The river is one of the oldest tourist attractions in the country. It is also crucial for the country’s economic development, providing a major trading route and a key source of freshwater.<\/p>\n

The Yangtze covers 6,300 kilometers of stunning scenery and supplies water to almost a third of China’s population. It also provides habitat to over 50 million people, as well as thousands of species of fish and plants. As the river has become more popular, it has been the subject of numerous documentary films, winning multiple awards and even inspired the naming of a national holiday.<\/p>\n

However, despite its beauty and cultural significance, the Yangtze has had a more destructive side. Over the years, its water levels have fluctuated, subsiding in some parts of the river and inundating other areas. For example, in 1998, an unprecedented flood occurred causing severe damage and loss of life. This led to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam to regulate the amount of water flowing into the Yangtze.<\/p>\n

The construction of the dam also coincided with dramatic changes to the aquatic eco-system. China built a number of artificial islands in the river, raising the riverbed to accommodate the dam. This changed the ecology of the Yangtze and adversely impacted species like the Chinese River Dolphin and Chinese Paddlefish.<\/p>\n