{"id":15379,"date":"2023-10-30T20:25:10","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T19:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=15379"},"modified":"2023-10-30T20:25:10","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T19:25:10","slug":"what-is-the-yangtze-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/what-is-the-yangtze-river\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is The Yangtze River"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Yangtze river is the longest river in China and the third longest in the world spanning over 6,300 kilometers. It is one of the largest rivers in the world with an array of tributaries that join together to form the largest river by volume in the world. The Yangtze River serves as both a literal and symbolic nexus of Chinese culture, art, history and economy. It’s not just an important physical structure in its own right, but it has played an enormous part in China’s history, industry and culture since ancient times. <\/p>\n

The Yangtze is the longest river of China, the largest river in terms of its drainage area and discharge, and possibly the hydroelectric energy production resource in the world. For centuries, the river and its tributaries have been used for transportation. It has been an integral part of various trading networks and has had an immense influence on Chinese regional and national politics, economy, and art. <\/p>\n

The catchment area of the Yangtze river is approximately 1.8 million km ² and comprises of two main regions. The first is the lower Yangtze river basin which runs from the estuary near Shanghai to the upstream reaches of the Three Gorges Dam. The second is the Upper Yangtze river basin which runs from the Tibetan plateau to the Three Gorges Dam. The Yangtze is home to a wide range of wildlife, including some of the most endangered species in China, of which the Chinese alligator and the Yangtze sturgeon are among the most notable. <\/p>\n

The Chinese economy is heavily reliant on the Yangtze river with its role in the economic development of China being significant. The Yangtze is the largest transport artery in China and is the most important source of hydroelectric power and irrigation. There are over 800 large and small river ports along the Yangtze’s banks and almost 20,000 kilometers of railway and highways that connect cities in the Yangtze River delta region. This makes it a vital transportation and economic artery. <\/p>\n