China Curriculum Module Three: China’S Georgaphy This Module Introduces Students to the Country’S Impressive Geographical Features
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China Curriculum Module Three: China’s Georgaphy This module introduces students to the country’s impressive geographical features. Information Sheet LEARNING OBJECTIVE Part One: A Diverse Landscape To explore China’s diverse geography and determine some of the main factors for its unique landscape. China has the most diverse and The Himalayas, the highest breathtaking geography in the mountain range in the world, world. It has the highest altitude form the natural border in the ACTIVITY and temperature differences West of the country. China has Look at a map of Asia to find out what of any country, vast mountain the longest land border (border countries border China. ranges, mighty rivers, huge that doesn’t include the sea) of deserts and spectacular natural any country in the world, totalling grasslands. over 22,000 kilometres. It shares the border with a good number As the fourth largest country of other countries. The Pacific in the world, it has a varied Ocean forms the natural border geography, making it so unique. in the East, South East and South Road. 40% of China is also covered Most of the Western parts of West of the country. by natural grasslands. With 4 million the country lie on the Tibetan kilometres of natural grasslands, China’s mountainous plateau. In fact, When people think of China, grassland cover is the second largest in mountains make up the majority many think of the high-rise the world. The Hunlunbuir Grassland in of the landscape, dominating buildings and busy city life. Many the Inner Mongolian region covered about over 70% of the landmass. are surprised to find out that 250,000 sq kilometres, the size of the It’s China’s mountain ranges deserts cover nearly a fifth of UK. It’s famously written about by classic that make it have the greatest China, with dunes that stretch Chinese poets and historians. altitude difference on Earth: hundreds of miles. The Gobi, the 9,002 m. Mount Everest is the world’s third largest desert, along Questions highest peak in the world (8,848 with the Takalamakan Desert, m) and Tranquil Ayding Lake is once separated central Asia from 1) What percentage of China is mountains? the third lowest area of dry land. China until the advent of the Silk 2) Why is China’s geography so unique? globalschoolalliance.com Information Sheet Part Two: The Major Bodies of Water As the third biggest country in The Yellow River, known as the The Pearl River, located in the south, is the world, China has more than mother river by all of the Chinese the third longest river in Chinese territory 5,000 rivers flowing through people, is the country’s second (1,243 miles). The river is made-up of its territory. The rivers have largest river (3,395 miles) and four separate river systems: the Xi River, helped tremendously with the the fifth in the world. Historical the Liuxi River, the Bei River, and the development of country. The evidence shows that the lower Dong River. The extensive network of Yangtze River and the Yellow Yellow River basin was where rivers allows inland shipping to flourish. River are among some of the Chinese civilisation began, and With the modern development of country’s major rivers. the most prosperous region in Guangzhou, the river passes through a early Chinese history. modern urban area, as well as the natural The Yangtze River, the third Unlike any other river, beauty. The ‘night cruise’ along the longest river in the world the riverbed is up to Pearl River is often on the top of a (3,915 miles), stretches from a 10 metres above the traveller’s list of things to do when glacier on the border of Tibet surrounding cities and visiting Guangzhou. The evening to Shanghai. The river flows farmlands - the only cruise hosts beautiful scenery, with through nine provinces and two river where ships sail spectacular views of White Goose cities. Along with its network of overhead! Over the years Pool and Guangzhou Bridge. lakes and tributaries, it’s used to the river has devastated generate power, control flooding civilisations with its deadly floods Questions and store water for drinking and and course shifts. However, the 1) What is the biggest river in China? irrigation. There are now tens of country’s recent infrastructure thousands of reservoirs in the boom has fully harnessed the 2) Name the three main rivers in China. region, with numerous dams Yellow River for hydroelectricity, 3) How do the river’s network of lakes help across the river - including the reservoirs and irrigation, to the it the local areas? largest damn in the world. into a natural resource for civilians. globalschoolalliance.com Information Sheet Part Three: Diverse Climate Zones China is located in East Asia, exceed 600,000 sq m. provinces in late April and reach all of facing the Pacific Ocean in southern China by June. the East and South. Due to its Southern and Southwestern geographic position, China has China have extremely diverse Western China is famous for some its the largest climate differences cities, in weather, population highest peaks, breathtaking scenery and for a single country. The diverse and culture. The majority of deserts. Xinjiang, which is largely desert, climate ranges from the tropic the Southern areas fall into and Tibet, which consists of extremely vast zones in the South, to the the humid subtropical climate plateaus, experiences some of the biggest freezing zones in the North. category. Typically China’s temperature differences between the southern provinces are wetter summer and winter months. Provinces in Northern China with warmer temperatures than experience temperatures well the North. The winter months Besides the wide diversity of climates and below freezing in winter, with run from January through regions, many cities have been adversely winds coming in from Siberia. March, is short but usually a affected by air pollution. However, Beijing’s Harbin, also called ‘Ice City’, is very cold winter. Whereas April air quality has improved significantly and located in Northern China and through September is the rainy is being monitored very closely. The United freezes for four months a year season when temperatures and Nations have praised the Chinese capital’s - falling to temperatures as low humidity peak. rapid progress. as -25°. Every year the city holds the Harbin International Ice and During the summer months, Questions Snow Festival, the biggest ice Southern China is inundated 1) China’s Southern regions differ festival in the world. Each year by monsoon rains sweeping in tremendously. Name two cities with very 10 to 15 million visitors travel from both the Indian and Pacific thousands of miles to witness the oceans. Typically the monsoons different climates. huge snow sculptures, some begin in the far southern 2) Where is the Ice Festival held every year? globalschoolalliance.com Activity Sheet Mapping Using coloured pencils or pens, draw the natural barriers, oceans and rivers. Try your best to label the Chinese provinces. Do some further research to discover more about three provinces in China. globalschoolalliance.com China Landmarks Great Wall of China Terracotta Warriors Forbidden City Gobi Desert Cut out and stick the landmarks onto the map of China. Use what you have learnt so far and research any landmarks you are unfamiliar with. St Sophia’s Church Mount Everest Three Gorges Dam Leshan Giant Budda Yellow River globalschoolalliance.com.