China Geography

With a total area of 3,705,407 square mi (9,596,961 km2), China is a country located in southeast Asia and the western coast of the Pacific Ocean, as the third-largest country in the world, after Russia and Canada, with America in fourth. Its vast territory allows it to share land borders with 14 other countries, including North Korea to the east, Russia to the northeast, Mongolia to the north, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan to the west, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan to the southwest, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam to the south.

• Topographic Features
• Regional Divisions
• Mountains
• Plateaus and Basins
• Plains
• Deserts
• Rivers and Lakes
• Islands and Beaches

Official Name: People’s Republic of China.
Capital: Beijing.
Population: 1,400,050,000 (2019).
Total Area: 3,705,407 square miles (9,596,961 square kilometers).
Official Language: Simply Mandarin.
Currency: Chinese Yuan (CNY).
Form of Government: One-party socialist republic.
Climate: China’s climate varies depending on regions because of the country's highly complex terrain. It is basically dominated by dry seasons and wet monsoons, with noticeable temperature differences between summer and winter.
Highest Point: Mount Everest at 29,032 feet (8,848 meters).
Lowest Point: Ayding Lake at -505 feet (-154 meters).
Longest River: Yangtze River.
Largest Lake: Qinghai Lake.

China has a diverse topography, including majestic plateaus, towering snow-capped mountains, vast plains and basins, deep canyons, undulating hills, unlimited sandy dunes with many other geographic characteristics, and other landforms which are given out in myriad differentiations. In general, China’s topography goes up from the east to the west, which shapes a three-step “staircase” in line with its altitude. The first step, also the highest one, has the roof of the world - Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with an average altitude of over 4,500 meters. The lower second step is mainly dominated by plateaus and basins in a large area of midwest China, with an average altitude ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 meters, including Xinjiang-Inner Mongolia, Loess Plateau, and Yunnan-Guizhou plateaus, as well as the Tarim, Junggar, and Sichuan basins. The much lower third step features hills and plains, covering China’s eastern and southern provinces, with an altitude below 500 meters. With the diverse terrain, China boasts a large number of geographical wonders that travelers can explore, from the world’s tallest peak Mount Everest (8,848m), the fourth-lowest place on earth - Turpan Depression, the world’s fifth-largest desert, and Asia’s longest river - the Yangtze River.

The country consists of 34 provincial-level administrative regions, which are divided into five macro-regions based on the homogeneity in physical factors, namely northeast plain, north plain, southern hills, Xinjiang-Mongolia, and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Due to the different geography, inhabitants of each region have their own distinctive way of life and customs. The northeast plain, north plain, and southern hills comprise Eastern China, also called the Eastern Monsoon Area, where most of China’s agricultural output comes from, and nearly 95% of the Chinese population lives due to its appropriate climate and topography of fertile lowlands and foothills. The other two regions, namely Xinjiang-Mongolia and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, occupy about 55% of the total land area but have much lower agricultural potential and fewer population due to their harsh weather conditions and challenging terrains.

China has a number of mountain ranges and solitary mountains, covering about 33% of the total land area, including seven of the world's 12 mountain peaks over 8,000 meters above sea level. Mountain ranges crisscrossing each other in different directions have shaped into many mountain systems that form the framework of the country's topography.

Famous mountain ranges in China are the Himalayas, the Kunlun Mountains, the Tianshan Mountains, the Qinling Mountains, the Greater Hinggan Mountains, the Taihang Mountains, the Hengduan Mountains, and the Qilian Mountains. While it might be more remote than other mountain ranges in China, the Himalayas, located at China’s border with Nepal and Indian, includes some of the country’s most incredible peaks and one of the most beautiful national parks protects these mountains, namely Qomolangma National Park. The world’s highest mountain - Mount Everest and the world’s second-highest mountain - K2 are both located within this stunning mountain range. Both of them are a Mecca for mountain climbers.

Of China’s numerous well-known landmarks and natural wonders, its mountains are some of the most stunning parts of the country. For the purpose of exploring the nation’s religion and culture, there are four sacred Buddhist mountains, namely Mount Wutai in Shanxi, Mount Emei in Sichuan, Mount Jiuhua in Anhui, and Mount Putuo in Zhejiang, as well as four sacred Taoist mountains, namely the Mount Wudang in Wubei, Mount Longwu in Jiangxi, Mount Qiyun in Anhui and Mount Qingcheng in Sichuan. In addition, treasured by pilgrims of Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Bons, Mount Kailash is certainly one of the world’s most holy places for many believers faraway to complete pilgrimages. For those mountain-climbing enthusiasts, the country offers the most breathtaking mountains with beautiful and magnificent scenery, like Mount Huangshan in Anhui, Mount Huashan in Shaanxi, and Mount Tai in Shandong.

Covering 26 percent of China's landmass with an area of about 2.5 million square kilometers, plateaus have an average elevation of 4,000 meters above sea level. The four major plateaus, namely Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Inner Mongolia Plateau, Loess Plateau, and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, are distributed in the first and second step of the three-step “staircase”.

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, located north of the Himalayas and east of the Karakorum/Pamirs, is the largest and highest plateau in the world, with an elevation ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 meters above sea level. Surrounded by snow-capped mountain ranges, like the Kunlun Mountains, Qilian Mountains, Hengduan Mountains, and the Himalayas, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau boasts numerous snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and lakes. Southeast of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the home of limestone karst landscape, which constitutes a large portion of southwest China with an average elevation of 2,000 meters. Further north, the Inner Mongolian Plateau curves up to be the spine of China with an elevation between 900-1,500 meters. Including the Greater Hinggan Range of Northeast China, the plateau is dominated by gently rolling terrain, vast grasslands, and some parts with arid Gobi and deserts covered. Between the Inner Mongolian Plateau and Qinling Mountain is Loess Plateau, the largest of its kind in the world, with an elevation of 1,000-2,000 meters. Full of loess, a yellowish and loose soil that spreads easily in the wind, the Loess Plateau gives the Yellow River its color and name.

China’s major basins can be found in the second step of the three-step “staircase”, including the Tarim Basin, the Junggar Basin, the Qaidam Basin, the Sichuan Basin, and the Turpan Depression. The vast Tarim Basin, the largest basin in China, is just settled northwest of the Tibetan Plateau, between the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains and the southern slope of the Tianshan Mountains. East of the Tibetan Plateau, deeply folded mountains stretch out toward the Sichuan Basin, which is embraced by mountains with 1,000-3,000 meters elevation and dotted with plains, hills, and low mountains. The famous Turpan Depression is the world's fourth-lowest place, after the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea, and Lake Assal, including China’s lowest point - Ayding Lake.

China's major plains are allocated on the third step, covering the regions from the north to the south. The most important plains are the Northeast China Plain, the North China Plain, the Middle-Lower Yangtze Plain, and the Pearl River Delta Plain. With fertile flat land and agricultural abundance, these plains not only allow the development of most of the dynasties of China but also offer wonderful opportunities to savor its open landscape.

The Northeast China Plain is the largest plain in China, which expands north to the “Chinese rooster’s crown”, and lies between the Greater and Lesser Hinggan Ranges and Changbai mountains. The North China Plain, an alluvial plain fed by the Yellow River, Huai River, Hai River, and Luan River, is one of the most densely populated areas in China. The Middle-Lower Yangtze Plain is a typical floodplain formed by the alluvium of the Yangtze River and its tributaries. It is also reputed as the “land of fish and rice” because it’s kind of swampy dotted by many lakes and rivers, which makes it especially suitable for rice growing and freshwater fish living. The Pearl River Delta Plain, a sunken area in the central-south of Guangdong province, is one of the wealthiest in the whole of China and one of the most densely metropolitan regions in the world.

China has some of the most extreme landforms, due to its size and unique plate tectonics. Except for the highest mountain - Mount Everest, the highest mountain range - the Himalayas, the largest and highest plateau - Tibetan Plateau, these landforms have in turn created some of the largest and most extreme deserts in the world. The deserts are largely distributed in northern and northwestern China, with dunes stretching hundreds of miles.

Ancient China was separated from central Asia by two of the world’s largest deserts: the Gobi Desert to the north and northwest and the Taklamakan Desert to the west until the advent of the Silk Road which connected the two domains for trade. Both the Gobi and the Taklamakan are notable in history, serving as the location of several important cities along the Silk Road. These two deserts helped to safeguard China from external invaders, but they also restricted China’s outspread. The Gobi Desert spans across the northern portion of modern China and the southern part of modern Mongolia. It’s location and altitude contribute to its extreme climate which can reach −40 °C (−40 °F) in winter to 45 °C (113 °F) in summer. Taklamakan Desert is located in northwest China just the middle of Tarim Basin in the southwest of Xinjiang. It has a milder climate than the Gobi Desert, but there is still little water and vegetation area.

Deserts now make up more than 13 percent of the land area in China, even the Chinese have worked for decades with various methods used to transform them into arable farmland. One of their projects to combat desertification involves turning the Maowusu Desert, once one of four main deserts in China desert, vanished from the map with green trees repopulated.

China boasts numerous rivers and lakes which knit ecosystems together, providing some of the best natural resources and some adrenaline-fueled or relaxing recreation, too. Most of them begin life as a tiny stream from a mountain slope on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, fed by melting snow and ice or by rainwater running off the land.

Among thousands of rivers in China, there are more than 1,500 rivers with a drainage basin over 1,000 square kilometers. The Yangtze River is the largest and longest river. It rises at Tanggula Mountains on Tibetan Plateau and flows 6,300 km to a vast delta in the Jiangnan region of China (part of Shanghai, southern Jiangsu, and northern Zhejiang) before emptying into the Pacific Ocean through Shanghai, forming the world’s largest hydroelectric power station - Three Gorges Dam. The Yangtze River picks up numerous major tributaries including the Min River, Jialing River, Han River, Xiang River, and Huangpu River, and flows past numerous major cities, including Chongqing, Wuhan, and Shanghai. The Yangtze River cruise, like a floating hotel, is most popular among travelers to appreciate the natural beauty of the river, as well as many historical and cultural sites along the river. The Yellow River, the second-longest river in China, doesn’t have the size or depth of the Yangtze River. But commonly known as “the mother river”, it is the cradle of Chinese civilization, feeding the arid north area of China. Beginning in the hinterland of Qinghai, the Yellow River runs 5,464km through nine provinces of China and ends in the Bohai Sea, with a drainage basin over 750,000 square kilometers.

Among over 24,800 lakes in China, there are more than 2,800 natural lakes with an area of over 1 square kilometer. Most freshwater lakes are scattered in the eastern monsoon region, especially the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, such as the Poyang Lake, Dongting Lake, and Taihu Lake, while most inland saltwater lakes are more concentrated in the west region, especially on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, such as Qinghai Lake, Namtso Lake, and Manasarovar Lake. With so many beautiful lakes throughout the country, China offers plentiful ways to navigate these natural sites by cruise, kayak, hiking, etc.

Surrounded by a large water area from north to south, China’s coastline is home to an impressive collection of islands. Among those islands, Taiwan Island is the largest, Hainan Island is the second and Chongming Island is the third. With nearly half of the 18,000 kilometers coastline being sandy, China presents numerous choices for travelers looking to enjoy a holiday at the beaches.

Of China’s over 5,000 islands, the Xisha Islands (or Paracel Islands) comes closest to an unspoiled paradise, offering superb visibility for the long extended coral reefs and perfect conditions for divers seeking the distinct, indigenous sea life and turtles. The islands have been recently developed as a tourist spot, without permanent residents on the islands. Taking a cruise from Haikou is the only way to reach the islands. Located at the most southern corner of China, Hainan Island is the most favored beach escape for both domestic and overseas travelers. With clear warm waters and wonderful sandy beaches, Hainan Island has so much more to offer to keep travelers busy from surfing to outstanding eateries. Weizhou Island, located in the north of Guangxi, is China’s biggest and youngest volcanic island. With attractive raw geology, stunning beaches, and various seafood, Weizhou Island appeals to a wide array of travelers.

With unrivaled scenery, there are many other islands in the country worthy of a treasure hunt, like Chongming Island which is close to Shanghai enough for a last-minute getaway to discover the large-scale forests, lakes, and wetlands, Gulangyu Island in Fujian which provides fresh air and balmy weather all year round, and Beidaihai Scenic Area which is the best place to enjoy the gold sand, watch birds and escape from the summer heat in Beijing.