Changjiang Attractions
The Changjiang ("Long River") river is over 6000km/3700mi long, making it the longest and most important river in China and the third longest in the world, after the Amazon and the Nile. It flows from west to east through eight provinces and divides China into northern and southern halves.
For over 2000 years the Changjiang has been China's major transportation route; about 2700km/1680mi are navigable.
For over 2000 years the Changjiang has been China's major transportation route; about 2700km/1680mi are navigable.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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Until the 1950s, because of its width in the middle and lower reaches, it could be crossed only by ferry, but now there are bridges at Chongqing, Wuhan and Nanjing. Its catchment area, with 700 tributaries, covers about one-fifth of the total area of the country, and the average annual volume of water carried is 1,050 billion cu.m or 230,000 billion gallons. A quarter of the country's agricultural land lies within the vicinity of the river.
The Changjiang rises 5600m/18,380ft up at Geladandong in Tanggulashan in the eastern highlands of Tibet, initially flows east and then turns south to form the border between Tibet and the province of Sichuan. It then zig-zags its way through North Yunnan and continues northeast, forming the border between Sichuan and Yunnan. Where it enters Sichuan near Yibin the river (navigable from here on) flows northeast and then east through Central China to the East China Sea. The 150km/95mi delta begins above Nantong. Near Shanghai the two arms of the Changjiang enter the sea. The Grand Canal forms a link between the northeast and south of China.
The low and high water levels of the Changjiang vary according to the season by as much as 80m/260ft; in its lower reaches this variance can be twice as much as that of the Mississippi.
The Changjiang rises 5600m/18,380ft up at Geladandong in Tanggulashan in the eastern highlands of Tibet, initially flows east and then turns south to form the border between Tibet and the province of Sichuan. It then zig-zags its way through North Yunnan and continues northeast, forming the border between Sichuan and Yunnan. Where it enters Sichuan near Yibin the river (navigable from here on) flows northeast and then east through Central China to the East China Sea. The 150km/95mi delta begins above Nantong. Near Shanghai the two arms of the Changjiang enter the sea. The Grand Canal forms a link between the northeast and south of China.
The low and high water levels of the Changjiang vary according to the season by as much as 80m/260ft; in its lower reaches this variance can be twice as much as that of the Mississippi.
Related Attractions
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Three Gorges of Changjiang River
The famous and scenic three gorges of the Changjiang River are the Qutang, Wu and Xiling.
Changjiang - Sanxia Dam
Under construction on the Changjiang near Yichang is the huge and ecologically controversial Sanxia Dam, 2km/1/25mi long and 185m/600ft high, with the generating capacity of 16 nuclear power stations. As well as supplying electricity the dam will provide water for irrigation and enhance flood protection. To build the dam 1.5 million people are being resettled. The picturesque Three Gorges, which attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, will lose a great deal of their appeal.
Stage one was completed in 1997 with the blocking of two-thirds of the river's width.
Stage one was completed in 1997 with the blocking of two-thirds of the river's width.
