Geography of Ancient China
Stats
3,123 miles east to west
Divided into 5 physical regions:
Eastern China
Northeast plain
North plain
Southern hills)
Xinqiang-Mongolia
Tibetan-highlands.
Isolation
Civilization arose in two river valleys:Yellow and
Yangtze
Rich plain near Pacific Ocean
China’s heartland
90% of land suitable for farming located here
East = Pacific Ocean
West = Takla Makan (desert) & 14,000 ft. Plateau of
Tibet
Southwest = Himalayas
North = Mongolia (warlike nomads)
Political Boundaries
Boundaries changed depending on how
strong or weak its ruling families were
China remained center of civilization
Cities, writing, gov’t, religion, specialized
crafts
Their own name for China was the Middle
Kingdom- saw as center of civilized world
Satellite Image
Mongolia
Takla
Makan
Gobi Desert
Tibetan Plateau
Northeast/
North Plain
Relief Map
(from the east)
Topographic Map