The Yangtze River in China is the longest river in Asia, the third longest river in the world and the longest river to flow entirely in one country. The river begins its journey in the glacial meltwaters of the Tanggula Mountains in Tibet and flows approximately 3,915 miles (6,300 kilometers) until it empties in the East China Sea near the city of Shanghai. The river flows through or borders 10 provinces.
Yangtze, which means “child of the ocean,” is a name primarily used by Westerners. In China, the river is referred to as Chang Jiang, meaning “long river,” while the name Yangtze is reserved for the small section of the river near its mouth.
The river flows through a variety of terrains, including high plateaus and lowland plains, but most of its journey — approximately three-fourths of it — is spent passing through mountainous regions, including some extremely scenic areas with deep valleys, canyons and gorges. The river is fed by approximately 700 tributaries, including eight principal rivers: Yalung, Min, Jialing, Han, Wu, Yuan, Xiang and Gan rivers, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
The Yangtze plays a central role in Chinese agriculture, industry and travel. It is the country’s primary waterway, and nearly one-third of the population lives in its basin — an area covering about 448 million acres — according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Traditionally, the Yangtze River has been considered a dividing line between North and South China, although geographers consider the true line to be the Qinling-Huai River, according to the New World Encyclopedia.
Credit : Britannica
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