Yangtze

Lore & Background

The Yangtze River, known in Chinese as Chang Jiang or "Long River," is the longest river in China and the third-longest in the world. It originates at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains on the Tibetan Plateau and flows generally eastward for its entire length, including the Dam Qu River as its longest source, before emptying into the East China Sea. By discharge volume, it ranks as the fifth-largest primary river globally. Its drainage basin covers one-fifth of China’s land area and is home to nearly one-third of the country’s population. The river has been integral to Chinese history, culture, and economy for millennia, serving purposes such as water supply, irrigation, sanitation, transportation, industry, boundary demarcation, and warfare. The Yangtze Delta alone contributes up to 20% of China’s GDP, and the Three Gorges Dam on the river is the world’s largest hydroelectric power station. Ecologically, the river supports diverse ecosystems and hosts endemic and threatened species, including the Chinese alligator and the narrow-ridged finless porpoise. It was also the former habitat of the now-extinct Yangtze river dolphin and Chinese paddlefish, as well as the Yangtze sturgeon, which is extinct in the wild. In recent years, the river has faced significant environmental challenges from industrial and plastic pollution, agricultural runoff, siltation, and the loss of wetlands and lakes, which worsen seasonal flooding. Some sections are now protected as nature reserves, and a stretch of the upper Yangtze in western Yunnan, flowing through deep gorges, is part of the UNESCO-listed Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas.

Reader's Guide

The Yangtze River is central to China's geography, history, and economy. Its drainage basin covers one-fifth of China's land area and is home to nearly one-third of the country's population. The river has been a vital resource for millennia, supporting agriculture, transportation, and industry. The Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydro-electric power station, harnesses its flow. However, the river has suffered from industrial pollution, plastic pollution, agricultural runoff, siltation, and loss of wetland and lakes, exacerbating seasonal flooding. Some sections are now protected as nature reserves, and a stretch in western Yunnan is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The river's name in Chinese, Chang Jiang, means 'long river,' while the English name Yangtze derives from the local name for the lower river near Yangzhou.

Did You Know?

• The Yangtze River is the third-longest river in the world, after the Nile and the Amazon.
• The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze is the largest hydro-electric power station in the world.
• The Yangtze was home to the now extinct Yangtze river dolphin (baiji) and Chinese paddlefish.
• The name 'Yangtze' comes from the local name for the lower river near Yangzhou.