© T. M. Whitmore Today China Scale & isolation Physical environments Agriculture
© T. M. Whitmore
Exciting new joint UG degree program At the National University of Singapore A top 20 ranked university internationally Language of instruction is English Eligible UNC undergraduates Economics, English literature, geography, history and political science Can take 2-4 semesters of classes at NUS and earn diplomas from both universities.
© T. M. Whitmore China: physical environment I China – huge ~ US with Alaska China 3 regions (1 st 2 in Central Asia region) “Outer” ChinaOuter Himalaya mountains and Tibetan plateau to the Southwest –Source of many rivers Gobi & Taklamakan deserts to the west and Northwest “Inner” China Isolated by mountains and deserts
© T. M. Whitmore China “proper”proper Physical Environment Climate Climate Drier N wetter S Drier N wetter S China sub-regionssub-regions Northeast China Plain / Manchuria Northeast China Plain / Manchuria The N. China Plain The N. China Plain –Huang He river (formally Yellow) Basins of the Chang Jiang (formally Yangtze) river Basins of the Chang Jiang Tropical southern China Tropical southern China Environmental degradation and hazards Environmental degradation
© T. M. Whitmore Chinese Rivers Huang He (Yellow River) Can carry up to 40% sediment weight (highest in the world). Subject to flooding, especially in its delta. Changed course many times. Chang Jiang (Yangtze). Longest river, China’s main street (6,300 km). Flood of 1998 left 14 million homeless. Pearl River delta system Most productive and sustainable ecosystem in the world. Rice paddies and fish ponds. Heilong Jiang (Amur). China's border with Russia.
Amur Huang He (Yellow) Chang Jiang (Yangtze) Pearl Delta
A series of long canals, some new and others ancient, transfers water from the wet Yangtze basin to the dry north.
Manchuria
N China Plain
rivers
Filled with sediment from the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River has changed course many times in Chinese history, each time killing and displacing millions.
Back to rivers
South China
Back to rivers
Loess soils in the Guangzhong Basin © Bret Wallach
© T. M. Whitmore Major issues Huge population Little arable area Little arable area Population is about 70% rural 4 Agricultural Regions NE / Manchuria North China Plain- wheatwheat South China - ricerice Western oases and arid-semiarid grazing Chinese Agriculture
Wheat & other upland crops
Wetland Rice
© Bret Wallach Guangzhong Basin
Guilin © Bret Wallach
Guilin
Yunnan Village: Hengdi © Bret Wallach
© T. M. Whitmore Chinese agriculture II Agriculture reform Pre-Communist (pre-1949) Communist changes Current reforms
© T. M. Whitmore Chinese agriculture III Nearly self sufficient despite 1.3 billion Agriculture is very intensivevery intensive 10 persons to feed per ha Urban pops increasing and so is wealth => demand increasing faster than pop growth Urban pops increasing Significant imports but also significant exports Significant imports but also significant exports
40% of agricultural land in China is irrigated.
Wheat & other upland crops
Wetland Rice
Rural Chinese family’s week’s food © Peter Menzel
Urban Chinese family’s week’s food
RICE
WHEAT
© Bret Wallach Guangzhong Basin
© Bret Wallach Guangzhong Basin