1.1 Geographical Aspects
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elevation of most hills is below 1,000 m, and the elevation of the coastal plain areas
is less than 50 m. In this area, the summer monsoon prevails, so precipitation is
plentiful.
In China, mountainous areas account for nearly 33% of the total territory, the
plateau areas 26%, and hilly areas 10%, whereas the intermountain basins are 19%
and the plain areas only 12% of the total territory.
1.1.2 Climate
Monsoon is the predominant feature of the climate in China. With most of its territory
under the influence of the southeast and southwest monsoons, those areas are humid
and have ample rainfall, while the northwest is dry and rainfall there is scarce. It is
also typical that prevailing wind directions shift abruptly from northerly in winter
to southerly in summer, with precipitation mostly in the warm half of the year. The
vast area of East China and most areas of South China are controlled by the East
Asian monsoon. Generally, in summer, these areas are affected by the oceanic air
current, whereas in winter, they are controlled by the continental air current. This
results in a dry winter and wet summer, although there is some precipitation even in
the dry season. The southern part of Tibet and most of Yunnan Province belong to
the southwest monsoon climate zone in summer, and the rainy and dry seasons can
be easily distinguished.
Owing to the winter monsoon from Siberia and the Mongolian Plateau, in most
of China, the winter temperature is 5–18 °C lower than in other locations at the same
altitude. Due to the oceanic and continental influences, the humidity varies greatly
with the distance from the sea. From southeast to northwest, the humid, semi-humid,
semiarid, and arid zones distribute accordingly. In the southeast coastal area, the
annual average relative humidity is 77–78%, while in the inland area in Xinjiang, it
is only 40%.
China can be divided into nine climatic zones plus the Qinghai–Tibet climatic
zone. In eastern China, from south to north, are south, medium, and north tropic
zones; south, medium, and north subtropic zones; and south, medium, and north
temperate zones. The heat decreases from south to north. The south tropic zone
is mainly the islands in the South China Sea, with an annual average temperature
exceeding 25 °C and without winter. The north temperate zone is located at the north
side of Da Hinggaling Mountain, with an annual temperature of −5 °C and without
summer. Thus, the climates in the south and the north are clearly different.
1.1.3 Rivers
China has a large number of rivers. According to the First National Census for
Water (MWR, National Bureau of Statistics 2013), there are 45,203 rivers with
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elevation of most hills is below 1,000 m, and the elevation of the coastal plain areas
is less than 50 m. In this area, the summer monsoon prevails, so precipitation is
plentiful.
In China, mountainous areas account for nearly 33% of the total territory, the
plateau areas 26%, and hilly areas 10%, whereas the intermountain basins are 19%
and the plain areas only 12% of the total territory.
1.1.2 Climate
Monsoon is the predominant feature of the climate in China. With most of its territory
under the influence of the southeast and southwest monsoons, those areas are humid
and have ample rainfall, while the northwest is dry and rainfall there is scarce. It is
also typical that prevailing wind directions shift abruptly from northerly in winter
to southerly in summer, with precipitation mostly in the warm half of the year. The
vast area of East China and most areas of South China are controlled by the East
Asian monsoon. Generally, in summer, these areas are affected by the oceanic air
current, whereas in winter, they are controlled by the continental air current. This
results in a dry winter and wet summer, although there is some precipitation even in
the dry season. The southern part of Tibet and most of Yunnan Province belong to
the southwest monsoon climate zone in summer, and the rainy and dry seasons can
be easily distinguished.
Owing to the winter monsoon from Siberia and the Mongolian Plateau, in most
of China, the winter temperature is 5–18 °C lower than in other locations at the same
altitude. Due to the oceanic and continental influences, the humidity varies greatly
with the distance from the sea. From southeast to northwest, the humid, semi-humid,
semiarid, and arid zones distribute accordingly. In the southeast coastal area, the
annual average relative humidity is 77–78%, while in the inland area in Xinjiang, it
is only 40%.
China can be divided into nine climatic zones plus the Qinghai–Tibet climatic
zone. In eastern China, from south to north, are south, medium, and north tropic
zones; south, medium, and north subtropic zones; and south, medium, and north
temperate zones. The heat decreases from south to north. The south tropic zone
is mainly the islands in the South China Sea, with an annual average temperature
exceeding 25 °C and without winter. The north temperate zone is located at the north
side of Da Hinggaling Mountain, with an annual temperature of −5 °C and without
summer. Thus, the climates in the south and the north are clearly different.
1.1.3 Rivers
China has a large number of rivers. According to the First National Census for
Water (MWR, National Bureau of Statistics 2013), there are 45,203 rivers with