Ask a QuestionYangtze River and Yellow River are the 2 biggest rivers in China, one in the north of China and one in the south, and this rivers have many differences in a series of data, like length, climate, water flow, rainfall, etc. Though each of them faces serious environmental issues, they have amazing sceneries. Here we make a contrast of Yangtze River and Yellow River for you to know more about them.
Yangtze River, or Changjiang is the longest river in China, respected as the mother river of China. Yangtze River is originated from the mountain in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and flows into the East China Sea. Yangtze River has a total length of 6300 km and a drainage basin of 1.8 million square km, and flowers through 11 provincial administrative regions from Qinghai to Shanghai. The 11 regions are Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan, Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shanghai.
Yellow River or Huanghe, is the second longest river in China, with a total length of 5464 km, running from the west of China to the east, and drains a watershed of 752,443 square km. Yellow River is named from the color of river water, which is caused by a mass of dirt and yellow soil entering into the river when it flows through Loess Plateau. But water of Yellow River is not yellow in the source part. The source part in Qinghai is from the source to Madoi County, and Yellow River runs through mountainous areas and its water is very clear.
Yellow River is sourced from the mountains in Qinghai Province, and flows into Bohai Sea from Shandong Province. From west to east, it flows through 9 provinces in the north of China, Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan and Shandong.
Yangtze River is divided into 3 parts, the upstream, 3464 km long, is from the river source to Yichang, the midstream is from Yichang to Hukou, with a length of 955 km and river fall of 5100 meters and the downstream, 938 km long, is from Hukou to the entrance to the sea in Shanghai. The upstream flows through steep mountains and valleys, and it is the most rugged part, while the midstream and downstream run through flatlands.
Yangtze River Elevation. The elevation of the river source is about 6600 meters, while the elevation of its estuary is less than 4 meters, and the whole river has a fall of over 6000 meters.
Yellow River has 3 parts, upstream, midstream and downstream. The upstream is from the river source in Qinghai province to Hekou Town in Inner Mongolia, with a length of 3471.6 km, and a river fall of 3231 meters. The midstream of Yellow River is from Hekou Town to Taohuayu in Zhengzhou, with a length of 1206.4 km, and its river fall is 890 meters. The downstream is from Taoyaoyu to the estuary, with a length of 785.6 km and a river fall of 94 meters.
Elevations in the watershed of Yellow Rivers vary largely, from over 4000 meters in the source part to 100 meters in the downstream.
Weather and rainfall in Yangtze River. The source part of Yangtze River has a frigid climate, with an annual average temperature of -4.4℃. It has only 1 season, winter, with dry air and abundant sunshine. The midstream and downstream has 4 distinct seasons, cold winter and hot summer, with an annual average temperature of 16-18℃, and the highest temperature of 40 ℃. The watershed of Yangtze River has an average of 1100 mm precipitation each year, and the rainfall from April to October accounts for 85 % of the total volume.
The rainy season in Yangtze River is from June to October, and the dry season is from November to May. It has 3 flood seasons from April to October, and the main flood season is from July to August caused by rainfall, at this time, Yangtze River has many flood peaks.
Weather and rainfalls in Yellow River drainage basin are also variable. In the source part within Qinghai Province, all year round is in winter time. The upstream and midstream has long winter and short summer, much unlike the downstream with hot summer. The annual average temperature in the source part is about -4℃, while it is about 12 ℃-14 ℃ in the downstream. Most of the drainage basin receive an average of 200 mm-650 mm of precipitation each year. The midstream and downstream receive over 650 mm of precipitation each year, while the part in Inner Mongolia and Ningxia only has a rainfall less than 150 mm.
Yellow River has a dry season in winter and spring, and a rain season in summer and autumn, and the rainfall in June to September accounts for about 70% of the total amount in a year.
Yangtze River Environmental issues: vegetation destruction, soil erosion, reduction in lake area, water pollution and degradation, biodiversity decline, river flow decline.
A series of measures have been taken to deal with those serious problems in Yangtze River: returning farmland to forests and lakes, fishing off season and fishing ban, water quality improvement, closure companies with high pollution discharge, ecological forest construction, ecological restoration model projects.
Yellow River Environmental issues: Yellow River faces many environmental problems, and land desertification in the upstream, soil erosion in the midstream, water shortage, water pollution. To Tackle these problems, China has put great efforts in protection forests, and water and soil conservation, natural reserves construction, and water protection, south-to-north water transfer project, etc.
Yangtze River flows through majestic mountains and deep valleys, and the captivating views along the river has attracted tremendous travelers to take Yangtze River Cruise.
Yangtze River Cruise is from Chongqing to Yichang, and navigates the parts of Yangtze River with the most beautiful scenery. From White Emperor City in Chongqing to Nanjin Pass in Yichang, it has a length of 193 km, and flows through Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge from west to east. Famous attractions for Yangtze River Cruise: Ghost City in Fengdu, Shibaozhai Temple, Zhangfei Temple, White Emperor City, Wu mountains and Goddess Mountain, Three Gorges Dam, etc.
Other attractions along Yangtze River: Yueyang Tower(Yueyang), and Huanghe Tower(Wuhan).
The most famous attraction of Yellow River is Hukou Waterfalls. Tourists could go to see Hukou Waterfalls in Yan’an, Shaanxi and Linfen, Shanxi. Hukou Waterfalls is the second large water fall in China, where Yellow River roams through with a width of 20-30 meters, narrowed from a width of 300 meters , and with an abrupt fall of over 20 meters. The splendid waterfalls has attracted lots of tourists to come and capture its stunning beauty. Best time to visit Hukou Waterfalls is April, May, September and October, and you could also visit it in winter times to see beautiful icicles.
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