BP4 QTR4: Research and Interpretation-Geography

Geography


Location: The latitude North of the Equador is 35o00' and the longitude east of Greenwich is 105o00'. Chinas regional location is Eastern Asia. The bodies of water around China are the Yellow sea, Korea bay, East China bay, and South China sea. China is located between Vietnam and North Korea. Chinas neighboring countries are Mongolia, India, Laos, Russia, North Korea, Vietnam, and Myammar.

sources: http://www.mapsofworld.com/lat_long/china-lat-long.html
http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/asia/china/map.htm
http://www.indexmundi.com/china/location.htm


Area:  The area of China is 9,596,960km2 (3,704,426mi2)
source:http://geography.about.com/od/countryinformation/a/bigcountries.htm
area-Comparative: China is often compared to the entire US or the 50 US states in area measurements. Washington, DC is 178 sq km (69 sq mi).
http://www.indexmundi.com/china/area_comparative.html
Land Boundaries: The length of all the land boundaries is 22,117km.


Climate: In the summer the temperature can be extremely high, and summer starts in May and ends at the end of August. In winter, the temperature can be below zero, and starts in December and ends in March. It is possible to see snow in the winter.
http://gochina.about.com/od/tripplanning/p/ChinaWeather.htm
Terrain: China's topography is mostly mountains and has high plateaus. There are deserts in the west and hills in the east. There are also deltas and plains in its terrain.


Natural resources: China's natural resources are; Hydro power potential (largest in the world), petroleum, iron ore, natural gas, oil, 
tin, mercury, antimony, tungsten, uranium, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum, lead, zinc, magnetite, rare earth elements.
http://www.indexmundi.com/china/natural_resources.html
Land use: arable land: 14.86%
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_percentage_of_arable_land_in_China
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100107031742AAXzROL
permanent crops: 1.27%

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2097.htmlpermanent pastures: 42.9%

forests and woodland: 16.6%
other: 30.1%

http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/ae535e/ae535e05.htmEnvironment-Current Issues : China's environmental issues include; Trade in endangered species, deforestation, desertification, air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal produces acid rain, estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development, water pollution from untreated wastes, water shortages.
http://www.indexmundi.com/china/environment_current_issues.html
Environment-International Agreements: China is under the category of party to. The agreements include; wetlands, whaling, desertification, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, biodiversity, law of sea, tropical timber 94, tropical timber 83, marine dumping, endangered species, ozone layer protection, hazardous wastes, antarctic treaty, and environmental modification.
http://www.indexmundi.com/china/environment_international_agreements.html


Natural Hazards: Some natural hazards towards china are; Tsunamis, earthquakes, damaging floods, land subsidence, droughts, and frequent typhoons (there are about five per year).
http://www.indexmundi.com/china/natural_hazards.html