• Bangladesh!

    Bangladesh: Traditional houses. Go Now!

    Bangladesh
    This low-lying country has historic ties to India and Pakistan, but today maintains a wholly unique culture. Explore Bangladesh!

  • Indonesia!

    Indonesia: Lombok. Go Now!

    Indonesia
    This archipelago nation is culturally diverse from big cities to isolated islands. Begin Your Journey!

  • Jordan!

    Jordan: Petra. Go Now!

    Jordan
    Tucked away in this Middle Eastern country, the famed city of Petra (pictured) links the past to the present culture. Explore Jordan!

  • Mongolia!

    Mongolia: Desert. Go Now!

    Mongolia
    This vast country has a culture that spans past and present... a nomadic life shifting to a modern & sedentary society. Begin Your Journey!

  • Kyrgyzstan!

    Kyrgyzstan: Tian Shan Mountains. Go Now!

    Kyrgyzstan
    The mountains, including the Tian Shan Mountains (pictured), give Kyrgyzstan a unique culture, partially formed from this isolation from the mountains. Go Now!

Geography, Weather, & Wildlife of China

Geography

Chinese Geography - Hong Kong
Hong Kong

China, one of the world's largest countries geographically dominates the Far East. This massive country has land borders with numerous countries, including North Korea (northeast), Russia and Mongolia (north), Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (northwest), Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (west), India, Nepal, and Bhutan (southwest), and Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam (south). Additionally, the island nation of Taiwan is just off of China's southeastern coast. China also borders a number of bodies of water, including the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea.

Chinese Geography - Tibet
Tibet

Not surprisingly China, one of the world's largest countries has an incredible amount of geographical diversity. In the country's southwest are the world's tallest mountains, the Himalayas and on the border with Nepal stands the world's tallest mountain, Mt. Everest. Moving north from the Himalaya Mountains the elevation doesn't drop much as the Tibetan Plateau primarily stands at over 12,000 feet (3,500 meters). These mountains also stretch northwest to form China's border with the Central Asian countries. However, moving even further north in the country's western half experiences an elevation decline and fall into the Gobi Desert which borders Mongolia in China's north. From the Tibetan Plateau moving east there are dozens of rivers that cut through the landscapes. The landscapes here vary dramatically, moving from true mountains to hills while containing numerous unique geological features, such as the karst peaks in southern China. In China's far east these rivers flow into the ocean, creating numerous flood plains, deltas, and incredibly fertile lands. Of these rivers, the Yellow River and the Yangtze River are largest, and perhaps the most well-known. Northeastern China, the region known as Manchuria is also fairly hilly and mountainous, but lacks the rivers the south has; this in addition to the climate make this region relatively sparsely populated.

Weather

Chinese Geography - Yangshou
Yangshuo

Due to its vast size, temperatures in China vary greatly. Hong Kong, in the south averages about 60° F (15° C) during the coldest months, but for most of the year it averages about 80° F (27° C) and is humid, whereas Harbin averages -2° F (-18° C) in January, and only the mid-70's° F (about 22° C) in July.

Wildlife

Chinese Wildlife - Giant Panda
Giant Panda

China's wildlife is one of the most diverse in the world due to the country's vast size and their huge geographical and weather differences. Among the mammals are the giant panda, tigers, deer, yak, monkey, and hundreds more. One of the more unusual mammals in China is the fresh water white flag dolphin, however that is just the start of the sea life. The rivers, lakes, and oceans that border China are home to carp, ayu, bream, parrotfish, shark and tuna among others.

The diversity of birds is just as impressive as the country is home to both full time residents and migratory birds. Among these birds are pheasants, cranes, ibis, eagles, and more. The reptilian and amphibian life is also quite diverse, including alligators, snakes, turtles, lizards, and more. There is also no shortage of insects throughout the country.

This page was last updated: March, 2013