The
North China Plain () is based on the deposits of the
Yellow River and is the largest
alluvial plain of eastern
Asia. The plain is bordered on the north by the
Yanshan Mountains and on the west by the
Taihang Mountains. To the south, it merges into the
Yangtze Plain. From northeast to southeast, it fronts the
Bohai Gulf, the highlands of
Shandong Peninsula, and the
Yellow Sea. The
Yellow River flows through the middle of the plain into
Bohai Gulf.
The southern part of the plain is traditionally referred to as the
Central Plain (), which formed the cradle of Chinese civilization.
The plain covers an area of about 409,500 square kilometers (158,000 square miles), most of which is less than above sea level. This flat yellow-soil plain is the main area of
sorghum,
millet,
maize, and
cotton production in
China.
Wheat,
sesame seed,
peanuts and
tobacco are also grown here. The plain is one of the most densely populated regions in the world.
Beijing, the national capital, is located on the northeast edge of the plain, with
Tianjin, an important industrial city and commercial port, near its northeast coast.
Shengli Oilfield in Shandong is an important petroleum bases. It is also home to the
Huang He (Yellow River).
The North China Plain is the area surrounding lower the Yellow River and its Tributaries, as well as the empty steppe to the North.
Historical significance
The geography of the North China Plain has had profound cultural and political implications. Unlike southern China, the plain is not divided by mountains or rivers and as a result communication by horse is rapid within the plain. As a result, the spoken language is relatively uniform in contrast to the plethora of languages and dialects in southern China. In addition the possibility of rapid communication has meant that the political center of China has tended to be located here.
Because the fertile soil of the North China Plain gradually merges with the
steppes and
deserts of
Central Asia, with no natural barriers between the two regions, the plain has been prone to invasion from Central Asia and
Manchuria, prompting the construction of the
Great Wall of China.
Although the soil of the North China Plain is fertile, the weather is unpredictable, being at the intersection of humid winds from the
Pacific and dry winds from the interior. This makes the plain prone to both flood and drought. Finally, the flatness of the plain creates massive flooding when river works are damaged. In the opinion of many historians, these factors have encouraged the development of a centralized Chinese state to manage
granaries, maintain
hydraulic works, and man
fortifications against the steppe peoples.
Its nickname is "Land of the yellow earth."
See also
Category:Regions of ChinaCategory:Plains of China Encyclopaedia Brittanica: North China Plain:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/419130/North-China-Plain
de:Nordchinesische Ebeneet:Suur Hiina tasandikes:Llanura del Norte de Chinako:화베이 평원nl:Noord-Chinese Vlakteja:華北平原no:Den nordkinesiske slettepl:Nizina Chińskaru:Великая Китайская равнинаzh:华北平原 
