Ancient China: Geography

The geography of Ancient China shaped the way the civilization and culture developed. The large land was isolated from much of the rest of the world by dry deserts to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the east, and impassable mountains to the south. This enabled the Chinese to develop independently from other world civilizations.

The Silk Road was a network of ancient trade routes, formally established during the Han Dynasty of China in 130 BCE, which linked the regions of the ancient world in commerce between 130 BCE-1453 CE. The Silk Road was not a single route from east to west and so historians favor the name 'Silk Routes', though 'Silk Road' is commonly used.

The vibrant network opened up exchanges between far-flung cultures throughout central Eurasia.

Learn about the Geography of Ancient China. How the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, mountains, and deserts impacted the early Chinese culture.

Quiz Presentation

Located in Southeast Asia along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean, China is the world's third largest country, after Russia and Canada. With an area of 9.6 million square kilometers and a coastline of 18,000 kilometers, its shape on the map is like a rooster. It reaches Mohe in Heilongjiang Province as its northern end, Zengmu Ansha (or James Shoal) to the south, Pamirs to the west, and expands to the eastern border at the conjunction of the Heilongjiang (Amur) River and the Wusuli (Ussuri) River, spanning about 50 degrees of latitude and 62 degrees of longitude. Read through this article to learn more.

Like the other early civilisations, Ancient China developed along rivers. There were 2 important river valleys in Ancient China: the Huang He or “Yellow” River to the north and the Yangtze River to the south. The Yellow River gets its name from the yellowish tint of its water. This comes from a rich yellow coloured soil that was great for farming. It is often called the "cradle of Chinese civilisation" because it was along its banks where the Chinese civilisation first formed. Read through this article to learn more

The areas surrounding China’s second-longest river were home to the oldest dynasties of ancient China, making the Huang He Valley the birthplace of Chinese civilization.

The Great Wall of China was built over centuries by China’s emperors to protect their territory. Today, it stretches for thousands of miles along China’s historic northern border.