The Yangtze River Delta (Chinese 长江三角洲/長江三角洲 chángjiāng sānjiǎozhōu) or Yangtze Delta, generally comprises the triangular-shaped territory of Shanghai, southern Jiangsu province and northern Zhejiang province. The area lies at the heart of the region traditionally called Jiangnan (江南, literally: "south of the Yangtze River"). The Yangtze river drains into the East China Sea.

History

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The area near the Yangtze River Delta was the location of the Majiabang neolithic culture from around 5000-3000 BC. In late Neolithic times, the delta was the site of the Liangzhu jade culture (3400-2250 BC). In the Spring and Autumn period, it was occupied by the State of Wu, which was annexed by the State of Yue in 473 BC, in turn conquered by the State of Chu in 334 BC. In 223 BC the area became part of the unified empire under the Qin Dynasty.

Since the Tang Dynasty, the Yangtze Delta has been an area of intense agrarian agriculture and high population density. It is criss-crossed with canals for transportation and irrigation. Since the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, the Yangtze Delta has been a main cultural and economic center of China. Key cities of the region in pre-modern times include Suzhou (Wu), Nanjing, Hangzhou and Shaoxing.

In modern times, the Yangtze Delta, led by Shanghai, is the center of Chinese economic development, and surpasses all other regions (including the Pearl River Delta) in the People's Republic of China in terms of economic growth, productivity and per capita income.

Population

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The delta is one of the most densely populated regions on earth, and includes one of the world's largest cities on its banks—Shanghai, with a density of 2,700 inhabitants/km². Because of the large population of the delta, and factories, farms, and other cities upriver, the World Wildlife Fund says the Yangtze Delta is the biggest cause of marine pollution in the Pacific Ocean.

Most of the people in this region speak Wu Chinese (sometimes called Shanghainese, although Shanghainese is actually one of the dialects within the Wu group of Chinese) as their mother tongue), in addition to Mandarin. Wu is mutually unintelligible with other varieties of Chinese including Mandarin.

Climate

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The Yangtze Delta has a marine monsoon subtropical climate, and the weather is generally warm and humid. Winter temperatures can drop as low as -10°C (a record), however, and even in springtime, large temperature fluctuations can occur.

Fishing and agriculture

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The Yangtze River Delta contains the most fertile soils in all of China. Rice is the dominant crop of the delta, but further inland fishing rivals it. In Qing Pu, 50 ponds containing five different species of fish produce 29,000 tons each year. One of the biggest fears of fish farmers in this region is that toxic water will seep into their man-made lagoons and threaten their livelihood.

See also

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• Pearl River Delta

References

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• Asia Times Online, June 2, 2005 - ^*
• PBS.org, Journey to Planet Earth, Yangtze River Delta, China - ^*
• United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) - ^*

Metropolitan areas of China | River deltas

长江三角洲