
Originally Posted by
Austin
China has a wide range of landscapes and climates. The country has been
described as a staircase with three steps, descending from west to east.
In the west is the icy plateau of Tibet, high in the towering Himalayas.
Called "the roof of the world," the mountains are home to
Mount Everest, the world's highest peak (29,029 feet). Central China
consists of smaller mountains and foothills, deserts, salt lakes and the
dry grasslands south of Mongolia. Western China descends into the low
river plains that are the country's fertile heartland and the
traditional home of the Han people, often called the Middle Kingdom.
Great rivers such as the Chang Jing (Yangtze) and Huang He (Yellow)
irrigate the region, which contains most of the country's population and
cities, including Beijing.
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