Yangtze River Cruise Overview
h to the Mississippi. Among the Chinese, the name Yangtze is rarely used. They prefer ChangJiang-simply, Long River.
This extensive waterway cuts through the heart of China, and is regarded by the Chinese as marking the division of their country into north and south, both Geographically and culturally. The river rises in the far western part of China and flows through eight provinces before disgorging its waters into the Yellow Sea. Over 700 tributaries draining a further six provinces join the Yangtze along its course.
The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia, flowing from the Tibetan Highlands right cross China into the East Chinese sea. Its 6,300 km (3,915 miles) and is ice- free all year. The official name in Chinese is "Changjiang". The name "Yangtze" is only used for the lower reaches of the river, but became the official name used in western countries.
Not only are five of China's largest cities (Shanghai, Wuhan, Chongqing, Chengdu, and Nanjing) on or near the river, but the 1.8 million square km Yangtze River basin is also home to 1/3 of China's population (400 million).
The Yangtze River is of major economic importance: The volume of transportation on the Yangtze River is higher than the total transportation of all other rivers in China together. The agricultural areas along the river produce nearly half of the countries total crop production, while most of the industrial hotspots are located here.
The climate at the Yangtze River is as diverse as the river is long. The best time to take the Yangtze Cruise is in Spring and Autumn. That means April, May, September and October when the weather is cool and cozy. These four months are often called high season. The best time in terms of price is in winter however the weather must be considered.
