China’s current population of 1.4 billion is extremely unevenly distributed, with the Huanyong Line separating the very densely populated East with a population density of over 400 people per km2, from the west which has a population density of merely 10 people per km2. While the East accounts for 94% of the population, the west only contains 6%, although on the borders there are some slightly more densely populated areas. This is due to a range of physical and human factors.
Firstly, the steep slopes of the mountainous areas in the west due to the proximity of the Himalayas tend to restrict the amount of land available for agriculture as well as the development of industry and other economic activities, discouraging population growth as people want to reside in areas that are urbanised and can bring them good income and also places where farming can be easily done. The west has an extremely steep relief of land, ranging from 500 to 4000 metres above sea level while the east is max 500 m above sea level. Not only does the mountainous of the land make it difficult for the building of settlements, but also causes extreme variations in the temperature, which ranges from -13 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The cold harsh environment of the west makes it unsuitable to reside in. On the other hand, in the East the temperature is much more favourable. The winter temperature varies with latitude but it is usually the warmest in the sub-tropical south east with an average of 60 degrees farenheit. Furthermore, the dry grasslands and the Gobi desert makes the land infertile and hard to provide rain-fed agriculture.
In the east, the Central Zone of eastern China has the river Yangtze with its basins and floodplains, containing 1/3 of China’s population. Most of this region is made of very fertile farmlands with alluvial materials transported from the Loess Plateau upstream and deposited during the annual flooding of the major rivers. This means crops can be grown and sold, encouraging population growth as people in agriculture can earn a living if they reside here. Also, the basin and delta of the Pearl River is fertile and has a well-watered farmland.
Furthermore, the coastline is the most densely populated due to large-scale manufacturing and port facilities used for trade and commerce which provides jobs to many people. Also, China’s north east, known as Manchuria contains many heavy manufacturing industries, focused on the cities of Shenyang and Harbin. This not only implies the number of jobs it creates but also insinuates the extent to which the region is urbanised and has undergone huge economic development.
Consisting of a population of 1.4 billion, China’s population is extremely unevenly distributed with the east being much more densely populated than the west, having a population of 400 people per km2 while the west has merely 10 people per km2. To the east of the Huanyong Line which separates the east and west, 94% of the population resides which is significantly higher than the west, consisting of only 6% of the population. This is due to a variety of factors.
Firstly, Western China has an extremely mountainous terrain due to the proximity to the Himalayas, which means the land is around 500 m to 4000 m on average. This steep relief makes it impossible for agriculture which is a negative as people can’t grow crops to survive or make a living from, as well as increasing the difficulty of building settlements discouraging population growth in this region. Also, the dry grasslands and the infertility of the Gobi desert also discourages growth. On the other hand, eastern china has has a relatively low relief, with max 500 m above sea level which has allowed the development of roads and buildings, leading to urbanisation which attracts the population due to the ease of accessibility.
Furthermore, the climate in the East is much less varied compared to the west which has extreme variations with the climate ranging from -13 to 90 degrees farenheight. In the East, winter temperatures varies with latitude but on average, it is 60 Fahrenheit and is the warmest in the sub-tropical south east region. This warm winter climate is suitable for crops but also attracts more people due to a better quality of life and inability to withstand harsh temperatures. Another physical factor is the rivers in the Central Zone of Eastern China. The floodplains of the Yangtze river contains 1/3 of China’s population because most of this region is made of fertile farmlands with alluvial materials transported from the Loess Plateau upstream and deposited during the annual flooding of major rivers. This means crops can be grown and sold for people to make a living.
A human factor as to why the east is so densely populated is because of the availability of jobs. The eastern coastline is the most densely populated due to the large scale manufacturing and port facilities used for trade and commerce which involves a lot of secondary jobs. China is the world’s largest producer of rice, cotton and other items which invites foreign investment also exacerbated by its acceptance in the World Trade Organisation, increasing technological demand in these regions so quality of infrastructure and industries have improved. Also, China’s north east known as Manchuria is very densely populated because of the heavy manufacturing industry that has been formed by the Manchu soldiers capturing Han labourers and obliging them to settle there in 1644. The area soon became urbanised causing rural to urban migration as people seeked higher paid jobs in the core regions such as Manchuria and more modern Shanghai from the peripheral regions in the west