Yangtze River
Alternative / Indigenous / Local Names: Chang Jiang, Blue River
Asia's longest river and the third-longest on Earth, supporting over 400 million people and the world's largest hydroelectric installation.
Verified Geographic & Hydrological Profile
ID: RVR-0014- Official Length
- 6,300 km (3,915 miles)
- Drainage Basin
- Yangtze Basin (1,808,500 km²)
- Average Discharge
- 30,166 m³/s (1,065,303 cu ft/s)
- Source / Headwaters
-
Geladandong Peak, Tanggula Mountains (Qinghai, China)
(Elevation: 5,042 m / 16,542 ft)
Coords: 33.4674°, 91.1764°
- Mouth / Outflow
-
East China Sea (Shanghai)
Coords: 31.2304°, 121.4737°
Interactive River Course Map
Geographical Overview & Course
The Yangtze basin produces roughly 20 percent of China\'s gross domestic product and hosts unique endemic wildlife, including the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise.
Official Chinese State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping measurement confirms 6,300 km from the Tuotuo tributary headwaters.
Ecological & Environmental Significance
Crucial freshwater refuge containing over 350 fish species. Faces immense pressure from industrial shipping and urban riparian modifications.
Economic Importance, Navigation & Human Settlement
The world's busiest inland waterway by freight volume. The Three Gorges Dam generates 22,500 MW of renewable electrical capacity.