Understanding China’s One Child Policy through Its Maps

Wanli Hu, Ph.D.

The China Program Center

University of Massachusetts Boston

April 24, 2010

Why did the Chinese government adopt a one-child policy?

I. China’s physical map

II. Climate & precipitation map

III. Agriculture map

IV. Population map

V. A comparison between maps of China and the US

VI. Conclusion

VII.A curriculum project based on the National Standards

I. http://www.asian.gu.edu.au/chinadem.htmlI. The Three Zones of China’s Topography

Major Features of China’s Topography

• China’s land slopes from west to east based in three zones:

• The first zone: Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has an average altitude between 3000 to 5000 meters

• The second zone: Inner Mongolia, Loess and Yunnan-Guizhou plateaus, the Tarism, Junggar, Sichuan and other basins with altitude between 1000-2000 meters

• The third zone: three big plains, low hills and coast area with altitude lower than 500 meters

Topography of China

The 1st Zone The 2nd Zone

The 2nd Zone The 3rd Zone

秦岭山脉http://www.dlpd.com/Photo/ShowPhoto.asp?PhotoID=6

南方和北方迥然不同的自然地貌http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/walkingthewall/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/img_3282.jpg

http://www.thainewsland.com/images/en/282840.jpg

II. China’s Precipitation

Climate of China

• China's northernmost point lies along the Heilong Jiang in Heilongjiang Province in the cold-temperate zone; its southernmost point, Hainan Island, has a tropical climate. Temperatures in China vary greatly from region to region. Northern and western China have cold and long winters like those in New England. In southern China there is plenty of rain and winters are usually mild. Summer temperatures average about 80-90 degrees fahrenheit throughout much of China. Summers are usually hot and very humid in southeastern China.

Precipitation

• Precipitation varies regionally even more than temperature. China south of the Qin Ling Mountains experiences abundant rainfall, most of it coming with the summer monsoon. To the north and west of the range, however, rainfall is uncertain. The farther north and west one moves, the scantier and more uncertain it becomes. The northwest has the lowest annual rainfall in the country and no precipitation at all in its desert areas.

III. Map of Agriculture

www.dipd.com

Rice 水稻

www.dipd.com

Wheat小麦

Rice 米饭

Noodle 面条

IV. Population of China

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps

Agriculture & population distribution

Tourists in the Great Wall

Crowds in a Mall

V. Comparison

•Size•Arable land•Oceans •Neighbors •Populations•Any related topic

ht t p : / / a f e . e a s i a . c o l u mb i a . e d u / c hi n a / g e o g / M_ USCH1 . ht m

Imagine if the US has the same population of China:

• It is the total population of – North America (330 m.)– Shout America (370 m.) – Europe (495 m.)– and Japan (127 m.)

. Moreover, 85% people have to live in the region to the east of Mississippi River.

VI. Conclusion

China’s distinct topographic

characteristics affect its climate and precipitation, which, in turn, impacts its agricultural and economic development. Geographic environment determines China’s population distribution and way of life.

China’s 7 percent of arable land supports 20 percent of the world’s population. The one child policy is largely the result of China’s geographic environment, the disparity between a vast population and limited natural resources.

VII. A curriculum project based on the National Standards

• Communication– Interpretive mode

• Understand why all the major rivers flow from west to east

– Presentational mode• Describe main characteristics of land-forms and

water-forms • Why diet is different in northern China and southern

China

– Interpersonal mode• Discuss why people prefer living in Hanna Island in

winter and in Heilongjiang in summer

• Culture – Geography, Climate, Agriculture & Population

• Connections – Geography and Government Policies

• Comparison – China and the US

• Communities– New England & Northeast China… – Weather in Washington D.C. and Beijing– The Rocky Mountains and Tibetan Plateau

中国的地形地貌西高东低，三级阶梯• 中国的地形长得什么样子，你知道吗？假如做个立体沙盘，我们会看到，中国的地形，西高东低，有三级阶梯。

• “ ”第一级，青藏高原区，他也被称为 世界屋脊， 世界上最高的高原，海拔为 3000米到 5000米。• 第二级，是第二阶梯是海拔在 1000 － 2000米的高原和盆地区。重要的高原有东北部的内蒙古高原，西部的黄土高原，西南部的云贵高原。重要的盆地有新疆境内的准格尔盆地，塔里木盆地，和四川境内的四川盆地等。

• 第三级，东部最低的平原区。主要的有东北平原，华北平原，长江中下游平原，淮河平原以及珠江三角洲平原。

西水东流• “ ”常言道， 水往低处流。 中国最主要的三大河流：长江，黄河，澜沧江，都发源于青藏高原，流经中部

“ ”的高原和东部的平原，向东注入大海。中国著名的诗人李白说， 黄河之水天上来，奔流到海不复回。 站在东部平原上，那来自青藏高原的黄河水，仿佛是从天而降。可以想象西部与东部的落差有多大。

地球之最• 最高的山脉 -最高的山脉－喜马拉雅山；最高最大的高原－青藏高原；最深的河流－长江；和世界上最大的黄土高原。

• 中国多种多样的地貌不仅影响了气候和农业，而且还影响了中国社会形态的发展。所以你要想了解中国的社会和文化，就一定要了解中国的地理。

Materials and the procedure of making maps

• Overhead projector

• Transparency map of China (including major landforms and water forms)

• Foam-core board or a big piece of white paper (3’x 4’or size of your choice)

• Permanent markers

• Masking tape

• Paints (yellow, brown, blue, green……)

• Sponges in small pieces

• Plastic bowls for paint

• Physical maps of China (wall map, atlas, handouts etc.)

• (Optional) clay like materials in different colors.

• Set up an overhead projector

• Tape a transparency map of China securely to the projector

• Using the black permanent marker, carefully trace the outline map of China.

• Using the blue permanent marker to draw the major rivers

Making Big Maps

Share Information of Big Maps

Thank You

Questions