China is home to the longest river in Asia: the Yangtze, also called the Chang Jiang or “Long River.” It runs about 6,236 kilometres from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea, making it the third-longest river in the world by commonly used measurements.
The river begins in Qinghai Province and crosses or borders several major Chinese regions before reaching its broad delta near Shanghai. Its basin covers roughly one-fifth of China's land area and supports nearly one-third of the country's population. Major cities along the river include Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing and Shanghai.
The Yangtze has shaped Chinese history for thousands of years. It provides water for farms, supports shipping and industry, and is central to China's economy. The Three Gorges Dam, built on the river, is the world's largest hydroelectric power station by installed capacity.
A common mix-up is the Yellow River, China's second-longest river and an important cradle of Chinese civilization. The Mekong also begins in China, but it flows through several Southeast Asian countries and is substantially shorter than the Yangtze.