Yangtze River, with a total length of 6,380 km, is the longest river in China as well as the third longest river in the world. For the average run-off amount of 951.3 billion cube meter, Yangtze River takes up 1/3 of the total run-off amount of all the country.

    The drainage area of Yangtze River covers an area of 1.8 million sq. km., taking up 18.8 % of land area of China. There are as many as 49 branch rivers covering a drainage area of 10,000 sq. km. Yangtze River and Yellow River are both the motherlands of nations and the sources of culture in China.