China land is enormous in size, has great geographic variety, and has widely contrasting climate patterns. China also has rugged snow-capped mountains that rang across the country's west. These towing mountains include some of the world's tallest and forbidding in the world. China also consists of wind-swept deserts or semi-desert plateaus, low rolling hills, and flat riding plains.

Due to China's great distances, rugged mountains, and harsh deserts, such as the Gobi, China was isolated from the civilizations of India and the West. As a result China had to develop its own distinctive culture.

The rivers help greatly with agriculture. The Chinese were able to plant plenty of crops for food even though flooding of the rivers could and did destroy crops. Also the rivers help improve trade among themselves because the rivers are so long and deep.