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Pearl River

Coordinates:22°46′N113°38′E/ 22.767°N 113.633°E/22.767; 113.633
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected fromZhu Jiang)
For other rivers with the same name, seePearl River (disambiguation).
Pearl River (Châu Giang)
Canton River (Việt giang;Việt giang)
Pearl River inHumennearHumen Town
The course of the Pearl River system through China and Vietnam
Location
CountryChina,Vietnam
ProvinceYunnan,Guizhou,Guangxi,Guangdong,Hong Kong,Macau,Cao Bằng,Lạng Sơn
Physical characteristics
Sourcevarious sources of its tributaries
MouthSouth China Sea
• location
andGuangdong
Length2,400 km (1,500 mi)
Basin size453,700 km2(175,200 sq mi)[1]
Discharge
• average9,500 m3/s (340,000 cu ft/s)[2]
• maximum34,000 m3/s (1,200,000 cu ft/s)
Pearl River
ChineseChâu Giang
Canton River
Traditional ChineseViệt giang
Simplified ChineseViệt giang
Literal meaningGuangdong River

ThePearl River(Chinese:Châu Giang;pinyin:Zhūjiāng;lit.'pearl river', orViệt giang;Việt giang;Yuèjiāng;'Yueriver') is an extensiveriver systeminsouthern China."Pearl River" is often also used as a catch-all for the watersheds of the PearltributarieswithinGuangdong,specifically theXi('west'),Bei('north'), andDong('east'). These rivers all ultimately flow into the South China Sea through thePearl River Delta.Measured from the farthest reaches of the Xi River, the 2,400-kilometer-long (1,500 mi) Pearl River system constitutes China's third-longest, after theYangtze Riverand theYellow River,and its second largest by volume, after the Yangtze. The 453,700 km2(175,200 sq mi) Pearl River Basin drains the majority ofGuangdongandGuangxiprovinces (collectively known asLiangguang), as well as parts ofYunnan,Guizhou,HunanandJiangxi;it also drains the northernmost parts of Vietnam'sNortheastCao BằngandLạng Sơnprovinces. The Pearl River is famed as the river that flows throughGuangzhou.

As well as referring to the system as a whole, the Pearl River name is applied to a specific branch within it. This Pearl River is the widestdistributarywithin the delta, although notably short; the waters that converge east of the Bei are first referred to as the Pearl River just north ofGuangzhou.The Pearl River'sestuary,Bocca Tigris,is regularly dredged so as to keep it open for ocean vessels. The mouth of the Pearl River forms a large bay in the southeast of the delta, thePearl River Estuary,the Bocca Tigris separatesShiziyangin the north,Lingdingyangin the south, andJiuzhouyangat the southern tip of the estuary surrounded by theWanshan Archipelago.This bay separatesMacauandZhuhaifromHong KongandShenzhen.

The name "Pearl River" comes from the pearl-colored shells that lie within the Pearl's riverbed as it flows through the city of Guangzhou. A 500kVpower line, suspended from three of the tallest pylons in the world, crosses the river near theNansha Bridge.

River Pearl and Canton Tower
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Settlements

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Crossings

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Tributaries

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In culture

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Numerous brands are named after the river. TheZhu gian g Breweryin Guangzhou is one of the three largest domestic breweries in China, and Pearl River Bridge is a popular food manufacturer in the city.


See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toPearl River (China).

Notes

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References

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  1. ^"Châu Giang tình hình chung".Châu Giang thuỷ lợi võng.Archivedfrom the original on 2013-01-22.Retrieved2013-03-08.
  2. ^"Chapter 5: Plate D-6 — GES DISC: Goddard Earth Sciences, Data & Information Services Center".Disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-02-03.Retrieved2012-11-08.

22°46′N113°38′E/ 22.767°N 113.633°E/22.767; 113.633

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