Known as the Chang Jiang in China, Yangtze River is Asia's longest river and the third longest river in the world after River Nile in Africa and River Amazon in the Amazon Basin. Amazingly, the River Yangtze delta produces about 20% of the People's Republic of China GDP. Below are a few interesting facts about Yangtze River.

1. The Drainage Basin of the Yangtze River covers 20 % of the total landmass of the People's Republic of China.

2. The Yangtze River is the busiest river in the world with cruise ships, ferries and transport barges crisscrossing the river.

3. The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River is the biggest Hydro-electric Dam in the world

4. The Yangtze River and its tributaries have over 50 bridges, all of which were built after 1955. Before this, people used to cross the river using ferries.

5. The Yangtze River has more than 700 hundred tributaries, each forming an important aspect of the Chinese economy.

6. Due to pollution of the River's waters, animal species native to the river such as Chinese Alligator, the Finless Porpoise and the Chinese Paddlefish are endangered.

7. The fact that activities on the Yangtze River basin can be traced as early as 27,000 years ago has put in doubt as to where exactly the Chinese people originated.

8. History records show that in 1342 and in 1954, the waters of Yangtze River dried in Jiangsu Province. It was so dry that you could see the river bed.

9. Floods from the river have killed more people than any other water disaster recorded. There is the flood of 1911 which killed around 100,000, 1931 (145,000 dead), 1935 (142,000 dead) and 1954 (30,000 dead).

10. Yangtze River has been the origin of more cities than any other river in the world. It traverses through the Chines states of Qinghai, Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shanghai.

The Yangtze is perhaps second only to Nile in greatness, but it easily outperforms it in terms of History. A study of the river will leave you thoroughly inspired.