Special Report

Yangtze plays important role in soybean export picture

Participants in this week’s Iowa Soybean Association trade mission to China are getting an up-close look at the Yangtze River.

The Yangtze, which is 3,900 miles long, is the longest river in China and the third longest in the world next to the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. It is, however, the largest river system in the world, with over 700 tributary rivers.

Rising in Tanggula Mountain, the Yangtze flows eastward and pours itself into the East China Sea. It plays an important role in the transport of U.S.-produced grain and soybean products into the interior of China.

The Yangtze River valley is home to 1/3 of China’s population and 1/15th of the world’s population.