What is the longest river in China and Asia, also the third longest in the world?

The Yangtze River, known as the Chang Jiang in Chinese, is the longest river in China and Asia, extending about 6,300 kilometers (approximately 3,917 miles). It flows from its source in the Tibetan Plateau through various provinces and ultimately empties into the East China Sea near Shanghai. The Yangtze is not only significant due to its length but also holds immense cultural and economic importance for the country. It serves as a vital waterway for transportation, irrigation, and hydroelectric power generation, housing the Three Gorges Dam, which is the world's largest power station by installed capacity.

This river is distinct from the Yellow River, which is crucial to Chinese civilization but shorter at around 5,464 kilometers (3,395 miles). The Brahmaputra and Indus rivers, while important in South Asia, do not match the Yangtze in length or dominance in China. Thus, the Yangtze stands out as the longest river in the region and the third longest globally, following the Nile and the Amazon.