Three Gorges - Definition and Overview

The Three Gorges (三峡) area is a scenic area along the Yangtze river in China with a total length of 193 km.

It contains the Qutang gorge (瞿塘峡, 8 km long, from Wanxian to 巫山 = Wushan), the Wuxia gorge (巫峡, 45 km long, from Wushan to 巴东 = Badong) and the Xilong gorge (西陵峡, 66 km long, from Badong to Yichang).

It is now the location of the Three Gorges Dam, which has not yet been completed but which now has raised water levels in the gorges. Most of what was once an exciting fast water riverboat passage through the three gorges is now a lake cruise, although the gorges were only partially flooded and still offer spectacular views of the surrounding cliffs. Once riverside towns have been demolished and reconstructed above the new lakeshore, while some of the population has been relocated further from the river in newly opened agricultural areas.

See also

• Geography of China