WORLDS TOP 10 RIVERS - Couverture rigide

Neal-morris

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 1855613840 ISBN 13 : 9781855613843

Editeur : Belitha Press Ltd, 1995

Synopsis

Representing the top ten rivers in the world, this book is part of a series which depicts the greatest examples of geographic features placing them all in a world context. As well as learning about individual rivers the reader learns how they were formed and how they are changing still. The book begins with an explanation of the origins of rivers, and the various geographical features - the source, tributaries, waterfalls, gorges, delta and mouth. It describes man's use of rivers from transport to hydroelectricity and his misuse in the form of pollution. A double-page map highlights the top ten river systems of the world giving their length in kilometres. The Nile being the longest river in the world, is illustrated first showing its effects on both ancient and modern man as it travels all the way through from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea. The Amazon is not as long as the Nile but it carries more water as it surges through the rain forest from its source high in the Andes mountains of Peru. More than 700 smaller rivers join the Chang Jiang as is courses its way through the East China Sea near Shanghai. Where this river rushes through gorges the Chinese have built one of China's biggest dams the Gezhouba. Nearly half of China's people live near this river. The Mississippi, in America has its source in the Rocky Mountains and heads south towards the Gulf of Mexico. Just north of St Louis the Missouri pours into the Mississippi and then winds on for New Orleans, one of the busiest ports in the world. Flowing from the south of Russia, near Mongolia to its northern coast is the Yenisei which eventually feeds the Lake Baikal. This lake holds about one-fifth of all fresh water on Earth. There are many dams on the Yenisei and in 1994 large oil spillages caused much environmental damage. The Huang He begins on a high plateau and flows right across China. The soil around this river is made fertile by the river's muddy silt. This makes it ideal farming land, and Chinese civilizations began here, about 9000 years ago. The entire length of the river Ob in Siberia is frozen solid each winter, but in summer it is an important route for carrying grain and cattle. In Brazil, the Paranaiba joins the Rio Grande and becomes the Parana. In 1991 the world's biggest dam began making electricity from the waters of this river. Unlike the Nile, the Zaire flows through tropical rainforest and grassland on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. The tenth longest river is also in Siberia, the Lena. This book also includes information on main rivers such as the Murray-Darling, the Thames, Colorado and the Ganges.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

Mountains: Spectacular mountain scenery is familiar to everyone, but steep slopes and often harsh weather conditions can make life difficult for the people that live there. This book shows the houses, the occupations, both traditional and modern, and mountain communities ways of life around the world. Rivers: Some of the earliest human settlements were beside rivers, and riverside communities continue to be important today. With examples from every continent, this book shows how those early settlements flourished and how peoples have used rivers as a source of food and a means of transport, how they cope with floods and the modern perils of pollution and overcrowding. Coasts: Coastal communities, with their links to exploration and fishing and the modern holiday industry, can be fascinating places. This book looks at the pleasures and perils of living by the sea and shows how people around the world have adapted to these special conditions. Cities: Around half the world's population lives in urban areas and the cities of the world continue to grow rapidly. This book shows what life is like in a city, how housing and transport systems have adapted for huge populations and also why living in the world's great cities may be challenging but can also be enjoyable and rewarding.

Biographie de l'auteur

Neil Morris is an experienced and successful writer for children.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Belitha Press Ltd
• Date d'édition: 1995
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 1855613840
• ISBN 13: 9781855613843
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 32
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible