The Loess Plateau is a massive highland region located in north-central China. It is named after the “Loess” soil—a fine, wind-blown silt that has accumulated over millions of years. This plateau is highly fertile but extremely susceptible to erosion, giving the Yellow River (Huang He) its characteristic yellow color and silt-heavy flow. ANSWER: (A) In China
Where is the Loess Plateau located? (A) In China (B) In Korea (C) In Malaya (D) In Thailand
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The Loess Plateau covers approximately 640,000 square kilometers in China. Geographically, it is unique because its entire landscape is shaped by aeolian (wind-blown) deposits. The silt, carried from the Gobi Desert, has created a plateau with soil depths reaching several hundred meters. While the soil is rich in nutrients, it is very friable and easily washed away by rain. This massive erosion has created a highly dissected landscape of gullies and canyons. It is historically known as the “Cradle of Chinese Civilization,” as its easily tillable soil supported some of Earth’s earliest agricultural societies.