Huang He
Huang He, (also Hwang Ho and Yellow River), a river in northern China. Its name refers to the yellowish color of its waters—a result of high silt content. From its source in central Qinghai province, the Huang He flows 3,395 miles ( 5,464 km) in an irregular easterly course to its mouth on the Bo Hai, an arm of the Yellow Sea.
Midway in its course, the river makes a great bend to the north, encircling the Mu Us Desert. For the last part of its course, across the North China Plain, the river is contained by dikes, as the water level is above that of the surrounding lowlands. Floods have frequently caused the loss of many lives and widespread destruction. For this reason the river is often called China's Sorrow.
Hydroelectric power is generated at Sanmenxia Dam, located on the Huang He below its junction with the Wei He. The Huang He is linked to the Yangtze, farther south, and the city of Tianjin, to the north, by the Grand Canal.