We follow the Yangtze's incredible 6,300 kilometre journey through some amazing landscapes; from rice paddies to dramatic gorges, and over vast plains until we reach the heavily urbanized delta, where the Yangtze ends its journey in the East China Sea. By 2009, a section of the Yangtze river and its surrounding area will, controversially, become part of the world's biggest reservoir. Much of what we will see on this stretch of the journey may be underwater in a few years time and will be changed forever! We find out why this is happening, and about the people and places that line this fascinating river. In this book, the river is divided into five sections and each section begins with a map showing the area that will be covered. Map references are highlighted within the text to show the reader where they are on their journey. The text has been written in themes - economic, social, nature, people and history - to enable the reader to study particular aspects of the river along its course.