icon-background-square
New
New
Year 7

The climate of China

I can use climate graphs to investigate what China’s climate is like and how it varies from place to place.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 7

The climate of China

I can use climate graphs to investigate what China’s climate is like and how it varies from place to place.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. China’s climate varies considerably because of its large size and diverse landscape.
  2. Much of China has a monsoon climate with dry winters and wetter summers.
  3. Temperatures in part of China can reach more than 50oC in the summer.
  4. China’s lowest recorded temperature was -53oc in Mohe, the country’s northernmost city.
  5. Some places in China receive heavy rainfall; other places have an arid climate.

Keywords

  • Climate - an average of weather conditions (e.g. rain, sun, wind) in a place taken over a long period of time (usually 30 years or more)

  • Temperature - the degree of hotness or coldness of a place

  • Monsoon - a seasonal change in wind direction that brings a very rainy season or a very dry season

  • Latitude - imaginary lines on Earth showing position north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees

  • Altitude - height above sea level or ground level

Common misconception

Confusion about the difference between weather and climate.

The weather of a place describes the day to day conditions of the atmosphere. Climate is an average of weather conditions in a place over a long period of time (usually 30 years or more).


To help you plan your year 7 geography lesson on: The climate of China, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Investigate climate data from other locations in India and make comparisons with climate data from the UK.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
What is climate?
Weather at a specific time
Only temperature
Correct answer: The average weather conditions over a long period of time
Only rainfall
Q2.
Which of these factors affects the climate of a region?
Population size
Correct answer: Latitude, altitude, and proximity to oceans
Amount of animals in the area
Government policies
Q3.
What climate is typically found near the equator?
Polar
Desert
Temperate
Correct answer: Tropical
Q4.
What does a desert climate typically have?
Correct answer: Very little rainfall and high temperatures
High rainfall and warm temperatures
Cold temperatures and frequent snow
Warm temperatures with lots of rain
Q5.
On which continent is China located?
Europe
Correct answer: Asia
Africa
South America
Q6.
Is China located north or south of the equator?
Correct answer: North
South
Both
Neither

4 Questions

Q1.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Climate changes every day; weather stays the same
Weather and climate mean the same thing
Weather only happens in cold places
Correct answer: Weather is short-term; climate is long-term
Q2.
What is the climate like in most of China?
Tropical
Correct answer: Varied, from arid to temperate
Desert
Polar
Q3.
Which region of China is known for having a desert climate?
Correct answer: The Gobi Desert
The Yangtze River
The Himalayas
Q4.
What major weather event occurs in China during summer?
Tornadoes
Hurricanes
Correct answer: Monsoons
Earthquakes