The Silk Road Atlas Activity

Examine the indicated pages of the following atlases to gain a better awareness of the geography of western China and Central Asia, the region through which the Silk Road runs.


Book of the World. New York: Macmillan, 1995

p. 33 Western Siberian Lowlands: How might this land impede travel?

p. 43 Nepal: Notice the drop off to the south. What vital river is to the south, just off the map?

p. 77 Volga: Locate in regular atlas.

p. 367 Beijing: Read the description of the city.

p. 377 Hong Kong: How is Hong Kong different from Beijing?

p. 411 Shanghai: How is Shanghai different from Beijing?



National Geographic Atlas of the World. Washington DC: National Geographic Society, 1992

p. 69 Asia Locate the following places:
Szechuan Basin Taklamakan Desert North China Plain Lower Chang Jiang
Lake Baikal Great Wall Himalayas Wei River Valley

Look at India. Pick out three features and identify them using the other maps.

Look at West Asia. Pick out three features and identify using the other maps.

Examine the maps on p. 70, 71 and 72.



Use the following atlases to examine western China and Central Asia:

Blunden, Caroline and Marl Elvin. Cultural Atlas of China. New York: Facts on File, 1983

Johnson, Gordon. Cultural Atlas of India. New York: Facts on File, 1996

Robinson, Francis. Atlas of the Islamic World since 1500. New York: Facts on File, 1982

Atlas of China. Rand McNally, 1992

Hsieh, Chiao-min. Provincial Atlas of China. New York: Macmillan, 1995

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