Three Gorges Dam

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the Qutang, Wu, and Xiling gorges. The region is linked to folklore and important historical events, and its beauty has inspired Chinese painters and classical poets such as Li Bai for centuries.

The dam, which will be 1.3 miles long and 610 feet high, is expected to be completed by 2009. It will create a 385 mile-long reservoir stretching back up the river that will totally engulf the Three Gorges, as well as 115,000 acres of rich farmland, thirteen cities, hundreds of villages, and countless historic temples and archaeological sites. Between 1.4 and 1.9 million people will need to be resettled.

3.0 Reasoning for construction

The proponents of the dam claim that the introduction of such a large amount of clean hydroelectric power into China's rapidly expanding economy will mean a significant reduction in the emission of fossil fuel pollution.

First, it will generate 18000 megawatts of electricity, which would reduce the country's reliance on coal by one tenth. Hence ...

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will be submerged, and nearly 1.5 million people relocated. Second, the effects that the rise in level of river will have on the environment. This includes the destruction of habitats for at least four indigenous species in the area.

4.1 Human rights issue

According to official figures, 10.2 million people have been relocated for the construction of dams in the past in China. In each case, there have been economic or political problems that has often led to intimidation and sometimes violence to force the people to resettle. This is due to people's reluctance to leave their homes, which can be attributed to poor planning on the government's part.

The number of people to be ...

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