Topographically, North China comprises mainly the North China Plain and the Loess Plateau. The Loess Plateau, separated from the North China Plain by a series of ranges such as the Taihang Mountain, is the second of China's three topographical cascades.

The Yellow River is China's second longest river and originates in the Yueguzonglie Basin in the northern part of the Bayanhar Mountain in Qinghai Province. It runs east for 5,460 km through Qinghai, Sichuan, Chongqing, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan and Shandong before flowing into the Bohai Sea in Shan-dong's Kenli county.

North China has the largest energy base, complete with huge reserves of mineral resources, including coal, oil and natural gas. The Loess Plateau offers plenty of coal, with al-most all counties in Shanxi producing coal. Shaanxi, too, has abundant coal reserves.

The Beijing Tianjin-Tangshan Economic Zone comprises Beijing, Tianjin and neighboring Tangshan, Langfang and Qinhuangdao and other cities in Hebei.