http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/han-dynasty-map.cfm

The Han dynasty was a major empire that lasted over 400 years. It was located around the capital called Chang'an in eastern China (http://countrystudies.us/china/32.htm). Eastern China, also known as China Proper, is in the lowlands close to the islands and oceans. There are four major rivers that flow through this area including the Wei River, Yangtze River, Xi River and the Yellow River. In this region there are fertile lowlands, foothills, mountains, deserts, and subtropical areas (http://countrystudies.us/china/32.htm). Since the eastern part of China is located near many rivers and oceans it was easy for the Han dynasty to grow crops and trade their goods with neighboring empires. The mountains to the east also provided protection from enemies and intruders. China's geography had many advantages and disadvantages which greatly impacted the history of the Han dynasty.