Why did China's first civilizations develop along the Yellow River?

In Chinese history, the Yellow River is not just a river; it stands for the origins of culture and civilization. It played an important role in the early development of Chinese civilization.

Chinese refer to the Yellow river as "the Mother River" and "the Cradle of Chinese Civilization". That is because the Yellow River was the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilizations in the Xia (2100-1600 BC) and Shang (1600-1046 BC) eras - the most prosperous region in early Chinese history.