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China
is situated in eastern Asia, bounded by the Pacific in the east. The
third largest country in the world, next to Canada and Russia, it has an
area of 9.6 million square kilometers, or one-fifteenth of the world's
landmass. It begins from the confluence of the Heilong and Wusuli Rivers
(135 degrees and 5 minutes east longitude) in the east to the Pamirs
west of Wuqia County in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (73 degrees and
40 minutes east longitude) in the west, with about 5,200 kilometers
apart. In the north, it starts from the midstream of the Heilong River
north of Mohe (53 degrees and 31 minutes north latitude) and stretches
south to the southernmost island Zengmu'ansha in the South China Sea (4
degrees and 15 minutes north latitude), with about 5,500 kilometers in
between.
The
Chinese border stretches over 22,000 kilometers on land and its
coastline extends well over 18,000 kilometers, washed by the waters of
the Bohai Sea, the Huanghai, the East China and the South China Seas.
The Bohai Sea is China’s only inland sea.
There are 6,536 islands larger than 500 square meters, the largest being Taiwan, with a total area of about 36,000 square kilometers, and the second, Hainan. The South China Sea Islands are the southernmost island group of China.
CAPITAL: Beijing -- Area: 16,800 square kilometers; Population: 14.93 million (by 2004)
CLIMATE:
China lies mainly in the northern temperate zone under the influence of
monsoon. From September and October to March and April next year monsoon
blows
from Siberia and the Mongolian Plateau into China and decreases
in force as it goes southward, causing dry and cold winter in the country
and a temperature difference of 40 degrees
centigrade between the north and the
south. The temperature in China in the winter is 5 to 18 degrees
centigrade lower than that in other countries on the same latitude in
winter. Monsoon blows into China from the ocean in summer, bringing with
them warm and wet currents, thus rain. Great differences in climate are
found from region to region owing to China's extensive territory and
complex topography. The northern part of Heilongjiang Province in the
northeast has no summer, while Hainan Island in
the south has a
long summer but no winter.
The
Huaihe River valley features four distinct seasons,
and the western part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is covered by
snow all year round.
The southern part of the Yunan-Guizhou Plateau is spring-like in
all seasons; and the northwestern inland regions
could
see great variations of temperature within
the day. Annual precipitation also varies greatly from region to region,
which is as high as 1,500 millimeters along the southeastern coast,
and as low as 50 millimeters in the
northwest.
CHINA POPULATION:
1.328 billion (2008),
about 22% of total population in the world.
| Year | Total Population | Urban Population | Rural Population |
| 1995 | 1.2112 billion | ||
| 1996 | 1.2239 billion |
359.5
million (29.4%) |
864.39 million (70.6%) |
| 1997 | 1.2363 billion |
369.89
million (29.9%) |
866.37 million (70.1%) |
| 1998 | 1.2481 billion | ||
| 1999 | 1.2591 billion |
388.92
million (30.9%) |
870.17 million (69.1%) |
| 2000 | 1.29533 billion | 36% | 64% |
| 2004 | 1.30000 billion |
| Year | Birth Rate (Per Thousand) | Death Rate (per thousand) | Natural Growth Rate (per thousand) |
| 1970 | 33.43 | 25.83 | |
| 1995 | 17.12 | 6.57 | |
| 1996 | 16.98 | 6.56 | 10.42 |
| 1997 | 16.57 | 6.51 | 10.06 |
| 1998 | 16.30 | 6.50 | 9.53 |
| 1999 | 15.23 | 5.97 | 8.77 |
| 2000 | 14.03 | 6.45 | 7.58 |
| 2003 | 12.41 | 6.40 | 6.01 |
In
1998, there were 19.91 million new
births
and 8.07 million deaths, with a net growth of 11.84 million
(compared with 12.37 million in 1997).
More than 10% of the
total population is over 60 years old (1999 data).
The
Chinese
population is unevenly
distributed,
with the eastern
part
heavily populated (more than 300 persons per square kilometer) and
the west
scarcely populated (about 40 persons per square kilometer).
The national average density of population is 119 per square kilometer
(1990 census). The average size of household is
3.7 persons. The proportion of population aged at 0-14 was 26.4 percent, 67.3%
between the ages 15-64, and 6.4% for the age group of over 65. The
average life span of the Chinese
population is
70.8 years, with
the male at
68.71, and female at 73.04. (Some of the above data are based on the
report from China National Statistics Bureau, FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY).
ADMINISTRATIVE
DIVISIONS:
China has 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities and 2
Special Administrative Regions
(Hong Kong and Macao). For the locations of these administrative
divisions, please click MAP
OF CHINA. (Click here
for detailed information)
| Year | Economic Growth Rate |
| 1995 | 10.2% |
| 1996 | 9.7% |
| 1997 | 8.8% |
| 1998 | 7.8% |
| 1999 | 7.1% |
| 2000 | 8.0% |
| By Air | Beijing, Chengdu, Dalian, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hohhot, Hong Kong, Kunming, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Tianjin, Urumqi, Xiamen and Xi'an. |
| By Land | Alataw, Baketu, Erenhot, Friendship Pass, Hunchun, Ji'an, Kunjirap, Manzhouli, Mohe, Nyalam (Zhangmu), Pingxiang, Ruili, Suifenhe, Tumen, Wanding, Xunke and Yadong. |
| By Water | Beihai, Dalian, Dandong, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hankou, Huangpu, Jiujiang, Lianyungang, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Sanya, Shanghai, Shantou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Weihai, Yangzhou, Yantai, Zhanjiang and Zhenjiang. |
HISTORY:
China, one of the four oldest civilizations in the world, has a
written history of 4,000 years and boasts rich cultural relics and
historical sites. It is the inventor of compass, paper, gunpowder and
printing. The Great Wall, the
Grand Canal and the
Karez irrigation systems
are three great ancient engineering projects built 2,000 years ago.
Now they are the symbols of the rich culture
heritage of the Chinese nation. China has gone over a long history
of primitive society, slavery society, feudal society and semi-feudal
semi-colonial society and the present socialist society.
The National People's Congress (NPC)
The President of the People's Republic of China
The State Council
The Central Military Commission
The Supreme People's Court
The Supreme People's
Procuratorate
(More
government agencies....)
ARMED
FORCE: The People's Liberation Army (PLA) (click
here for more information.)
THE
RULING PARTY: The
Communist Party of China (CPC)
STATE PRESIDENT: Hu Jintao
New Year's Day: January 1
The Spring Festival (Chinese Lunar New Year's Day – between January and February: The exact date varies, depending on Chinese Lunar Calendar. Chinese New Year's Day in 2010 is on Feb. 14. The year 2009 is the Year of Tiger in Chinese zodiac system.
Labor Day: May 1;
National Day: October 1
The working days are
Monday through Friday. Official hours are from 8:00am to 17:00pm with one
hour for lunch.
LANGUAGES: The national language is Putonghua (the common speech) or Mandarin, which is one of the five working languages at the United Nations. Most of the 55 minority nationalities have their own languages. Cantonese is one of the local dialects of southern China. As a written language, Chinese has been used for 6,000 years.
NATIONALITIES:
China
is made up of 56 ethnic
groups. The Han people make up 91.02 percent of the total
population,
and the other 55 national
minorities 8.98 percent. They are Mongolian, Hui, Tibetan, Uygur, Miao,
Yi, Zhuang, Bouyi, Korean, Manchu, Dong, Yao, Bai, Tujia, Hani, Kazak,
Dai, Li, Lisu, Wa, She, Gaoshan, Lahu, Shui, Dongxiang, Naxi, Jingpo,
Kirgiz, Tu, Daur, Mulam, Qiang, Blang, Salar, Maonan, Gelo, Xibe, Achang,
Pumi, Tajik, Nu, Ozbek, Russian, Ewenki, Benglong, Bonan, Yugur, Jing,
Tatar, Drung, Oroqen, Hezhen, Moinba, Lhoba and Gelo. All nationalities enjoy
equal status according to the Constitution.
The State protects their lawful rights and interests and promotes
equality, unity and mutual help among all
nationalities.
FAMILY
NAMES: Chinese family names came into being some 5,000 years ago.
There are more than 5,000 family names, of which 200 to 300 are popular. In
Chinese names, family names comes first and given name second. For
example, in the case of Deng Xiaoping, Deng is the family name, Xiaoping
the given name. The most popular Chinese family names are ZHANG,
WANG, LI, ZHAO, LIU, CHEN...
RIVERS:
China has 50,000 rivers that
cover a catchment area of at
least 100 square kilometers, and 1,500 of them cover a catchment
area of
more than 1,000 square kilometers. Most of the
rivers flow from west to east to empty into the Pacific Ocean. The
main rivers include the Yangzi (Changjiang), the
Yellow River
(Huanghe), Heilongjiang,
the
Pearl
River, Liaohe, Haihe, Qiantangjiang
and Lancang
Rivers. At
6,300 kilometers
long, the Yangzi is the longest river in China. The second longest is
the Yellow River at
5,464 kilometers. The Grand Canal from Hangzhou to Beijing is a great
water project in ancient China. 1,794 kilometers
in length, it is the longest canal in the world.
RELIGIONS:
China is a multi-religious country. Buddhism, Taoism
and Islam
are the three major religions. Catholicism and Protestantism have
smaller but substantial followers too.
Different
ethnic groups usually follow different religions. Islam is followed
by the Hui, Uygur, Kazak, Kirgiz, Tatar, Dongxiang, Salar and Bonan peoples;
Buddhism and Lamaism are followed by the Tibetan, Mongolian, Dai and Yugur
nationalities; Christianity is followed by the Miao, Yao and Yi
nationalities; Shamanism is followed by the Oroqen, Ewenki and Daur
nationalities; and
the majority Han nationality believes in Buddhism, Taoism and
Christianity.
TOPOGRAPHY:
With a broad area, China
has a very complex topography. The outline descends step by step
from the west to the east. Mountains and hilly land take up 65 percent of
the total area. There are five main mountain ranges. Seven mountain peaks
are higher than 8,000 meters above sea level. The Bohai Sea, East China
Sea, Yellow Sea and South China Sea embrace the east and southeast coast.
MONEY:
Chinese Money is called Renminbi
(RMB) (means "People's Currency"). The popular unit of RMB
is Yuan. The official exchange rate between U.S. Dollar and RMB
Yuan currently is about 1 : 8.3 (1.00 Dollar = 8.30 Yuan). 1 Yuan equals
10 Jiao, and
1 Jiao equals
10 Fen.
(There are parts of China the Yuan is also known as Kuai,
and Jiao is known as Mao.)
Chinese currency is issued in the following denominations: one, two, five,
ten, fifty and a hundred Yuan; one, two and five Jiao; and one, two and
five Fen.
CIVIL
ELECTRICAL POWER: AC 220 V, 50 Hz (bathrooms of many luxury and
medium-grade hotels may have 110-volt sockets).
TELEVISION
SYSTEM: PAL (In addition to Chinese language TV broadcast, English and
Japanese TV programs are available in many hotels
via satellite relay. China Central Television Station (CCTV) and some
local TV stations also provide English news and other programs in
English.)
TELEPHONE
AREA CODE: Mainland China 86; Hong Kong 852; Taiwan 886. (Special
Telephone Numbers: Police 110; Fire 119; Emergency 120.)
Mainland China: on
the right
Hong Kong: on the
left
Taiwan: on the right
Mainlan China: cn (such as "....org.cn" , "...edu.cn" or "....com.cn")
Hong Kong: hk
Taiwan: tw