China

Flag of China

China (Traditional Chinese: 中國, Simplified Chinese: 中国, Pinyin: Zhōngguó) is one of the largest countries in Asia. It is the biggest country in East Asia. China borders many countries, including North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Laos.

The main religions are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The official language is Chinese/Mandarin. China has about 1.4 billion people. The currency is the Renminbi.

China covers almost 10 million km². About one in every five people in the world is Chinese. China has 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities and two Special Administrative Regions (Hong Kong and Macau). The capital city is Beijing. The Chinese flag is red with five yellow stars. Red is seen as a lucky color.

Beijing (also called Peking) has about 15 million people. Shanghai is even larger, with about 19 million people.

China is famous for the Great Wall of China, which is about 6,000 km long. It took around 2,000 years to complete and was built to protect China from invaders.

China is one of the few modern countries that still uses the death penalty.

Politics

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Mao Zedong (1893–1976)

On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong, leader of the Chinese Communist Party, founded the People's Republic of China. China is one of the last communist states in the world. Under Mao, the country followed strict government plans. His policies, such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, caused great suffering and the deaths of many millions of people.

In 1979, Deng Xiaoping came to power and began major economic reforms. He allowed more free‑market ideas and opened China to foreign companies. China’s economy grew very quickly.

Today, China is ruled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). China has elections, but they are not free elections because the CCP controls the political system.

Current leaders:

President: Xi Jinping
Premier: Li Keqiang

Before 1911, China was ruled by emperors. The last emperor was Puyi. Many famous buildings, such as the Forbidden City and parts of the Great Wall, come from the imperial period.

One‑Child Policy

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A sign in Sichuan

To slow population growth, China introduced the one‑child policy in 1979. Most families were allowed only one child. This reduced the number of births by about 250 million. Because many families preferred sons, some parents hid extra children, especially in rural areas. In 2015, the one‑child policy was replaced by a two‑child policy.

Migration Rules

From 1958 to 1978, China controlled where people could live using a household registration system. Moving to another area meant losing access to housing, healthcare, and other services. Many people still moved illegally to cities for work. Today, moving to certain “open cities” is allowed.

Geography and Climate

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Mount Everest

Landscape

About two‑thirds of China is made of mountains and highlands. The Tibetan Plateau is over 4,000 meters high. Seven of the world’s twelve mountains above 8,000 meters are partly in China, including Mount Everest.

Lower lands include the North China Plain and the river deltas of the Yangtze River and the Pearl River. China also has large deserts such as the Taklamakan.

Rivers

China’s two most important rivers are the Yangtze and the Yellow River.

The Yangtze is the longest river in China (6,380 km). It flows through the famous Three Gorges and the huge Three Gorges Dam.

The Yellow River is known as “China’s Sorrow” because of its deadly floods.

Climate

China’s climate is strongly affected by the monsoon. Summers are hot and rainy in the east, while winters are cold and dry. Northern China often suffers from droughts and sandstorms. Southern China is warm and humid.

Plants and Animals

China has about 32,000 plant species and many forests in the mountains. It is home to animals such as the giant panda, red panda, South China tiger, Asian elephant, and several species of river dolphins.

Administrative Divisions

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Administrative map of China

Provinces

Autonomous Regions

Municipalities

Special Administrative Regions

History

China is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Its history is divided into many dynasties.

Early Dynasties

The first known dynasty with written records was the Shang dynasty. Later came the Zhou dynasty, which lasted many centuries and included both peaceful and chaotic periods.

Warring States

From 453–221 BCE, many small states fought for power. Famous thinkers like Confucius and Laozi lived during this time.

Qin Dynasty

In 221 BCE, Qin Shi Huangdi united China and became the first emperor. He standardized money, writing, and measurements, and began building early versions of the Great Wall. His famous Terracotta Army was buried with him.

Han Dynasty

The Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) is considered a golden age. China grew strong in science, art, and trade. Buddhism spread into China during this time.

20th Century

China faced invasions, civil war, and the fall of the last imperial dynasty. In 1949, Mao Zedong founded the People’s Republic of China. Hong Kong and Macau returned to China in the 1990s.

Holidays

New Year – January 1
Chinese New Year – 1st day of the lunar year
Lantern Festival – 15th day of the lunar year
International Women’s Day – March 8
Qingming Festival – April 4 or April 5
Labor Day – May 1
Youth Day – May 4
Dragon Boat Festival – 5th day of the lunar month
Children’s Day – June 1
CCP Anniversary – July 1
Qixi Festival – 7th day of the lunar month
Army Day – August 1
Mid‑Autumn Festival – 15th day of the lunar month
Double Ninth Festival – 9th day of the lunar month
Teachers’ Day – September 10
National Day – October 1
Laba Festival – 8th day of the lunar month

Tourism

China has many famous attractions, including the Great Wall of China, the Terracotta Army in Xi'an, and many theme parks. Tourism has grown quickly since the 1980s.

Agriculture

Only about 10% of China’s land is good for farming. Northern China grows wheat, corn, and cotton. Southern China grows rice, tea, and mulberry trees for silk. Modern farming technology is increasing production, but rural areas remain poorer than cities.

Culture

Food

Chinese people often eat with chopsticks. Popular foods include rice, noodles, vegetables, and dishes like Peking duck.

Religion

The main beliefs are Chinese folk religion, Buddhism, and Taoism.

School

School is strict, and students often have long days and much homework. Rural children sometimes travel long distances to reach school.

Language

Chinese is a tonal language with many dialects. The writing system uses characters instead of an alphabet. Pinyin is used to write Chinese sounds with Latin letters.

Chinese Dragon

The Chinese dragon is a symbol of power and wisdom. It does not breathe fire and is not evil.

Made in China

“Made in China” is a common label on products from mainland China. Products from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan use different labels.

Olympic Games 2008

The 2008 Summer Olympics were held in Beijing from August 8 to August 24. The opening ceremony took place in the “Bird’s Nest” stadium.

Gallery

Location of China

Location of China
Satellite photo of China

Satellite photo of China