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An Introduction to China
Staggeringly vast and a land of great diversity, China,
the world's most populous and third largest nation is more
like a continent in itself than a country.
Stretching from its southern borders in the Himalayas to
the deserts of Mongolia in the north, and from the East China
Sea through the Yangzi River Valley plains, to the Tibetan
Plateau in the western mainland, China covers an area of 9,596,960
square kilometres.
China also encompasses over 5000 islands, not to mention
the disputed territories such as the Spratlys and the Paracels.The
nation comprises five autonomous regions and twenty-two provinces,
as well as Hong Kong, which is now titled a 'Special Administrative
Region'.The seat of government, Beijing, is a large city of
11 million people, and like all of China's urban metropolises,
life here contrasts immensely with that of the peasant farmers
in rural areas.Due to its size, China's climate is obviously
very diverse, ranging from an unbearable 48ºC in the
northwest during Summer to an equally unbearable -40ºC
in the far north in winter.
The official language in China is Mandarin, as spoken in
Beijing, but there are also many different dialects to listen
for.Chinese food (and much of the ingredients used to create
it is like no other cuisine - and again, this differs greatly
between regions.Art in China is also stunningly unique, perhaps
best typified by calligraphy, performed with ink and brush,
and held in extremely high esteem by the Chinese.
Author
David Collins
Factfile
Area: 9,596,960 square kilometres
Population: 1.2 billion
Capital City: Beijing
People: Han Chinese 93%, other immigrants (including Mongol,
Zhuang, Manchu and Uighur) 7%
Main Language: Mandarin (Beijing dialect)
Religion: Officially atheist; Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism.
Also Islamic and Christian communities
Major Industries: Iron, steel, coal, machinery, textiles
Currency: Renminbi (RMB)
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