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National emblem |
The People's Republic
of China is the third-largest country in the world in terms of area (9.6 million
square kilometers) and the largest in terms of population (1.2 billion). China
has shared its borders for centuries with Korea, the former Soviet Union,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Skim, Bhutan, Burma, Laos and Vietnam.
Under the central government there are 23
provinces, five autonomous regions -- Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Guangxi
and Tibet -- and four cities -- Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Chongqing.
China's topography varies from mountainous regions with towering peaks to flat,
featureless plains. The land surface, like a staircase, descends from west to
east. Melting snow from the mountains of western China and Tibet -- the Qinghai
Plateau -- is the main water resource for many of the country's largest rivers,
such as the Yangtze and the Yellow rivers. Across the mountains on the eastern
edge are the plains of the Yangtze River Valley and northern and eastern China.
As the homeland of the Han Chinese, the plains, known as the Middle Kingdom or
Zhongguo, are the most important agricultural areas and the most heavily
populated.
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National flag |
Although climates range
from the tropical, subtropical, temperate and cool-temperate across China's vast
land area, most of the country lies in a temperate zone, which is warm and wet
with a seasonal circulation of winds. Winter in the North is bitingly cold and
dust-laden. Summers in central China are long, hot and humid, and parts in
southern and southeastern China are even more humid during.
China has a long history and ancient
civilization dating back as far as 4,000BC with settlements in the ranges of the
Yellow River. The Chinese recount their history from the Xia Dynasty, which
began in the 21st century BC, followed by subsequent dynasties until 1911 when
Sun Yat-sen was proclaimed president of the Republic of China. In 1921, when the
Communist Party of China was founded, communists cooperated with Sun Yat-sen's
Nationalists, who broke away from the Nationalists after Sun's death. The
Communist Party then began to establish its army, the Red Army. Through the
protracted and arduous struggles under the leadership of the party and Chairman
Mao Zedong, the Chinese people founded the People's Republic of China in 1949.
After 1949, the People's Republic of China (also called the New China)
experienced the Korean War with the Americans that gave way to a 10-year period
of rapid growth; the country then suffered three years of hardships due to
natural disasters and the withdrawal of aid from the Soviet Union. From
1966-1976 China launched its "Cultural Revolution" -- a nation-wide movement
against feudalism (including religion) and capitalism. As a result, China's
economy came to a grinding halt. After 1978, when Deng Xiaoping assumed
leadership, China began a reform and opening-up program, enjoying 20 years of
rapid development.
China is also noted for its rich culture.
Traditional religions in China include Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Islam
and Christianity were brought to China in the seventh century AD. Art, like
religion, had also developed over a period of more than 2,000 years. Calligraphy
and painting are two of the most revered areas in Chinese culture. Ancient
buildings, like temples, pagodas, palaces, monasteries, walls, corridors and a
wealth of antiquities and cultural relics, are world-known. The Great Wall, the
Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi'an, the Longmen Cave in Henan and the Buddhist art in
the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang are some of the most attractive sites for foreign
tourists. China, with its fascinating scenes of natural beauty, such as Guilin,
the Up and Down of the Yangtze River, Lushan and many others, have a lot to
offer.
China is a country that accommodates 56
nationalities. Among them the Han nationality is the largest, totaling about 85
percent of China's 1.2 billion people. The other 55 nationalities are called
minority nationalities, or minorities.
Most of the Han nationalities live in
central and eastern parts of China, while others live at border areas. Xinjiang
Urgur Autonomous Region and Tibet are two of the largest minority-inhabiting
areas, while the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous
Region are also quite important in China.