Background
China, one of the potential superpowers of the world, is also the most populated and the fourth largest country of the world in terms of area as shown on the China Map. China, officially known as The People's Republic of China, has 47 wonderful UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, making it the second country with most heritage sites in the world, after Italy. Beijing is the capital as shown in the China Map and Shanghai is the largest city of the colorful country which is also located in the China Political Map. China is divided into 23 provinces. 22 of the provinces are controlled by the People's Republic of China (PRC) as seen in the China Map. The 23rd province, Taiwan, though claimed by the PRC, is not controlled by the PRC and is thus a de facto.
The third most visited country of the world, China apart from its natural beauty and landscape, offers a glimpse of its traditional culture to visitors in the form of its magnificent art, architecture, dance, paintings, literature, music, films, etc. Besides, China’s diverse cuisine also showcases the country’s culinary history.
Geography
Located in the East of Asia, between 18° and 54°N latitudes and 73° and 135°E longitudes, the communist nation also shares the longest combined land border with fourteen countries in the world, as represented in the China Political Map. China has maritime boundary with Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan as shown in the China Map. Also, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea border the country as represented in the China Map. China has a total area of 9,596,960 sq km (3,705,410 sq miles). Climatically this country experiences wide range of climate types, from sub-arctic in the north and tropical in the south. China also boasts of diverse landscape with wide grasslands dominating the north, deltas in the center and the east, and hilly region in the south.
Economy
China, since its economic liberalization in 1978, has been experiencing fast economic growth. In fact as per 2018 World Bank data, China has the world’s second largest economy in terms of nominal GDP, and the largest in terms of GDP (PPP). China also has strong manufacturing, science, technology and infrastructure base. Agriculture is also a main driver of China’s economy and it is the world leader in agricultural output in gross value.
China comprises twenty-three provinces (if Taiwan is included) as depicted in the China Political Map, five autonomous administrative regions, and four directly administered municipalities.
Autonomous Regions of China: | Municipalities of China: | Special Administrative Regions: |
Guangxi | Beijing | Hong Kong |
Inner Mongolia | Chongqing | Macau |
Ningxia | Shanghai | |
Xinjiang | Tianjin | |
Tibet | | |
Name | People's Republic of China |
Continent | Asia |
Capital | Beijing |
Area | 9,596,961 square kilometers |
Population | 1.39 billion (2018) |
Form of Government | Single-party state (Communist Party) |
National Day | October 1, 1949 (PRC founded) |
Head of State | President Xi Jinping, Vice President Li Yuanchao |
Head of Government | Premier Li Keqiang |
Currency | Renmibi |
GDP | US$13.61 trillion (2018) |
Major languages | Standard Chinese/Mandarin, Yue, Wu |
Major religions | Daoism, Buddhism |
Division | Population: 1999-12-31 estimate | Area(km.²) | Area(mi.²) | Conventional | Capital |
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Anhui | 66,393,749 | 140,455 | 54,230 | Anhwei | Hefei |
Beijing | 11,358,672 | 16,808 | 6,490 | Peking | Beijing |
Chongqing | 30,921,643 | 82,403 | 31,816 | Chungking | Chongqing |
Fujian | 32,835,978 | 122,919 | 47,459 | Fukien | Fuzhou |
Gansu | 25,151,034 | 459,233 | 177,311 | Kansu | Lanzhou |
Guangdong | 72,830,191 | 178,341 | 68,858 | Kwangtung | Guangzhou |
Guangxi Zhuang | 46,575,918 | 235,001 | 90,734 | Kwangsi Chuang | Nanning |
Guizhou | 36,300,720 | 174,976 | 67,559 | Kweichow | Guiyang |
Hainan | 7,432,117 | 60,438 | 23,335 | Hainan | Haikou |
Hebei | 70,102,861 | 187,240 | 72,294 | Hopeh | Shijiazhuang |
Heilongjiang | 36,608,425 | 431,767 | 166,706 | Heilungkiang | Harbin |
Henan | 125,809,220 | 166,310 | 64,213 | Honan | Zhengzhou |
Hubei | 59,425,019 | 185,673 | 71,689 | Hupeh | Wuhan |
Hunan | 65,541,582 | 211,231 | 81,557 | Hunan | Changsha |
Jiangsu | 70,011,819 | 98,285 | 37,948 | Kiangsu | Nanjing |
Jiangxi | 48,538,550 | 171,041 | 66,039 | Kiangsi | Nanchang |
Jilin | 26,666,561 | 191,038 | 73,760 | Kirin | Changchun |
Liaoning | 42,988,207 | 147,451 | 56,931 | Liaoning | Shenyang |
Nei Mongol | 23,383,101 | 1,181,104 | 456,027 | Inner Mongolia | Hohhot |
Ningxia Hui | 5,432,891 | 52,188 | 20,150 | Ningsia Hui | Yinchuan |
Qinghai | 4,761,201 | 720,459 | 278,171 | Tsinghai | Xining |
Shaanxi | 35,440,589 | 204,846 | 79,091 | Shensi | Xian |
Shandong | 89,216,648 | 156,219 | 60,316 | Shantung | Jinan |
Shanghai | 13,356,282 | 6,500 | 2,510 | Shanghai | Shanghai |
Shanxi | 32,129,378 | 149,708 | 57,803 | Shansi | Taiyuan |
Sichuan | 83,947,260 | 491,146 | 189,633 | Szechwan | Chengdu |
Tianjin | 9,156,843 | 11,943 | 4,611 | Tientsin | Tianjin |
Xinjiang Uygur | 17,734,799 | 1,743,441 | 673,146 | Sinkiang Uighur | Urumqi |
Xizang | 2,477,195 | 1,178,577 | 455,051 | Tibet | Lhasa |
Yunnan | 40,273,265 | 388,610 | 150,043 | Yunnan | Kunming |
Zhejiang | 47,042,095 | 106,078 | 40,957 | Chekiang | Hangzhou |
31 divisions | 1,279,843,813 | 9,651,429 | 3,726,438 |
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Note - Population : 1999-12-31 estimate. Source: Chinese National Bureau of Statistics.
WBGM14102014
Last Updated on: February 20, 2020