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CHINA > FACTS ABOUT THE COUNTRY
HISTORY:
China, one of the four oldest civilizations in the world, claims a history of
5000 years where there is a written history of 4,000 years. Its rich cultural
history boasts of many myths and legends, kingdoms and dynasties. For most of
its 3,500 years of history, China brought the world into the agriculture, crafts,
and science development. Around two thousands years ago, the Chinese people
carried out the great engineering projects of building the Great Wall, Grand
Canal and Karez irrigation system. China is also known as the inventor of compass,
paper-making, gunpowder and printing. But, China declined as the Industrial
Revolution arose in 19th century giving the West clear authority in military
and economic affairs. In the first half of the 20th century, China continued
to suffer from major famines, civil conflict, military defeat, and foreign colonialism.
After World War II, the Communists leader, MAO Zedong established a dictatorship
that ensured the state's sovereignty and strict controls over all aspects of
life. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping decentralized economic decision
making. Productivity quadrupled in the next 20 years, brought up China to the
second position of the world GDP chart. Political controls remain tight even
while economic controls economic controls have been weakening.
GEOGRAPHY:
Set on an area of 9.6 million square kilometers, China is about 5,000 kilometers
from east to west; from the Heilong Jiang (Amur River) to Pamir Mountains in
Central Asia; and approximately 4,050 kilometers distance of north to south,
from Heilongjiang Province to Hainan Island in south. The country also observes
1,450 kilometers further south to Zengmu Shoal, territorial claim off north
coast of Malaysia. The country shares its border with the deserts of Mongolia
to the north, the inhospitable Tibetan plateau and the Himalayas to the west.
Meanwhile, the East and South China seas border the eastern side of the country.
China's main topographic features comprise Qing-Zang (Qinghai-Tibet) Plateau
4,000 meters above sea level and Kunlun, Qin Ling, and Greater Hinggan ranges.
Longest of country's several rivers, Chang Jiang (Yangtze River) and Huang He
(Yellow River), broaden for some 6,300 and 5,400 kilometers, correspondingly.
CLIMATE:
China is subject to extremes in weather. Most of the country's regions observe
temperate climate, variably serves the bitterly cold to the excruciatingly hot.
Monsoon climate arises from the thermal contrast between the Asiatic continental
mass and the Pacific Ocean is the typical prevailing wind. The more tropical
climate is mostly in the southern part. Typhoons irregularly hit the southeast
coast between July and September. Temperatures in the north can slump to as
low as -40°C (December-March) and go up to as high as 38°C in summer
(May-August). It is much colder with temperatures dropping well below freezing
in north of the Great Wall, into Inner Mongolia or Heilongjiang. Meanwhile in
the Yangtze River Valley area -including Shanghai- summers are long, hot and
humid. In the far south, around Guangzhou, the hot, humid periods last from
around April through September. It is suggested to keep away from China's northwest
at the height of summer. Industrial Urumqi is dismal at this time -although
it is a good time to visit the Lake of Heaven in the mountains east of the city.
Some snow and rain during the winter in north central of China, including Beijing
and Xian.
ENVIRONMENT:
Stretching some five thousands kilometers across the East Asian landmass, China
features an unsteadily varying configuration of broad plains, expansive deserts,
lofty mountain ranges and vast areas of inhospitable terrain. The eastern half
of the country is a region of fertile lowlands, foothills and mountains, desert,
steppes, and subtropical areas, while the western half of China is a region
of sunken basins, rolling plateaus, and towering massifs, including a portion
of the highest tableland on earth. The country's current environmental issues
are about air pollution from reliance on coal, produces acid rain; water shortages,
particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation;
desertification; trade in endangered species
WILDLIFE:
Situated in two of world's major zoogeographic regions (Palearctic and Oriental),
China observes the two distinguished kinds of wildlife. The Palearctic regions,
including the Qing Zang Plateau, Xinjiang and Nei Monggol autonomous regions,
northeastern China and all areas north of the Huang He; features such important
mammals as the river fox, horse, camel, tapir, mouse hare, hamster and jerboa.
Meanwhile, the Oriental region, which includes the central, southern and southwest
China is a home for the civet cat, Chinese pangolin, bamboo rat, tree shrew,
gibbon, as well as various monkeys and apes. On the other hand, the natural
dispersal and migration cause overlap between the two regions, for instance
deer or antelope, bears, wolves, pigs and rodents are found in all of the diverse
climatic and geological environments. However, the famous giant panda can be
found only in a limited area along the Chang Jiang.
PEOPLE:
Based on the 1998 census, China was inhabited by 1.24810 billion people, about
one-fifth of the world's total population. Han Chinese are the pre-dominance
settlers, making up 93 percent of the total population, while members of 55
minorities account for the remaining seven percent. Main minorities are Moslem
Uygurs of Xinjiang, the Tibetans and the Southeast Asian people of Yunnan. About
600 million people have been to school in China today, out of which, 4.4 millions
are university graduates.
CULTURE:
China preserves the country's cultural diversity wealth. The content of China's
literary heritage has not been able to be translated into a more universal language,
like English. Thus, the materials are unreachable to many Westerns readers.
China's highest form of visual art is featuring the worthwhile architectural
style implemented within the imperial structures, the colonial buildings, the
occasional Calligraphy, a form of handwriting, and so forth. In addition, the
country's unique rural village and its temples are a worthy experience for those
visiting China. Meanwhile, the Chinese music has greatly influencing the development
of the Chinese theatre which also played an essential role in giving birth the
diversity of other performing arts, like martial arts, acrobatics, and stylized
dance.
LANGUAGE:
The country's pre-dominance language is Mandarin or Putonghua, which is the
mother tongue for about 70% of the population. There are eight other major sub-languages,
including Yuen (Cantonese), Northern Min (Fukienese), Southern Min, Kan (Hubei),
Hakka, Xiang (Hunan) and Wu (Shanghai dialect). The official language is Mandarin
(Putonghu?, based on the dialect spoken in Beijing), while other major dialect
is Cantonese (Gúangzhouhu?), which is spoken in Guangzhou and Hong Kong.
Chinese writing, called pictographs, is all about pictures and alphabets. There
are thousands of characters, mostly put up either of a root element, radical,
or a phonetic element. There is a difference between the written and the spoken
word which makes Chinese might be a difficult language for westerners to learn.
Chinese characters are highly stylized "picture", whereas no alphabet
and no link between sound and symbol. In 1954, the Chinese language was reformed,
in which around 2200 Chinese characters were simplified.
RELIGION:
China is a multi-religious country. The two classic streams of thought, Confucianism
and Taoism, emerged during the Zhou period. Various religions, such as Buddhism,
Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism, exert different influence on different
ethnic groups.
ECONOMY:
After periods of the sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned economy, the country's
economic reformation launched in 1978, in which the centrally productive assets
controlled changed into a more market-oriented system. The agriculture sector
was the first to be reformed, followed by the industrial restructuring in 1984.
The effort which designed to encourage the formation of rural enterprises and
private business, liberalize foreign trade and investment; has brought about
far-reaching changes to the economic system. The "Special Economic Zones
(SEZ) launched in 1980 in Shenzen, Zhuhai, Shantou, Xiamen, which widen to cover
Hainan and Tianjin latter, has given benefits to enterprises set within. Those
set up in these SEZ have the benefit of taxation reduce and lower import duty.
Agriculture which contributes to 20% of the gross national product (GNP) still
employs 50% of the country's employees, while manufacturing which contributes
to 40% of GNP employs 15% of the workforce. The country's average annual growth
rate since 1978 is 8%, in which it grows more than 13% in several peak years.
ADMINISTRATION:
The People's Republic of China's administrative divisions are divided into three
tiers. The first tiers mainly consist of twenty-one provinces, five autonomous
regions, and three centrally governed special municipalities. Meanwhile the
middle tiers comprise of autonomous prefectures, counties, autonomous counties,
cities, and municipalities districts. On the other hand, the basic level only
includes townships and villages. The country's ruling party is The Communist
party of China (CPC)
CUISINE:
Visitors to China will be served with a wide range of delicacies. Shandong cuisine
is well-known for its seafood, like Stewed Sea Cucumber with Scallion, Stewed
Snakehead Eggs, Sea Slugs with Crab Ovum, Dezhou Grilled Chicken and Walnut
Kernel in Cream Soup. Szechuan is famous for its hot peppery flavor, while Huaiyang
Cuisine stresses on freshness and tenderness, careful preparation, cutting skill,
bright color, beautiful arrangement and light flavoring. Cantonese food adopts
all the good points of all other culinary schools and makes extensive use of
ingredients from the river and sea. Chinese food lovers may also experience
the Court Food - dishes that were used to be cooked in the Imperial Kitchen
for emperors and empresses, and were developed on the basis of Shandong dishes,
while vegetarians will be satisfied the three types of 'schools' - the Monastery
Vegetarian Food, the Court Vegetarian Food and the Folk Vegetarian Food. Just
as vegetarian dishes, Medicinal Dishes have also been in the Chinese culture
for a long time. Famous medicinal dishes include Lily Chicken Soup, Pearl Powder
Shrimps, Heavenly Carp, Preserved Duck with Bean Sauce and Minced Pork Buns.
Chow Mein is a very popular main course in southern China. It consists of egg
noodles that are stir fried with vegetables and shredded chicken or meat, flavored
with sesame oil. Though Chinese cooking differs significantly from region to
region, noodles are eaten everywhere
TIME:
The whole of China operates on Beijing Time which is Greenwich Mean Time plus
8 hours. Summer time (GMT + 9 hours) is from mid April to mid September but
may be discontinued shortly
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