China, officially People's Republic of China (in Chinese, Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo), country in East Asia, the world's third-largest country by area (after Russia and Canada) and the largest by population. Officially the People's Republic of China, it is bordered on the north by the Mongolian Republic and Russia; on the north-east by Russia and North Korea; on the east by the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea; on the south by the South China Sea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), India, Bhutan, and Nepal; on the west by Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan; and on the north-west by Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. China includes more than 3,400 offshore islands, of which Hainan, in the South China Sea, is by far the largest. The total area of China is about 9,571,300 sq km (3,695,000 sq mi), not including Nationalist China or Taiwan. The capital of China is Beijing; the country's largest city is Shanghai.
More than a fifth of the world's total population lives within China's borders. China gave birth to one of the world's earliest civilizations and has a recorded history that dates from some 3,500 years ago. Zhonghua, the Chinese name for the country, means "central land", a reference to the Chinese belief that their country was the geographical centre of the Earth and the only true civilization.
Population
1,211,210,000
(1996 official estimate)
Population Density
126 people/sq km
(326 people/sq mi)
(1996 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
36% Urban
64% Rural
Largest Cities
Shanghai 8,760,000
Beijing 6,560,000
Tianjin 4,970,000
(1993 estimates)
Largest Metropolitan Areas
Shanghai 14,150,000
Beijing 12,510,000
Tianjin 9,420,000
(1995 estimates)
Ethnic Groups
93% Han (Chinese)
7% Other
including Zhuang, Hui, Uygur, Yi, Miao, Manchu,
Tibetan, Mongol, Tujia, Bouyei, Korean,
Dong, Yao, Bai, Hani, Kazakh, Dai, and Li minorities
Languages
Official Language
Mandarin Chinese (Putongua)
Other Languages
Six other major Chinese dialects
Religions
69% Non-religious or atheist
20% Traditional Chinese beliefs
mainly Confucianism and Daoism
9% Buddhism
2% Other
including Islam and Christianity
Date and Time in Beijing
Countries Currency Unit
CNY/Unit
Units/CNY
DZD
Algeria Dinars
0.106925
9.35233
USD
United States Dollars
8.27740
0.120811
ARS
Argentina Pesos
2.81066
0.355788
AUD
Australia Dollars
4.41611
0.226443
ATS
Austria Schillings **
0.523949
1.90858
BSD
Bahamas Dollars
8.27740
0.120811
BBD
Barbados Dollars
4.15950
0.240414
BEF
Belgium Francs **
0.178724
5.59523
BMD
Bermuda Dollars
8.27740
0.120811
BRL
Brazil Reals
3.56017
0.280885
GBP
United Kingdom Pounds
11.8024
0.0847283
BGL
Bulgaria Leva
3.70242
0.270093
CAD
Canada Dollars
5.18906
0.192713
CLP
Chile Pesos
0.0126093
79.3063
CNY
China Yuan Renminbi
1.00000
1.00000
CYP
Cyprus Pounds
12.5988
0.0793727
CZK
Czech Republic Koruny
0.233502
4.28262
DKK
Denmark Kroner
0.970493
1.03040
XCD
East Caribbean Dollars
3.06570
0.326189
EGP
Egypt Pounds
1.78681
0.559656
EUR
Euro
7.20970
0.138702
FJD
Fiji Dollars
3.70353
0.270012
FIM
Finland Markkaa **
1.21258
0.824685
FRF
France Francs **
1.09911
0.909826
DEM
Germany Deutsche Marks **
3.68626
0.271278
XAU
Gold Ounces
2,501.81
0.000399711
GRD
Greece Drachmae **
0.0211583
47.2627
HKD
Hong Kong Dollars
1.06126
0.942277
HUF
Hungary Forint
0.0296495
33.7274
ISK
Iceland Kronur
0.0827792
12.0803
INR
India Rupees
0.169605
5.89605
IDR
Indonesia Rupiahs
0.000842533
1,186.90
IEP
Ireland Pounds **
9.15443
0.109237
ILS
Israel New Shekels
1.74520
0.572999
ITL
Italy Lire **
0.00372350
268.565
JMD
Jamaica Dollars
0.173858
5.75181
JPY
Japan Yen
0.0624003
16.0256
JOD
Jordan Dinars
11.6748
0.0856549
LBP
Lebanon Pounds
0.00546724
182.908
LUF
Luxembourg Francs **
0.178724
5.59523
MYR
Malaysia Ringgits
2.17884
0.458961
MXN
Mexico Pesos
0.918657
1.08855
NZD
New Zealand Dollars
3.64606
0.274269
NOK
Norway Kroner
0.934913
1.06962
NLG
Netherlands Guilders **
3.27162
0.305659
PKR
Pakistan Rupees
0.137842
7.25469
PHP
Philippines Pesos
0.162238
6.16377
XPT
Platinum Ounces
4,295.79
0.000232786
PLN
Poland Zlotych
2.01310
0.496746
PTE
Portugal Escudos **
0.0359618
27.8073
ROL
Romania Lei
0.000251325
3,978.91
RUR
Russia Rubles
0.265983
3.75963
SAR
Saudi Arabia Riyals
2.20727
0.453048
XAG
Silver Ounces
38.3230
0.0260940
SGD
Singapore Dollars
4.49321
0.222558
SKK
Slovakia Koruny
0.172625
5.79289
ZAR
South Africa Rand
0.728788
1.37214
KRW
South Korea Won
0.00626693
159.568
ESP
Spain Pesetas **
0.0433312
23.0781
XDR
IMF Special Drawing Rights
10.3204
0.0968955
SDD
Sudan Dinars
0.0318362
31.4108
SEK
Sweden Kronor
0.798906
1.25171
CHF
Switzerland Francs
4.92331
0.203115
TWD
Taiwan New Dollars
0.236835
4.22234
THB
Thailand Baht
0.190059
5.26152
TTD
Trinidad and Tobago Dollars
1.35252
0.739363
TRL
Turkey Liras
0.00000615833
162,381.62
VEB
Venezuela Bolivares
0.00898945
111.241
ZMK
Zambia Kwacha
0.00185177
540.025
China :
Geographic coordinates
35 00 N, 105 00 E
China :
Population growth rate
0.88%
China :
Birth rate
15.95 births/1,000 population
China :
Death rate
6.74 deaths/1,000 population
China :
People living with HIV/AIDS
500,000
China :
Independence
221 BC
China :
National holiday
Republic of China, 1 October
China :
Constitution
4 December 1982
China :
GDP
purchasing power parity - $4.5 trillion
China :
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $3,600
China :
Electricity - consumption
1.084 trillion kWh
China :
Exports
$232 billion machinery and equipment; textiles and clothing, footwear, toys and sporting goods
China :
Imports
$197 billion machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, plastics, iron and steel, chemicals
China :
Telephones
135 million
China :
Mobile cellular
65 million
China :
Radio broadcast stations
AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45
China :
Radios
417 million
China :
Television broadcast stations
3,240
China :
Televisions
400 million
China :
Internet country code
.cn
China :
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
3
China :
Internet users
22 million
China :
Railways
67,524 km
China :
Highways
1.4 million km
China :
Waterways
110,000 km
China :
Pipelines
crude oil 9,070 km; petroleum products 560 km; natural gas 9,383 km