Learn About China
Country's Name
People's Republic of China (PRC), founded on October 1st,
1949.
Territory
China is situated in the eastern part of Asia, on the west
coast of the Pacific Ocean. It has a total land area of 9.6 million square
kilometers, ranking third in the world, next to Russia and Canada.
Administrative Division System
China's administration is currently based on a three-level
system dividing the nation into administrative units of three different sizes:
provinces, counties, and townships. Now China is divided into 23 provinces,
five autonomous regions, four municipalities directly under the Central
Government and one special administrative region.
Capital
Beijing is the capital of China. It is not only the nation's
political center, but also its cultural, scientific and educational heart and
key transportation hub. Beijing has served as a capital for more than 800
years. The city has many places of historic interest and scenic beauty,
including the Imperial Palace (the Forbidden City), the largest and
best-preserved ancient architectural complex in the world; the Temple of
Heaven, where Ming and Qing emperors performed solemn rituals for bountiful
harvests; the Summer Palace, the emperor's magnificent garden retreat; the Ming
Tombs, the stately and majestic mausoleums of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors; and the
world-renowned and genuinely inspiring Badaling section of the Great Wall.
Population
China has the largest population in the world. By the end of
1988, China had 1,248.1 million as its population, accounting for approximately
22 percent of the world's total. With the population slightly over one-fifth of
the world's total and 108 million hectares of cultivated land, 7 percent of the
world's total, China faces a great pressure of population.
Ethnic Groups
China is a multi-national country, peopled by 56 ethnic
groups. Besides the Han majority, there are 55 minority ethnic groups including
the Zhuang, Hui, Uygur, Yi, Miao, Manchu, Tibetan, Mongolian, Tujia, Korean,
Dong, Yao, Bai, Hani, Kazak, Dai, and Li. Of these latter, 15 number over a
million people each, 13 number over 100,000 people each; and seven number over
50,000 each.
Languages
The national language of China is mandarin (putonghua, which
means "the common speak"), which is used by the largest number of
Chinese, but many of the 55 minority nationalities have their own languages.
Religious belief
China is a country with many religious beliefs. There are a
hundred million religious followers of Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism and
Protestantism in china. Ethnic groups have their own religious preferences.
Education
Elementary school
6 years
Middle school 3
years
High school 3
years
University 5-6
years
Graduate school 3-5
years
State organs
The Constitution of the People's Republic of China (PRC)
stipulates that the country's central state organs comprise six components: the
National People's Congress, the PRC Presidency, the Sate Council, the Central
Military Commission, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's
Procuratorate.
The brief Chinese history
|
Dynasty
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
Xia
|
C.
21-16th century B.C. |
|
Shang |
C.
16-11th century B.C. |
|
Western
Zhou |
C.
11th century B.C..- 770 B.C. |
|
Eastern
Zhou |
770-221
B. C. |
|
(Spring-Autumn
and Warring States periods) |
|
|
Qin |
221-207
B. C. |
|
Western
Han |
206
B.C. - A. D. 24 |
|
Eastern
Han |
25-220 |
|
Three
Kingdoms (Wei, Shu, and Wu) |
220-265 |
|
Western
Jin |
265-316 |
|
Eastern
Jin |
317-420 |
|
Southern
and Northern Dynasties |
420-589 |
|
Sui |
581-618 |
|
Tang |
618-907 |
|
Five
Dynasties |
907-960 |
|
Northern
Song |
960-1127 |
|
Southern
Song |
1127-1279 |
|
Yuan |
1271-1368 |
|
Ming |
1368-1644 |
|
Qing |
1644-1911 |
|
The
Opium War |
1840 |
|
Xinhai
Revolution |
1911 |
|
New
Democratic Revolution |
1919-1949 |
|
The
People's Republic of China |
1949- |
* Above information is from following books:
China 1998,
compiled by Qin Shi, New Star Publishers
China: facts
& figures, 1999, New Star Publishers