About China

Things To Know About China

China is one of the world’s most ancient and most famous civilizations, spanning over 5,000 years of history. It is also the most populated country in the world, home to twenty percent of the world’s population, and has an enormous land mass and diverse natural resources.

An ever Increasing number of people around the world are expressing an interest in China's culture, lifestyle, and history due to the more open government policies of recent times. China is home to an incredibly unique blend of ancient culture and traditions mixed with innovative development and modern lifestyle.

China has been widely predicted to become the world’s largest economy by 2012.

China has taken the world by surprise with its emergence as a world superpower. Within the last 25 years, the World Bank reports that over half a billion Chinese citizens have overcome poverty. Industry and agriculture are the economy’s driving factors and employ almost 70% of the country’s work force. China’s economic growth has become an example for many nations.

The only political party in China is the Communist Party, with around 70 million members. The Communist Party of China also supervises 8 minor parties within the country.

China's currency

China’s official currency is the RMB, meaning RenMinBi which is translated as “the people’s currency.” The currency is one of the more difficult to understand facts about China. The basic unit of currency is the Yuan, which is roughly equivalent to the “dollar” in the U.S. The next smaller unit is the Jiao, equivalent to the U.S. dime, and the smallest unit of currency is the Fen, similar to the U.S. penny. There are roughly 6.5 RMB in one US dollar (2011)

Language spoken in China

China’s population is composed of over 50 ethnic groups. Han is the country’s main nationality making up 91% of the population. The other 9% is made up of 55 ethnicities. Mandarin and Cantonese are the two main languages followed the Han-Tibetan language, this is spoken mainly in the southern areas of the country. Mandarin is the main language used by government, media and education.

About 20% of the Chinese population are learning to speak English. It is predicted that by 2025 the number of English speaking Chinese will outnumber the total native English speakers of the world.

The Chinese language is one of the most intriguing things about China. It contains about 40,000 characters, as compared with the 26 characters of English languages. In China, a fourth-grader is expected to have memorized roughly 2000 of these characters, while a college graduate should know 4000 to 5000 characters.

Religions in China

Chinese people are free to express any religious beliefs they choose. The main religions in China today are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism. There are over 100 million people that belong to various religions and more than 85,000 churches and temples. There are about 300,000 clergy consisting of monks and ministers and 3,000 seminaries for religious education.

Buddhism dates back over 2,000 years in China and currently has about 13,000 temples and about 200,000 monks and nuns.

Travel in China

China has become a sought-after destination for travelers around the world. Some of the more popular destination cities include Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Hong Kong.

China is a treasure chest of intriguing historical sites, vibrant cities, and interesting people. Due to its size, a complete tour of the country might take several years, but there are some must-see attractions that are always top of visitors’ lists. Beijing’s Tianenmen Square is the world’s largest public square, and China is home to several of the world’s largest man-made structures. These include the Great Wall of China and the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei province.

The Great Wall of China is the largest man-made structure in the world, and is China’s cultural and historical masterpiece. This is the longest defense wall in the world, so large it is visible from outer space, over 2,000 years old, and is one of the most well-known facts about China.

The Temple of Heaven built in 1420, is an incredible work of art, design, and architecture. This beautiful temple and the surrounding countryside are one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places in the country. The temple is located in the southern Beijing region and was originally used by Chinese emperors for worship purposes.

Lhasa is the home of the Potala Palace, an incredibly sacred place and the residence of the Tibetan spiritual-leader-in-exile, the Dalai Lama. This sprawling palace was built in the 7^th century on the Red Mountains, and contains countless Tibetan historical, religious, and cultural treasures.

The giant panda

China is home to a number of interesting and rare animals. The Giant Panda is one of the country’s national treasures and is nearly extinct. Other popular animals are the White Flag Dolphin and the Golden Monkey. China boasts the largest number of bird species, including the nearly extinct Red Ibis, found in the Shaanxi Province, and the Siberian White Ibis, Sarus Ibis, and demoiselle. When thinking about China travel, be sure to include time to experience this country’s unique and diverse wildlife and striking natural scenery.

Chinese cuisine

Traditional Chinese cuisine ranks among the most popular food in the world, and it boasts a long and colorful history. Chefs all over the world are interested in learning about China cuisine and how to incorporate it into their own cooking styles. Authentic cooking here focuses on three important aspects: color, taste, and aroma. Most traditional dishes incorporate the five flavors of sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and bitter, and are also particular about cutting style and food temperature.

Conclusion

China is one of the most facinating countries in the world busting with many unique features but none more than the industrious people who are always happy to welcome visitors from all over the world to either take advantage of the tremenous opportunities that currently exist in China or to simply relax and enjoy what China has to offer.

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