The People's Republic of China

Name:The official name of the country is The People's Republic of China. The Chinese name is "Zhong Guo", which means the "Middle Kingdom". Since ancient times, it was believed that China was at the center of the universe. Capital: China's capital city is Beijing. Population: China is the world's most populous country. There are 1.3 billion people in China, that is more than twice the number of people in Europe (excluding Russia) and one billion more than in the United States. Area: 9.5 million square kilometers or 3.7 million square miles. Located in the Asian continent, China is the fourth largest country, after Russia, Canada and the United States. Language: Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. Although there are thousands of Chinese dialects spoken, China's official language is Mandarin Chinese, that is, this is the dialect that is taught in school and the dialect used for national radio and tv broadcasts. Religion: Although there is no "official" religion in China, there are a number of religions and spiritual followings practised by Chinese. The most widely practised religions are Buddhism and Taoism. At the same time, the teachings of Confucius, although not an "organized religion" per se, have became the basis for Chinese family and moral life throughouth the country. Government: China is a socialist republic ruled by a single party, the Communist Party of China. The People's Republic of China was established on October 1, 1949. China's President and General Secretary of the Communist Party is Hu Jintao.

China Flag
The current China Flag was adopted soon after the Communist regime came to power. It has five yellow stars on a red background. What does the Red Background mean? The red background symbolizes the revolution and the blood of those who died during the civil war and the Japanese invasion. What do the Golden Stars stand for? There are Five yellow stars, a large one that represents the Communist Party and the four smaller ones that surround it represent the four different classes of society.

China Geography
China's Geography and landscape is extremely varied. It is a large country, just slightly smaller than the United States, with a great variety of environments, peoples, flora and fauna, and traditions. Along the coast concentrate the main cities and ports. In the North and West are mountains and deserts. The South is crowded with jungles and tropical lowlands whereas the South-West is home to the harsher Tibetan Plateau. The majority of the people live in the milder coastal areas and along the rivers. These areas are booming modern economic and industrial zones which are in high contrast to the poorer areas as you travel inland.

Chinese Name: / Chinese Pinyin: Chng Chng/Wn L Chng Chng English Translation: Great Wall/Great Wall of 10,000 Li Length: 8,851.8 km (5,500 miles) Builder: the ancient Chinese laboring people (common people, farmers, soldiers and slaves) Construction Period: About 2,000 years from the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC) to Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Enjoying the fame of "Wan Li Chang Cheng", Great Wall starts from Hushan in Liaoning in the east and ends at Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu in the west, via the nine provinces or cities in northern China, including Liaoning, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Gansu. It is often compared to a huge dragon winding up and down in the mountains, grassland and deserts. In Chinese history, over 20 states and dynasties have built the wall, and the sections built in Qin (221 BC-206 BC), Han (206BC-220) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties exceed 10,000 Li (about 3,107 miles). The new survey of the length of the wall in Ming Dynasty has confirmed that it is 8,851.8 km (5,500 miles) long.

Badaling, Beijing

Jiayuguan, Gansu

At present, the Great Wall has already lost its military function, and many sections have been repaired and opened to the public. Among them, Badaling is the most famous which receives the most visitors from home and abroad. Mutianyu is famous for its spectacular scenery, Jinshanling and Simatai are well known for the wildness and cragginess, and Jiankou is attracted by its dangerous location. Due to these varieties, it's no wonder that Great Wall is the most welcomed scenic sight in China.