China is one of the oldest civilizations and biggest countries in the world that has a written history of some 4,000 years with rich cultural relics and historical sites. For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences until the 19th and early 20th centuries. China has moved over a long history of primitive society, slavery society, feudal society and semi-feudal semi-colonial society to the present socialist society.

Since 1978, when China transformed its planned economy system into a socialist market economy system focusing on economic reform and market-oriented economic development output has quadrupled by the year 2000. Living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded.

Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea

1.33 billion (est)

People' Republic

China has 56 nationalities within its border. The Han makes up about 91% of the population of China, the 55 ethnic minorities make up the remaining 9% of its population. The ethnic minorities comprise of Mongolian, Hui, Tibetan, Uygur, Miao, Lisu, Uzbek and many others.

Renminbi (RMB) Yuan

220 volts AC 50Hz. Mostly 2-pin sockets

China has a continental and seasonal climate. Most parts are in the temperate zone, geographically the country stretches from the tropical and subtropical zones. Tropical in the south and subarctic in the north

Average daytime temperature of Beijing in June is 30°C or 86°F and in the month of June it has an average of 10 rainy days resulting in warm, wet and high humidity during this month.

High in the west and low in the east. Mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east