China Background
- Chinese flag
China, the world's most populous nation, is located in Eastern Asia. China borders the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea between North Korea and Vietnam. Predominately, it is a mountainous country that claims the Himalayas as its main mountain chain. The capital is Beijing. Administratively, China is divided into 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, and 4 municipalities.
The currency is Chinese Yuan.
Climate - extremely diverse; tropical in the south to sub arctic in the north.
History - China's history has been characterized by repeated divisions and reunifications amid alternating periods of peace and war.
Industry - China has had a high level of industrial production growth at a rate of about 15%. Major state industries are iron, steel, coal, machine building, light industrial products, armaments, and textiles.
Economy - China is the world's largest developing economy, and its continued growth is critical to the overall health of the world economy and to the welfare of country's 1.3 billion people. Despite economic reforms and rapid growth, China remains a poor nation. An estimated 55 million to 100 million rural workers are adrift between the villages and cities, many subsisting through part-time, low-paying jobs.
country comparison
| China | USA | |
| Population | 1.322 million | 301 million |
| Land Mass | 3,643,129 sq ml | 3,536,277 sq. ml |
| Average Annual Income | $7,800 | $43,800 |
| Life Expectancy | 73 years | 78 years |
| Access to Safe Water | 77% | 100% |
| Adequate to Sanitation Facility | 44% | 100% |
| Under 5 mortality rate | 22 deaths/1000 live births | 6.4 deaths/1000 live births |
The people of China
Over one hundred ethnic groups have existed in China.
Religion- The major religions of China are Confucianism, Taoism, Buddism, Christianity, Islam, and Falun Gong.
Language-The official country's language is Chinese.
Health conditions- The current issues of environment are air pollution from coal produces acid rain, water shortages (on the north), water pollution from untreated wastes, and deforestation. As result, respiratory and heart deseases are the leading cause of death in China.
Problems with orphanage and street children
Fewer than 293,000 orphans (only about half of China's orphans) receive a basic government subsidy. Almost 300,000 orphans, about 55%, need additional help.
One of the problems remains the street children. There are an estimated 150,000 street children in China, but this number may exceed 300,000 if one takes into account the children of migrant workers. These children spend the day on the streets but go back to their parents at night, and their families frequently move from village to village in search of farm work. Poor minority children in China's western regions are falling behind in school, and many are unable to read.
Chinese culture
Home of one of the world's oldest and most complex civilizations, China is an example of artistic, philosophical, and political advancement, built over its 5,000 years of history.
Pastimes - Eating is a favorite pastime in China. Common summer pastimes include sitting outside at a table to play "Go," Chinese Chess, or Mah Jiang with friends and drinking buckets of green tea or flower tea to keep cool. A special summer favorite is chrysanthemum tea with sugar.
The sports played in China include basketball, football, table tennis, badminton, and volleyball. Increasingly, western sports such as golf are becoming more popular.
Festivals and Holidays - Numerous Chinese festivals and holidays are distinguished by bright and colorful perfomances. Chinese New Year and Lantern Festival are famous for beautiful displays of talent. Click here to find more Chinese holidays on Earth Calendar.
Chinese Cuisine - Chinese cuisine is widely seen as representing one of the richest and most diverse culinary cuisines and heritages in the world.
Peking Roast Duck is a famous dish from northeastern China. The dish is mostly prized for the duck's thin, crispy skin, and authentic versions of the dish serve more skin than meat.
Statistics and information from CIA World Factbook , WIKIPEDIA, and UNICEF.
