Situated on the eastern coast of the continent of Asia, China is the third largest country in the world. It shares its borders with fourteen other countries. With a landmass of 9.3 million square kilometers, covering nearly one-fourteenth of the earth’s entire land mass, it’s no surprise that China is so ethnically and geographically diverse. China’s topography consists of plateaus, forests, deserts and beaches. China is home to the third largest river in the world, the Yangtze. It stretches 3900 miles, flowing from the Tibetan plateau to the city of Shanghai. With a coastline of 11,000 miles, China’s beaches make popular destinations for tourists, with many visiting locations such as Yalong Bay and Wuzhizhou Island. The highest point in the world, Mount Everest, sits on the border of China and Tibet. China has a diverse climate, with frigid winters in the north, and milder winters in the south. Many areas of China define the climate as having two seasons, dry season and monsoon season.
Steeped in tradition, China is known for its rich history and vibrant culture. The first dynasty to be officially recorded is the Shang Dynasty, dating from 1600 – 1050 BC. From China, have emerged some of the great thinkers such as Confucious who spearheaded the school of thought known as Confucianism. Traditional Chinese clothing includes garments such as the Han Fu which is estimated to have become popularised during the reign of the Yellow Emperor over three thousand years ago and the Cheongsam or Qi Pao. China has the largest population in the world, numbering nearly 1.3 billion people and is home to 56 ethnic groups, the most prominent being the Han Chinese who make up around 90% of the Chinese population.
Fun Facts
- In China, the number 4 is considered to be unlucky. This is because the word for four is similar to the word for death. If you’re ever in China you may notice elevators missing a button for the fourth floor
- Ping Pong is the national sport of China
- Despite being the third largest country in the world China only has one time zone
Photo by Ling Tang on Unsplash
Photo by Hanson Lu on Unsplash
Photo by Dong Zhang on Unsplash