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About China |
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China Key Information Total Gross Domestic product (GDP) for the country is $4.5
trillion (2000 est.) based on purchasing power parity). GDP
growth rate in 2001 was 7.3% Per capita
Country Name: People's Republic of China
Area: 9.6 million sq.km (mainland)
Population: 1.28 billion
Capital
city: Beijing (population 13.8 million)
National
Language: Chinese (Mandarin) Government: Communist
republic
Head of State: President Hu Jintao
GDP growth : 7.3% (2001 actual)
General
Information
China is the world's fourth largest country (after, Russia,
Canada and the U.S.) and the seventh largest economy. China
is about the same size as the continental 48 states (U.S.
excluding Hawaii and Alaska). Much of the land is mountainous
or unsuited to agriculture. The population tends to be predominantly
in the east and along the three major river valleys. Population
is huge compared to the U.S., 1.3 Billion people, over 25
percent of the world's total.
The official name is the People's Republic of China. The government
is controlled by the Communist Party which is the sole political
party. The national government is headed up by a President
- Hu Jintao and with a Prime Minister - Premier Wen Jiabao
and a Congress. Beijing is the capital city and home of a
brand-new airport to open in 2004. The Airport is about 30
minutes by taxi from the city center. Beijing's population
is currently around 12 million. Other large Chinese cities
are Shanghai ¨C 17 million, Guangzhou
¨C 10 million, Chonqing ¨C 10 million and Wuhan
- 7 million.
People: Han Chinese (93%),
plus 55 ethnic minorities
Languages:
China's official language is Mandarin. The Chinese call it
Putonghua . Cantonese is spoken in Guangdong, southern Guangxi,
and Hong Kong
Religion: Confucianism,
Buddhism, Taoism (no stats available); Muslim (14 million),
Christian (7 million)
Telephone:
Country code: 86, Area code for Beijing: 10, Shanghai: 21,
Guangzhou: 20, Shenyang: 24, Chengdu: 28, Fujian: 592
Climate: China's climate ranges from extremely
cold to unbearably hot. The best time to visit would be spring
(March-April) and autumn (September-October). Daytime temperatures
during that time range from 20¡ãC to 30¡ãC (68¡ãF-86¡ãF). However,
temperatures in the north can drop to -40¡ãC (-40¡ãF) in winter
(December-March) and rise to 38¡ãC (100¡ãF) in summer (May-August).
The central Yangzi River valley area, in the far south, the
hot and humid summer lasts from April to September and then
the rainy season. Typhoons can hit the southeast coast between
July and September. The northwest of China experiences dry,
hot summers. Winters are cold.
Currency is the Yuan (also called the Kwai)
¨C approximate exchange rate is 8.25 Yuan = one U.S. dollar.
Largest note in general circulation is 100 Yuan which is roughly
about $12.
Electricity: 220V, 50 AC
(Notes: plugs can be three-pronged angled, three-pronged round,
two flat pins or two narrow round pins)
Weights & measures: Metric
Chinese
Natural Resources
Natural Resources in China include coal,
iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,
antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum,
lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest).
The main agricultural products are rice,
wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, cotton,
oilseed, pork, fish.
Chinese
Major Exports and Imports
Major
exports are machinery and equipment; textiles and
clothing, footwear, toys and sporting goods, mineral fuels,
and chemicals
Major imports are machinery
and equipment, plastics, chemicals, iron and steel, mineral
fuels.
Major industries: Iron, steel,
coal, machinery, textiles
Major trading partners: USA, Japan, Germany,
South Korea
Major
Holidays
January 1-2:
New Years Day Holiday
February 24: Chinese
New Year
March 8: International Womens
Working Day
April 4-5: Qingming Festival
May 1-3: International Labor Day
May 4: Youth Day
June 1:
Childrens Day
June 6: Tuen Ng Festival
July 1: Anniversary of the Founding
of the Communist Party
August 1: Anniversary
of the founding of the Chinese PLA (Peoples Liberation Army)
Sept. 12: Mid-Autumn Festival
October1-3: National Day
Other Sources
for Useful Information about China:
¡¤World
Bank China at a Glance(pdf file)
¡¤PBS
- Full Report on China
¡¤CIA
Fact Book about China
¡¤China
- a country study - U.S. Library of congress
¡¤Fact
sheet from Asia Society
¡¤History
of China
TIPS FOR SUCCEEDING ON YOUR CHINESE
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