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China Map: Practical Information and Country Overview

What You Need to Know About China

China is an Asian country located in the East of the continent. Indeed, it is officially called the People’s Republic of China. With an area of 9 million 600 thousand km2, its population is the highest in the world, approximately 1.4 billion inhabitants.

This translates to a density of 145 inhabitants per km2. Moreover, it is the 3rd largest country in the world, subdivided into 23 provinces. The capital of the country is Beijing and its largest city is Shanghai. The telephone codes in China are 86 (0086 or +86) in mainland China, 852 (00852 or +852) in Hong Kong, and 853 (00853 or +853) in Macau.

Which countries border it?

The neighboring countries of China are:

Its neighbors across the sea are

Population of China

The Chinese population, although numerous, is aging due to the one-child policy. Indeed, the latest United Nations estimates state that the Chinese population numbers 1.294 billion inhabitants. It is the highest population in the world.

This population is mostly composed of Han Chinese at 91.51%, the rest being ethnic minorities at 0.59%. The annual population growth rate in China is 0.59%, the birth rate is 11.673 ‰ and the mortality rate is 7.261 ‰. The life expectancy of a Chinese person at birth is 76.5 years, and the male/female ratio is 114%.

What are the colors of the country?

Adopted in 1949, the Chinese flag is one of the oldest in Asia. Indeed, it appears as follows:

A red background on which five stars are arranged. The largest star is bordered by the four smaller ones. The red signifies a united Chinese people or, according to some sources, represents the communist aspect of the country. The stars, on the other hand, represent the communist party.

What are the best cities to visit in China

Beijing

Capital and second most populous urban area in China, the city of Beijing is also a tourist destination. It is a unique city because of its fidelity to culture and as the Chinese economic center. Beijing became famous because of its imperial palace (Forbidden City). There is also, in the city center, the Temple of Heaven, Tian’anmen Square, and the public square. You can also visit the Beijing Observatory, still operational today.

What also makes Beijing unique is its national stadium, also called the “Bird’s Nest.” Beijing is also the place where many festivities and cultural and sporting events take place. It is also the starting point for exploring the Great Wall of China.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is an impressive city and the busiest in China. It is the only city that combines ancient Chinese culture and the new. It is a modernized city with in the city center: banks, luxury hotels, and high-tech shops. There are also many restaurants that will allow you to taste the country’s specialties.

Tourists can board the Star Ferry for a tour on the city’s inland waters. You can also use the cable car to go up to Victoria Peak, from which you will have a panoramic view of all Hong Kong.

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest urban area in the country and the most active city. Indeed, you will see several attractions such as popular museums and galleries. They are thus popular among tourists from around the world. Among these museums is the Shanghai China Art Museum. Shanghai also has several nature reserves, temples, and pagodas reflecting Chinese culture.

If you pass through the city, don’t forget to stroll along the Huangpujiang Riverbank, which will allow you to discover the famous European architectures. There is also the Garden of Happiness, surrounded by several buildings dating from World War II.

Finally, it is the only city in the world with a TV and radio tower reaching 468m. Moreover, there is the most famous science museum in the world called the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum.

Where are the cities located on the China map

Beijing

On the map of China, the capital is located in the Northeast section, alongside Hebei province and the municipality of Tianjin. Geographic coordinates: 39° 54′ 13″ north, 116° 23′ 15″ east.

Hong Kong

On the map of China, the city of Hong Kong is located right in the center of the continent. Geographic coordinates: 22° 17′ north, 114° 10′ east

Shanghai

On the map of China, the city of Shanghai is located in the eastern section of the country. Geographic coordinates: 31° 13′ 56″ north, 121° 28′ 09″ east

Climate map of China

The climate of China is very diverse due to its vast territory. Indeed, the regions each have a specific climate as we will see.

The northern section of the country: this area experiences very low temperatures dropping below 0°C during winter. This season is strongly influenced by cold waves coming from Siberia. On the other hand, summer is quite warm and influenced by southern winds bringing temperatures to exceed 30°C.

The Southern section of China: Cities located in this part of the country experience the monsoon in summer which brings significant afternoon rainfall but also heat waves. Rainfall during the summer months ranges between 233 and 276 mm.

The South section is also heavily influenced by the monsoon during summer and typhoons between May and December. Typhoons are winds that can reach up to 200 km/h; they can bring heavy rains and violent storms. Temperatures in the capital in summer hover around 40°C with nighttime temperatures around 20°C. This season generally occurs between July and August.

Western section: this part of the country is known for having very hot temperatures in summer and very harsh winters. In the middle of winter, temperatures hover around -11°C and between 30 and 35°C in summer. As altitude increases, especially in the Tibetan mountains, summer is rainy and winter is colder.

Economic map of China

China is one of the few countries to adopt a mixed socialist exchange economy. It is a system where the State plays an important role in the industrial sector and the country’s companies. This applies regardless of whether the company is foreign or local. Indeed, state-owned enterprises generate added values of around 40% and represent more than 60% of China’s national GDP. Thus, before Covid-19, company assets reached more than 78.08 trillion USD.

Trade, services, and international investments amount to 1,600 billion USD, representing 30% of GDP and providing more than a quarter of jobs across all sectors combined. Currently, China ranks second among the world’s largest economic powers. Its GDP is expected to surpass that of the USA in a few years to become the world’s leading economic power. Here are some economic indicators of China:

  • Official currency: Renminbi Yuan (CN ¥)
  • Nominal GDP: 15.2 trillion USD
  • GDP (PPP): 24.2 trillion USD
  • GDP rank: 2nd
  • Annual GDP growth rate: 6.6%
  • GDP per capita: 10,839 USD
  • Annual inflation rate: 2.9%
  • Value added from exports: 2.5 trillion USD

Administrative and demolinguistic data

Administrative subdivisions

China has administrative divisions arranged at three levels. The first being the province, the second: the county, and the last: the township. China is primarily divided into provinces, subsequently into autonomous regions, and finally into municipalities. These three levels are directly governed by the government, and the last level is divided into ethnic townships and villages.

Here is the list of provinces of China (34)

  • Beijing Municipality
  • Tianjin Municipality
  • Shanghai Municipality
  • Chongqing Municipality
  • Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
  • Guangxi Autonomous Region
  • Tibet Autonomous Region
  • Ningxia Autonomous Region
  • Xinjiang Autonomous Region
  • Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
  • Macao Special Administrative Region
  • Anhui
  • Fujian
  • Gansu
  • Guangdong
  • Guizhou
  • Hainan
  • Hebei
  • Heilongjiang
  • Henan
  • Hubei
  • Hunan
  • Jiangsu
  • Jiangxi
  • Jilin
  • Liaoning
  • Qinghai
  • Shaanxi
  • Shandong
  • Shanxi
  • Taiwan
  • Sichuan
  • Yunnan
  • Zhejiang

Demolinguistic Data

The ethnic majority in China is the Han, who are a people native to Chinese territory since always. They are of two types and two different speech forms as follows:

  • The Han who speak Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua) represent 67% of the country’s population.
  • The Han who speak dialectal varieties and represent 27% of the population. Here are the dialects:
    • Wu
    • Cantonese
    • Min
    • Xiang
    • Hakka
    • Gan

There are also non-Han speakers, that is to say, those who do not speak Chinese and who represent 8% of the country’s population. However, there are also the Hui and the Jing who are ethnic minorities but Sinophone, that is to say, Chinese-speaking.

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