Asia · Eastern Asia
People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国)
China is one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations with over 5,000 years of recorded history. Spanning vast climatic zones from the Himalayan peaks to the Pacific coast, China is a global superpower in manufacturing, technology, high-speed rail, and cultural heritage.
Guangdong
Province · Guangzhou
Jiangsu
Province · Nanjing
Shandong
Province · Jinan
Sichuan
Province · Chengdu
Zhejiang
Province · Hangzhou
Beijing
Direct-Administered Municipality · Beijing
Shanghai
Direct-Administered Municipality · Shanghai
Xinjiang
Autonomous Region · Ürümqi
Tibet
Autonomous Region · Lhasa
Shanghai
Population: 24,870,000
Global financial hub and world's busiest container seaport
Beijing
Population: 21,890,000
National political and cultural capital housing the Forbidden City
Guangzhou
Population: 18,670,000
Major commercial hub of the Pearl River Delta
Shenzhen
Population: 17,560,000
Global technology and innovation metropolis bordering Hong Kong
China is the third or fourth largest country by area. It features the Tibetan Plateau (the 'Roof of the World'), the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts, and major river systems including the Yangtze and Yellow River. It borders 14 sovereign nations.
Ranges from subarctic in northern Heilongjiang to tropical in southern Hainan. Monsoons dominate eastern weather patterns, bringing heavy summer rainfall.
Great Wall of China
Northern China
Iconic ancient defensive fortification spanning over 21,000 kilometers
Forbidden City
Beijing
Imperial palace complex that served as the home of 24 emperors
Terracotta Army
Xi'an
Thousands of life-sized terracotta soldiers guarding Emperor Qin Shi Huang's tomb
Potala Palace
Lhasa, Tibet
Historic fortress and sacred Tibetan Buddhist palace
China uses a single official time zone (UTC+8) despite spanning five geographical time zones.
China has the world's longest high-speed railway network, spanning over 45,000 km.
The Yangtze River is the longest river entirely within a single country.
Paper, printing, gunpowder, and the compass were invented in ancient China.
China spans five geographical time zones but officially uses only one (UTC+8).
Although mainland China spans approximately 5,000 kilometers from east to west across five solar time zones, the entire country has officially observed a single standard time — Beijing Time (UTC+8) — since 1949. In far western Xinjiang, the sun may not rise until 10:00 AM in winter.
China borders 14 sovereign nations, tied for the world record with Russia.
China shares land borders with 14 neighboring countries: North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam.
Japan's 47 prefectures are the result of centuries of political evolution, from feudal domains to modern administrative regions. Understanding why Japan uses this system reveals much about the country's history and governance.
Rivers are the lifeblood of human civilization and the primary sculptors of Earth's continents. Explore the five longest river systems, their ecological significance, and the debate over the world's longest waterway.
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Last updated: 2024-03-01