China

Description of China

China is a large country located in the eastern area of Eurasia. It has a land mass of 3,706,581 square miles. It is the 3^rd largest country in terms of land mass falling behind Russia and Canada. From east to west it is 3231 miles and from north to south it is 3417.5 miles. Mohe of the Heilongjang Province is the northernmost point of the country and Sengmu Ansha of the Nansha Islands is the southernmost point. 

China has a profound history as it is an ancient country. It started in the eastern part of the Yellow River area. The civilization of the country is more than 5000 years old, which makes it one of the 4 ancient civilizations of the entire world this includes ancient Egypt, Babylon, and India. The Xia Dynasty is the first dynasty in the history of the country. The Xia Dynasty lasted from 2070 BC through 1600 BC. The last dynasty was the Qing Dynasty which lasted from 1644 through 1912. The best period was the Qin which lasted from 221 BC through 206 BC, Han which was from 206 BC to 220, Tang which lasted from 618 through 907, and the Ming Dynasty, which lasted from 1368 through 1644. During the thousands of years of feudal rulings the people of China have created brilliant art, culture, and science such as the 4 Great Inventions, paintings, poetry, and Chinese calligraphy. There have also been a great number of cultural relics including the Terra Cotta Warriors and the Great Wall that were left by ancestors and are not the treasures of the nation and a wonder of the world. 

The People’s Republic of China was founded by the communist party in the year 1949. The PRC is a multi-ethnic, unified country that consists of 56 nationalities that now live in 34 direct administrative regions. This includes 5 autonomous regions, 23 provinces, 2 special administrative regions, which are Macau and Hong Kong, and 4 directly governed cities, Chongqing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Beijing. The 55 minorities live mainly in Yunnan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Sichuan, Qinghai, Ningxia, Liaoning, Jilin, inner Mongolia, Hunan, Hubei, Heilongjiang, Hainan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Gansu, and Chongqing. 

China is the most populous country of the world with a population of more than 1.3 billion as of the end of 2007. This makes the population of China about 22 percent of the world. The eastern coastal areas of the country are the most populous. Around 94 percent of the population of the country lives in the southeast. This area covers about 43 percent of the land area. The other 6 percent of the Chinese population lives in the northwest area that makes up about 57 percent of the land area. 

The Opening up policy and other reforms have increased the strength of the country’s economy, technology, and science. The economy of the country has grown rapidly with the GDP increasing dramatically each year. The growth rate for the first part of the year 2008 reached 10.3. In the years 2005, 2008, 2011, and again in 2012, China launched Shenzhou-6 and 7 space crafts. Shenzhou-8 was unmanned and Shenzhou 9 carried 3 astronauts to outer space. 

The Olympiad was held in Beijing in August of 2008 and was extremely successful for the country. Many of the people of China are now living a fairly decent life and enjoy happiness in a stable and harmonious society.

Travelling to China 

When travelling to China there are many destinations from which to choose. The country is quite large and you will be able to choose from destinations that show off picturesque landscapes, are known for history, some areas that are economically prosperous, or those that offer colorful ethnic features.

Some of the more popular destinations when visiting china are Xian, Shanghai, and Beijing. These are the most famous Chinese cities. Beijing is the capital of China and the center of the economic, political, educational, and culture. Shanghai is well-developed and offers an extremely prosperous economy. Xian is the ancient capital of the country, as it was home to 13 dynasties. It boasts an abundance of historical heritage.

Some of the other places you may want to visit in China include Xinjiang, Tibet, Sanya, Jiuzhaigou, Lijiang, Guilin, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Both Guangzhou and Shenzhen are coastal cities that have been growing quickly. Suzhou and Hangzhou offer gorgeous water towns with a favorable climate, combined with beautiful gardens and lakes. Jiuzhaigou, Lijiang, and Guilin are famous for their unique natural scenery as well as their ethnic minority’s culture. Sanya, which is located in the Hainan Province, allows you the chance to enjoy wonderful tropical scenery. Tibet offers vast grasslands, high mountains, in combination with mysterious religious beliefs. The different ethnic minorities and historic relics located along the Silk Road attract many visitors to Xinjiang.

Mountain Climbing

There are some great mountains located in China including Mount Everest, which is the highest mountain in the world. The 5 sacred mountains which are Mount Taishan located in Shandong, Mount Huashan located in Shaanxi, Mount Songshan located in Henan, Mount Hengshan located in Hunan, and Mount Hengshan located in Anhui, and Mount Lushan located in Jiangxi are all worth visiting.

River Cruises

The longest river in China is the Yangtze River. Taking a cruise along this river offers a memorable experience. You will be able to get on a ship located at the Chaotianmen Port to start your cruise downstream. You can also choose to go upstream starting from Wuhan, Shanghai, or Chongqing.

Great Wall Hikes

You cannot visit China and skip the Great Wall. This is one of the most notable pieces of architecture in the world. You can find areas of the Great Wall in many cities throughout China including Liaoning, Tianjin, Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Ningxia, and Gansu. For a wonderful hiking tour of the Great Wall you can start in Hebei, Tianjin, and Beijing. The Shanhaiguan Pass located in Hebei, the Huangyaguan Great Wall located in Tianjin, and the Badaling Great Wall located in Beijing is all areas that simply must be seen while in the country.

Silk Road Adventures

For those interested in the history of the silk road, there is a silk road adventure waiting for you. You will start your trip in Xian as it was once the start of the silk road. You will go towards Gansu and then on to Xinjiang. During the visit you will find many great historical sites including the ruins of ancient kingdoms, tombs, and architectures. There are also museums along the way.

Ancient Towns

There are several ancient towns that you can visit throughout China as well. Many of these towns have ancient buildings that are extremely well-preserved. The people of the towns maintain an ancient lifestyle that is unique. Some of the notable ancient towns include Lijiang, Pingyao, Songpan, and Fenghuang.

Featured Tours

Perhaps one of the best ways to get the most out of your visit to China is to take a featured tour. You may want to take a featured tour of Yunnan or Guizhou. Both of these areas are inhabited by several ethnic minorities. Some of the must see areas of Yunnan include Dali, Kunming, Shangri-La, Xishuangbanna, and Lijiang. Areas that must be seen in Guizhou include Bijie, Tongren, Kaili, and Guiyang.

There are also featured tours of coastal cities of China. You may want to visit Xiamen, Qinhuangdao, Dalian, Weihai, or Yantai. 

Some facts about China

Gallery of China

China video guide

More information about China

Top cities of China