China
in Eastern Asia
Asia

Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Yuan Renminbi - CNY
Spoken languages:
Chinese, Uighur, Zhuang
Local electricity:
220 V - 50 Hz (plugs: A, C, I)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
900 MHz, 3G, 4G
ISO 2-Letter code:
CN
Internet top level domain:
.cn
Country phone prefix:
+86
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for China in Eastern Asia

Safety Score: 3,4 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning please reconsider your need to travel to China.

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning China. Last Update: 2024-03-18 07:26:14

Explore China

China with its capital Beijing is located in Asia (Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea). It covers some 9,596,961 square kilometers (slightly smaller than the US) with a population of 1,379,300,000. Chinese, Uighur and Zhuang are the languages spoken by people in China (consider regional differences). Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Vietnam are bordering countries.

China is a vast country in Eastern Asia with the world's largest population. For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. Paper, gunpowder, the compass or printing. China is a one-party authoritarian state ruled by the Communist Party of China. The government consists of an executive branch known as the State Council. China is a very diverse place with large variations in culture, language, customs and economic levels. China is a huge country with endless and affordable travel opportunities. During holidays, however, millions of migrant workers return home and millions of other Chinese travel within the country. Travelers may want to seriously consider scheduling to avoid being on the road or air during the major holidays. Generally International Driving Permits are not recognized, which doesn't allows foreigners to drive in China without a Chinese license. China's attractions are endless and you will never run out of things to see. Especially near the coastal areas, if you run out of things to see in one city, the next one is usually just a short train ride away. If you are planning to spend a longer time in China then you may want to consider learning some of the traditional arts. Food in China varies widely from region to region so the term Chinese food is pretty much a blanket term, just like Western food. While visiting, relax your inhibitions and try a bit of everything. Although you may hear locals complain about increasing crime rate, violent crime remains low. Many tourists will more likely feel safer in China than in their home country.

Popular Destinations in China

Administrative regions of China

About the country

The terrain is mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west having plains, deltas, and hills in east. The average density of population is about 144 per km². The climate in China can be described as extremely diverse with tropical in south to subarctic in north. Possible natural disasters include China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries, damaging floods, droughts, earthquakes, frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts), land subsidence and tsunamis.

To reach someone China dial +86 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".cn". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 220 V - 50 Hz (plugs: A, C, I). The sign for the locally used currency Yuan Renminbi is CNY.

Red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner; the color red represents revolution, while the stars symbolize the four social classes - the working class, the peasantry, the urban petty bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie (capitalists) - united under the Communist Party of China.

Flag of China

For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, MAO's successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight. Since the early 1990s, China has increased its global outreach and participation in international organizations.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 5) 9,596,960sq km
Land (World Rank: 3) 9,326,410sq km
Water (World Rank: 5) 270,550sq km
Forest (World Rank: 32) 41.80%
Comparative slightly smaller than the US
Coastline
14500
Landborder
22457
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 70) -154m
Highest point (World Rank: 2) 8,848m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 59) 54.70%
Arable (World Rank: 100) 11.30%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 102) 1.60%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 32) 41.80%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 1) 690,070sq km
Map reference
Asia
Environment
Issues
  • - air pollution (greenhouse gases
  • - and aquaculture
  • - China is the world's largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels
  • - coastal destruction due to land reclamation
  • - deforestation and habitat destruction
  • - droughts
  • - dust storms and desertification
  • - floods
  • - industrial development
  • - landslides
  • - particularly in the north
  • - poor land management leads to soil erosion
  • - sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal produces acid rain
  • - trade in endangered species
  • - water pollution from untreated wastes
  • - water shortages
Agreement party
  • - Antarctic Treaty
  • - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
  • - Biodiversity
  • - Climate Change
  • - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
  • - Desertification
  • - Endangered Species
  • - Environmental Modification
  • - Hazardous Wastes
  • - Law of the Sea
  • - Marine Dumping
  • - Ozone Layer Protection
  • - Ship Pollution
  • - Tropical Timber 83
  • - Tropical Timber 94
  • - Wetlands
  • - Whaling
Hazzards
  • - China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries
  • - damaging floods
  • - droughts
  • - earthquakes
  • - frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts)
  • - land subsidence
  • - tsunamis
Location
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Climate
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north
Terrain
mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 1) 1,379,300,000
Deathrate (World Rank: 100) 0.78%
Birthrate (World Rank: 159) 1.23%
Growthrate (World Rank: 159) 0.41%
Migration rate (World Rank: 86) -0.04%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 180) 1.60%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 63) 36.50
Female (World Rank: 65) 38.40
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 2) 127,484,000
0 14 female (World Rank: 2) 109,113,000
15 24 male (World Rank: 2) 94,215,600
15 24 female (World Rank: 2) 82,050,600
25 54 male (World Rank: 1) 341,466,000
25 54 female (World Rank: 1) 327,661,000
55 64 male (World Rank: 1) 74,771,000
55 64 female (World Rank: 1) 73,441,200
65 x male (World Rank: 1) 71,103,000
65 x female (World Rank: 1) 77,996,000
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 120) 1.20%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 98) 76years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 110) 78years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 87) 74years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 96) 1.49
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 55) 3.80
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 131) 76.50%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 169) 6.20%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 107) 95.50%

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 1) 6,142,000,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 1) 5,920,000,000,000kWh
Export (World Rank: 10) 18,910,000,000kWh
Import (World Rank: 33) 6,185,000,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 118) 64.00%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 137) 2.00%
Source renew (World Rank: 51) 13.70%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 6) 3,981,000bbl / day
Exports (World Rank: 47) 32,000bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 2) 6,167,000bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 13) 25,620,000,000bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 2) 10,850,000bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 2) 11,750,000bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 9) 709,900bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 5) 971,900bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 6) 138,400,000,000
Consumption (World Rank: 5) 210,300,000,000
Export (World Rank: 34) 3,243,000,000
Import (World Rank: 45) 0
Carbon footprint
9135000000

Nation

Budget
Military (World Rank: 51) 2% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 128) 6% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 127) -4% of GDP
National symbol
giant panda
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Chinese
Noun
Chinese (singular and plural)
Background
For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, MAO's successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight. Since the early 1990s, China has increased its global outreach and participation in international organizations.
Flag description
red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner; the color red represents revolution, while the stars symbolize the four social classes - the working class, the peasantry, the urban petty bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie (capitalists) - united under the Communist Party of China

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 1) 21,290,000,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 18) 6.70%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 104) 15,400USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 99) 8.60%
Source industry (World Rank: 23) 39.80%
Source service (World Rank: 167) 51.60%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 1) 807,100,000
In poverty (World Rank: 167) 3.30%
Products
Industries
  • - aircraft
  • - aluminum
  • - apparel
  • - armaments
  • - cement
  • - chemicals
  • - coal
  • - commercial space launch vehicles
  • - consumer products including footwear
  • - electronics
  • - fertilizer
  • - food processing
  • - including automobiles
  • - iron
  • - locomotives
  • - machine building
  • - mining
  • - ore processing
  • - other metals
  • - petroleum
  • - railcars
  • - satellites
  • - ships
  • - steel
  • - telecommunications equipment
  • - textiles
  • - toys
  • - transportation equipment
Agriculture
  • - apples
  • - corn
  • - cotton
  • - eggs
  • - fish
  • - mutton
  • - peanuts
  • - pork
  • - potatoes
  • - rice
  • - shrimp
  • - tea
  • - tobacco
  • - wheat
Exports
  • - apparel
  • - computers
  • - electrical
  • - furniture
  • - other machinery
  • - telecommunications equipment
  • - textiles
Imports
  • - electrical
  • - integrated circuits
  • - medical equipment
  • - metal ores
  • - mineral fuels
  • - motor vehicles
  • - oil
  • - optical
  • - other computer components
  • - other machinery
  • - soybeans

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 1) 206,624,000
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 118) 15.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 136) 99.00
Assessment 0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 1) 730,724,000
Population (World Rank: 115) 53.20%

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 5) 463
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 63) 44.00
Heliports (World Rank: 6) 47.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 2) 124,000
Road
Total length (World Rank: 3) 4,577,300
Paved length (World Rank: 2) 4,046,300
Unpaved length (World Rank: 5) 531,000
Water
Total length (World Rank: 1) 110,000