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China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the world's second-most populous country after India and contains 17.4% of the world population. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and borders fourteen countries by land.
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China, the largest of all Asian countries, occupies nearly the entire East Asian landmass and covers approximately one-fourteenth of the land area of Earth, making it almost as large as the whole of Europe.
What are the major ethnic groups in China?
China, which has the largest population of any country in the world, is composed of diverse ethnic and linguistic groups. The Han are the largest group in China, while the Zhuang is the largest minority group. In some areas of China, especially in the southwest, many different ethnic groups are geographically intermixed, including Buyi, Miao, Dong, Tibetans, Mongolians, and others.
Does China have an official language?
The official language of China is Mandarin, or putonghua, meaning “ordinary language” or “common language.” There are three variants of Mandarin—Beijing, Chengdu, and Nanjing. Of these, the Beijing dialect is the most widespread Chinese tongue and has officially been adopted as the basis for the national language.
How long has China existed as a discrete politico-cultural unit?
China stretches for about 3,250 miles (5,250 km) from east to west and 3,400 miles (5,500 km) from north to south. Its land frontier is about 12,400 miles (20,000 km) in length, and its coastline extends for some 8,700 miles (14,000 km). The country is bounded by Mongolia to the north; Russia and North Korea to the northeast; the Yellow Sea and the...
Apr 8, 2011 · China is one of the world's most populous countries. It has a continuous culture stretching back nearly 4,000 years and originated many of the foundations of the modern world.
Get all the latest news, live updates and content about China from across the BBC.
View the latest China news and videos, including politics, travel and business headlines.
May 9, 2024 · A survey of important events and people in the history of China from ancient times to the present. Occupying nearly the entire East Asian landmass, China covers approximately one-fourteenth of the land area of Earth, and it is almost as large as the whole of Europe.
China's historical civilization dates to at least the 13th century B.C., first under the Shang (to 1046 B.C.) and then the Zhou (1046-221 B.C.) dynasties. The imperial era of China began in 221 B.C. under the Qin Dynasty and lasted until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912.
