China is forever linked to its ancient civilization, friendly people, and many of the world’s most revered treasures, such as The Great Wall, Terra-Cotta Warriors & Horses and the Yangtze River. Today, one can also find spectacular architecture and towering skylines in Shanghai
and Beijing (site of the 2008 Summer Olympics), a wealth of luxury accommodations – and as always – exquisite cuisine.
Come and see why China is drawing millions of visitors from all over the world. And, why each and everyone of them returns home smiling
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA is the third largest country in the world in terms of area. It is situated in eastern Asia on the western shore of the Pacific Ocean, with an area of 9.6 million square kilometers. China's continental coastline extends for about 18,000 kilometers, and its vast sea surface is studded with more than 5,000 islands, of which Taiwan and Hainan are the largest. China has shared borders for centuries with Korea, the formerly Soviet Union, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Burma, Laos and Vietnam
Geography
China's land drops off in the escarpments eastward to the ocean, letting in humid air currents and leading many rivers eastward. Among the rivers totalling 220,000 kilometres in length in China; the Yangtze and the Yellow are the two major ones.
China has a diversity of land formations including mountains, hills, highlands, plains and basins. The highlands and hill regions account for 65 percent of the country's land mass. The highest mountain peak is Qomolangma (Everest), 8,848 metres above sea level; the lowest point is the Turpan Basin, 154 metres below sea level.
History
China, with a recorded history of 5,000 years, was one of the world's earliest civilizations. China was one of the countries where economic activity first developed. As early as 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, people in the Yellow River valley had already started farming and raising livestock. In the 21st century B.C., China established a slave society with the founding of the Xia Dynasty, thereby writing a finale to long years of primitive society.
In 221 B.C., Qin Shihuang established China's first centralized autocracy, the Qin Dynasty, thereby ushering Chinese history into feudalism, which endured in a succession of dynasties until the Opium War of 1840.
The Bourgeois Democratic Revolution of 1911 led by Sun Yat-sen toppled the rule of the Qing Dynasty, putting an end to more than 2,000 years of feudal monarchical system.
The People's Republic of China was founded on October 1st, 1949. Today, China is implementing reform and open polices, and has established a socialist market economy.
| Brief Chinese Chronology |
| Xia Dynasty |
21st century BC-16th century BC |
| Shang Dynasty |
16th century BC-1066 BC |
| Zhou Dynasty: Western Zhou |
1066 BC-771 BC |
 Eastern Zhou |
770 BC-476 BC |
| Spring and Autumn |
770 BC-221 BC |
| Qin Dynasty |
221 BC-206 BC |
| Han Dynasty: Western Han Dynasty |
206 BC-23 AD |
| Eastern Han Dynasty |
25-220 |
| The Three Kingdoms: Wei |
220-265 |
| Shu Han |
221-263 |
| Wu |
222-280 |
| Western Jin |
265-316 |
| Eastern Jin |
317-420 |
| Southern and Northern Dynasty: |
|
| Southern Dynasty |
420-589 |
| Northern Dynasty |
386-581 |
| Sui Dynasty |
581-618 |
| Tang Dynasty |
618-907 |
| The Five Dynasties |
907-960 |
| Sung Dynasty: Northern Sung |
960-1127 |
| Southern Sung |
1127-1279 |
| Liao Dynasty |
907-1125 |
| Western Xia Dynasty |
1032-1227 |
| Jin Dynasty |
1115-1234 |
| Yuan Dynasty |
1271-1368 |
| Ming Dynasty |
1368-1644 |
| Qing Dynasty |
1644-1911 |
| Republic of China (Guo Ming Dang) |
1912-1949 |
| The People's Republic of China |
1949-the present |
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