China
China is the world's most populous country with about 1.3 billion people—20 percent of the Earth's population. Occupying most of East Asia, it is the fourth largest country in area (after Russia, Canada, and the U.S.). China's geography is highly diverse, with hills, plains, and river deltas in the east and deserts, high plateaus, and mountains in the west. Climate is equally varied, ranging from tropical in the south (Hainan) to subarctic in northeastern China (Manchuria). China's geography causes an uneven population distribution; 94 percent live in the eastern third of the country. Shandong province, with its mild coastal climate, has 91 million people, but Tibet, with its harsh mountain plateau climate, has only 2.6 million. The coastal regions are the most economically developed—acting as a magnet for an estimated 90 million Chinese migrants from the poor rural interior. China has perhaps the world's longest continuous civilization; for more than 40 centuries its people created a culture with strong philosophies, traditions, and values.
| Capital: | Beijing |
| Government type: | Democratic Republic |
| Population: | 1,288,679,000 (July 2005 est.) |
| Languages: | Mandarin, Cantonese, Wu and other dialects |
| Official Currency: | Yuan Currency Exchange Rates |
| Climate: | tropical in the south; arctic cold in northeast; |
| Independence Day: | 1 October 1949 |
| Religion: | Taoists, Buddhist, Muslim |
| Area: | total: 9,596,960 sq km |
| Country Dial Code: | 86 |

