The People’s Republic of China is a large country in East Asia and the most populous country in the world. It borders Russia, Mongolia, India, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Bhutan, Nepal, North Korea and Pakistan.

China has been inhabited by ancient civilisations since prehistoric time, but the first written accounts mention that the Xia Dynasty date back 4000 years. This was followed by a succession of dynasties including the Shang, Zhou and Qin Dynasty. The latter was the first to rule over a united imperial China and laid the foundations to the Great Wall of China in approximately 200 B.C. This was followed by the Han Dynasty, which crumpled in 9 A.D. and resulted in a millennia long period of turmoil and war ending with a Mongolian invasion of China. The Mongolians were finally defeated and replaced by the Ming Dynasty in 1368, which was followed by the Qing Dynasty in 1644. During the 19th century, Qing control weakened. China suffered massive social strife, economic stagnation, and increased Western involvement including the destructive trade in opium and the new influence of missionary work. This led to the occupation of parts of Chinese territory by the British Empire.

After World War I, civil war between nationalists and communists resulted in the long march in 1934, where the red army under the emerging leadership of Mao Zedong retreated and regrouped. There was an uneasy ceasefire during the Japanese invasion of China in relation to World War II, where both parties fought against the Japanese. In 1949 the socialists defeated the nationalists who fled to Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China was formed. Since the end of the Cold War, China has emerged as a growing economical and military power.

Inhabitants: 1,300,000,000
Area: 9,600,000 km2
Capital: Beijing (7,500,000 inhabitants, largest city is Shanghai with 9,800,00 inhabitants)
Languages: Chinese (Mandarin)
Religion: Non-believers (88%), Buddhism (8%), Muslim 2%, Daoism/Taoism (1%), others (1%)
GDP (PPP) per capita: $7,700
Government: Government Socialist Republic
Climate: Dominated by dry seasons and wet monsoons, which lead to clear temperature differences in winter and summer. The South has a mostly subtropical climate, while the northern regions have a temperate climate.