Geography, History, Politics, and Culture

Eastern Hemisphere Continent – Asia Land Area – 9,326,410 square Kilometers

(slightly smaller than the United States) Land Borders – North Korea, Vietnam, Laos,

Nepal, Pakistan, Burma, Russia, Bhutta, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan

Natural Borders – Yellow Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea, Korea Bay

Major Rivers – Yellow, Yangtze, Mekong

Human Population – 1,321,851,888 (July 07) Largest country in population and forth

largest in land area on Earth Climate – Tropical in South and Subarctic in

North Highest Elevation – Mt. Everest (between

China and Nepal) 8850 meters Terrain – Mostly mountains, high plateaus,

deserts in the west and deltas in the east

Natural Hazards – Frequent typhoons, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes

Environmental Issues – Air pollution, desertification, trade in endangered species, depletion of natural resources

Chinese Government Headquarters

Official Name – People’s Republic of China Capital - Beijing Ruling Government - Communism Head of Government - Premier Wen Jiabo Chief of State – President Hu Jintao Elections – President and Vice President are

elected by the People’s Republic Congress to a five year term, the Premier is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Congress

Gross National Product - $7.043 trillion Poverty Rate – 8% of population below

poverty level Exports – Electrical products, machinery,

data processing equipment, textiles, steel, and mobile phones

Imports – Medical Equipment, copper, oil, LED screens, machinery, organic chemicals

Currency – Renminbi (RMB)

People’s Liberation Army Army – 2.3 million soldiers Navy – 250,000 sailors, 63 submarines, 18

destroyers, 35 frigates Air Force – 470,000 pilots

Army

Navy

Air Force

One of the world’s oldest civilizations Inhabited by Homo Erectus more than one

million years ago Turtle shells with Chinese writing from the

Shang Dynasty have been carbon dated to 1500 B.C

Civilization began with city-states in the Yellow River Valley

221 B.C. is accepted to be the year China became a unified empire

Qin Shi Huang first united China

Yellow River Valley

Qin Shi Huang

Huang’s Terracotta Army

The overland route used by Marco Polo and his father to travel to China.

His first visit to China was in 1271. He returned to Italy with ivory, jade, silk,

and porcelain. He also told of the Chinese use of paper money, compasses,

and coal.

Buddhism Taoism Islam Catholicism Protestantism The first three are most predominant

Traditional or historical

Yellow Bird – artist:

Unknown

Ming Vase

Chinese calligraphy is the writing style. Many books were burned in 213 B.C at the

command of Qin Shi Huang.

Confucius – Wise and accepted philosopher known for originating many Chinese Proverbs that are still used today.

To define the future, study the past.Respect yourself if you want others to respect you.

Chinese New Year - Based on a twelve year lunar cycle with each year represented by a particular animal.

Weddings Dragon Festival

Automobiles Boats Bicycles

Housing Fashion Toilets

Paper Paper money Compass Gunpowder Fireworks Parasol Parachute Wood Block Printing

Original Wall was built around 2500 years ago by Qin Shi Huang.

The wall was built to protect the borders of Northern China around 700 B.C. from invaders like the Huns and Mongols.

The original length was around 2800 miles long, 25 feet high, and 30 feet thick.

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) enlarged the wall to more than 4000 miles in length with watch towers and canons as it is today.

The Great Wall is the only manmade structure on Earth than can be seen from the moon with the naked eye.

It is considered to be one of the seven wonders of the world.