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Thanks to the Reform and Opening-Up Policy, China is undoubtedly now a rising star in economy, science and technology. Currently, China's economy has been growing rapidly, with the GDP dramatically increasing year by year.In 2005 and 2008, China successfully launched the Shenzhou-6 and Shenzhou-7 manned spacecraft and the unmannned spacecraft, Shenzhou-8 will be launched in 2011. In August, 2008, the XXIX Olympiad was successfully held in China's capital Beijing.
 
Founded in 1949 by the Communist Party of China, the People's Republic of China (PRC) is a unified multi-ethnic country. 56 nationalities are now living in 34 direct administrative regions including 23 provinces, five autonomous regions, four directly-governed city regions–Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing, and two special administrative regions (SAR)–Hong Kong and Macau. The 55 ethnic minorities mainly live in Chongqing, Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Heilongjiang, Hubei, Hunan, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Ningxia, Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet, Xinjiang and Yunnan. China is also the most populous country in the world with population of over 1.3 billion, making up 22% of the world population. Almost 94 % of Chinese people live in the Southeast China which covers 43 percent of China's land area; while the other six percent people live in the northwestern areas which cover 57 percent of China's territory.
 
China is an ancient country famous for its long-standing history. Originated in the eastern area of the Yellow River Region, China's civilization can be traced back to over 5,000 years and was considered one of four ancient civilizations of the world, along with the ones of the ancient Babylon, the ancient Egypt and the ancient India. The first dynasty of Chinese history started from the Xia Dynasty (2070 BC-1600 BC) and the last one was the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), while the most glorious period were the Qin (221BC-206BC), Han (206BC-220), Tang (618-907) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties. During thousands of years of feudal age, Chinese people have created brilliant science and culture, like Four Great Inventions(paper, printing, the compass and gunpowder), Chinese poetry, paintings and Chinese calligraphy. Meanwhile the Chinese are blessed with incredible historical and cultural heritages such as Great Wall and Terra Cotta Warriors, which have become not only the national treasures but also the wonder of the world.
 
Checking out the world map, you can easily find that China is a large country located at the eastern part of Eurasia and the western coast of the Pacific Ocean. Covering an area of 3,706,581 square miles (9,600,000 square kilometers), China is the third largest of the world, inferior to Russia and Canada. It is 3,231 miles long from east to west and 3,417.5 miles long from north to south. With the entire territory shaping like a rooster, China's northernmost end reaches Mohe in Heilongjiang Province; the southernmost is at Zengmu Ansha in Nansha Islands, the easternmost at conjunction of Heilongjiang River and the Wusuli River, while the western at the Pamirs.
 
You can find more detailed introduction of China travel guide and China city guide under relevant catagories. Email us about what you want to know about China, and we appreciate your support and valuable advices.