People's Republic of China · Eastern Asia
View on the interactive map →| Capital | Beijing |
|---|---|
| Population | 1.39 billion |
| Area | 9,706,961 km² (3,747,877 mi²) |
| Official language(s) | Chinese |
| Currency | Chinese yuan (¥) |
| Region | Asia |
| Subregion | Eastern Asia |
| Continent | Asia |
| Demonym | Chinese |
| Calling code | +86 |
| Time zone | Asia/Shanghai |
| Government type | Unitary one-party socialist republic |
|---|---|
| Major political parties | Communist Party of China (ruling) |
| Major religions | Folk religion & Buddhism, Unaffiliated (large), Taoism, Islam, Christianity |
| Important cities | Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing |
Independence / founding: People's Republic proclaimed 1 October 1949
One of the world's oldest continuous civilisations, China was ruled by dynasties for millennia until the empire fell in 1912. After civil war, the Communist Party founded the People's Republic in 1949. Market reforms from 1978 lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty and made China the world's second-largest economy.
| National animal / bird | Giant panda |
|---|---|
| National dish | Peking duck, dumplings, hot pot |
| Music | Traditional (guqin, erhu); Mandopop |
| National sport | Table tennis |