China (simplified Chinese: 中中; traditional Chinese: 中中; pinyin: Zhōngguó), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a sovereign state located in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population of over 1.35 billion. The PRC is a single-party state governed by the Chinese Communist Party, with its seat of government in the capital city of Beijing. [12] It exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, fourdirect-controlled municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Chongqing), and two mostly self-governing special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). The PRC also claims the territories governed by the Republic of China (ROC), a separate political entity commonly known as Taiwan, as a part of its territory, which includes theisland of Taiwan as Taiwan Province, Kinmen and Matsu as a part of Fujian Province and islands the ROC controls in the South China Sea as a part of Hainan Province. These claims are controversial due to the complex political status of Taiwan. [13] Covering approximately 9.6 million square kilometers, China is the world's second-largest country by land area, [14] and either the third or fourth-largest by total area, depending on the method of measurement. [i] China's landscape is vast and diverse, ranging from forest steppes and the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts in the arid north to subtropicalforests in the wetter south. The Himalaya, Karakoram, Pamir and Tian Shan mountain ranges separate China fromSouth and Central Asia. The Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, the third- and sixth-longest in the world, run from theTibetan Plateau to the densely populated eastern seaboard. China's coastline along the Pacific Ocean is 14,500 kilometres (9,000 mi) long, and is bounded by the Bohai, Yellow, East and South China Seas. The history of China goes back to its ancient civilization – one of the world's earliest – that flourished in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain. For millennia, China's political system was based on hereditary monarchies, known as dynasties, beginning with the semi-mythological Xia of the Yellow River basin (c. 2800 BCE). Since 221 BCE, when the Qin Dynasty first conquered several states to form a Chinese empire, the country has expanded, fractured and been reformed numerous times. The Republic of China (ROC) overthrew the last dynasty in 1911, and ruled the Chinese mainland until 1949. After the surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II, the Communist Party defeated the nationalist Kuomintang in mainland China and established the People's
China(simplified Chinese:;traditional Chinese:;pinyin:Zhnggu),
officially thePeople's Republic of China(PRC), is asovereign
statelocated inEast Asia. It is the world'smost populous country,
with a population of over 1.35billion. The PRC is asingle-party
stategoverned by theChinese Communist Party, with its seat of
government in the capital city ofBeijing.[12]It
exercisesjurisdictionover 22provinces, fiveautonomous regions,
fourdirect-controlled
municipalities(Beijing,Tianjin,ShanghaiandChongqing), and two
mostly self-governingspecial administrative regions(Hong
KongandMacau). The PRC also claimsthe territoriesgoverned by
theRepublic of China(ROC), a separate political entity commonly
known as Taiwan, as a part of its territory, which includes
theisland of TaiwanasTaiwan Province,KinmenandMatsuas a part
ofFujian Provinceand islands the ROC controls in theSouth China
Seaas a part ofHainan Province. These claims are controversial due
to the complexpolitical status of Taiwan.[13]Covering approximately
9.6million square kilometers, China is the world'ssecond-largest
country by land area,[14]and either thethird or fourth-largest by
total area, depending on the method of measurement.[i]China's
landscape is vast and diverse, ranging fromforest steppesand
theGobiandTaklamakandesertsin the arid north tosubtropicalforests
in the wetter south. TheHimalaya,Karakoram,PamirandTian
Shanmountain ranges separate China fromSouthandCentral Asia.
TheYangtzeandYellow Rivers, the third- and sixth-longest in the
world, run from theTibetan Plateauto the densely populated eastern
seaboard. China's coastline along the Pacific Ocean is 14,500
kilometres (9,000mi) long, and is bounded by
theBohai,Yellow,EastandSouth China Seas.Thehistory of Chinagoes
back to its ancient civilization one of the world's earliest that
flourished in the fertile basin of theYellow Riverin theNorth China
Plain. For millennia, China's political system was based on
hereditary monarchies, known asdynasties, beginning with the
semi-mythologicalXiaof the Yellow River basin (c. 2800 BCE). Since
221 BCE, when theQin Dynastyfirst conquered several states to form
a Chinese empire, the country has expanded, fractured and been
reformed numerous times. TheRepublic of China(ROC) overthrew
thelast dynastyin 1911, and ruled theChinese mainlanduntil 1949.
After the surrender of theEmpire of JapaninWorld War II, the
Communist Party defeated the nationalistKuomintangin mainland China
and established the People's Republic of China in Beijing on 1
October 1949, while the Kuomintang relocated the ROC government to
its present capital ofTaipei.
