General Facts

• Capital City:  Beijing
• National Flag:  5 yellow stars are embedded in a red background. The ratio of height to width is 2:3.
• National Anthem:  "March of the Volunteers"
• National Day:  October 1st; the nation was founded in 1949.
• Current President:  Hu Jintao
• Current Premier:  Wen Jiabao
• Location and Size:  China is located in the Far East section of Asia and borders the Pacific Ocean to the East. It is 9.6 million square km in size, which is 3rd in the world. Its largest city is Shanghai.
• Currency and Exchange Rate:  China uses the currency renminbi(RMB) yuan. Approximately 8.3 yuan is equivalent to one U.S. dollar.
• Measurement system:  As many other countries do, China also uses the metric system.
• Topography and Natural Features:  About one third of China's landmass is dominated by mountains, most of which are found in the Western portion. China emcompasses one of the greatest and tallest mountain ranges in the world, the Himalayas. There are seven peaks over 7,000 meters high, including the world's tallest, Mount Everest, at 8,848 meters above sea level. Along with the giant peaks are the quiet, meandering rivers that add a whole new dimension to China's landscape. The Yangtze River is the third longest river in the world behind the Nile and Amazon at 6,300 km in length. China's second longest river, the Yellow River, measures 5,464 km. China has a myriad of islands, over 5,400, Taiwan being the largest(about 36,000 square km), and Hainan the second largest(about 34,000 square km). Although the country stretches from the frigid climatical zones of the North to the tropical zones of the South, most of the country is in the temperate zone. China is home to a diverse collection of wildlife, inlcuding more than 100 rare species of the world. Among these are the giant panda, the golden monkey, the white-lipped deer, the South China Tiger, and the Chinese alligator. China also has a varied assortment of plants, including about 32,000 species.
• Population:  As of November 1, 2001, there were 1,295.33 million people residing in China, and the average population growth per year is 1.07 percent. The life expectancy is 71 years old. There are 56 ethnic groups in China, most of which have their own spoken language.
• Public Holidays: 
  • New Year's Day(January 1)
  • Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year(Late February to March)
  • International Labor Day(May 1)
  • National Day(October 1)