China Geography

Located in Southeast Asia along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean, China is the world's third

China Geography Map

largest country, after Russia and Canada. With an area of 9.6 million square kilometers and a
coastline of 18,000 kilometers, its shape on the map is like a rooster. It reaches Mohe in
Heilongjiang Province as its northern end, Zengmu Ansha (or James Shoal) to the south, Pamirs
to the west, and expands to the eastern border at the conjunction of the Heilongjiang (Amur)
River and the Wusuli (Ussuri) River, spanning about 50 degrees of latitude and 62 degrees of
longitude. China is bordered by 14 countries -- Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, India, Bhutan,
Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakstan, Mongolia, and Russia. Marineside neighbors include eight countries -- North Korea, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Brunei,
Indonesia,
Malaysia
and
Vietnam.

Physical Features
The vast land expanses of China include plateaus, plains, basins, foothills, and mountains.
Defining rugged plateaus, foothills and mountains as mountainous, they occupy nearly twothirds of the land, higher in the West and lower in the East like a three-step ladder.
The highest step of the typical 'ladder topography' is formed by the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at the
average height of over 4,000 meters, with the Kunlunshan range, Qilianshan range and
Hengduan mountain chain as the division between this step and the second one. The highest peak
in the world, Everest, at 8844.43 meters high is known as 'the Roof of the World'.
On the second step are large basins and plateaus, most of which are 1,000 - 2,000 meters high.
The Daxing'an, Taihang, Wu and Xuefeng Mountains divide this step and the next lower one.
Plateaus including Inner Mongolian, Loess, Yungui Plateaus, and basins such as Tarim, Junggar,
and Sichuan Basins are situated here.
The third step, abundant in broad plains, is dotted with the foothills and lower mountains, with
altitudes of over 500 meters. Here are located famous plains: the Northeast, the North China, and
the Middle-Lower Yangtze Plains, neighboring with each other from north to south. These wellcultivated
and
fertile
lands
produce
abundant
crops.

Regional Divisions

Although the physical features are as described, people tend to divide China into four regions,
that is, the North, South, Northwest and the Qinghai-Tibetan areas. Because of geographical
differences, residents of each region have distinctive life styles and customs.

The North and South regions are located in the Eastern monsoon area and are divided by the Qin
Mountains-Huai River. Nearly 95 percent of the Chinese population lives here. The other two
regions, the Northwest and Qinghai-Tibetan regions that occupy 55 percent of the land, have
fewer
people,
although
most
of
the
ethnic
groups
cluster
there.

Rivers and Lakes

China has numerous rivers and lakes. According to statistics, more than 50,000 rivers have
drainage areas that exceed 100 square kilometers; more than 1,500 exceed 1,000 square
kilometers. These rivers can also be classified as exterior and interior rivers. The Yangtze, the
longest in China and even in Asia, is the third-longest in the world. The Yellow River, 'Mother
River of the Chinese People', is just behind the Yangtze, both flowing into the Pacific Ocean. The
Yarlung Zangbo River belongs to the Indian Ocean water system, and the Irtysh River to the
Arctic Ocean. On the other side, the interior rivers drain less area than the exterior ones.

Yangtze River

Qinghai Lake

Lakes are also important. The areas with the most lakes are the Middle-Lower Yangtze Plain and
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Many lakes in the northwest are salty. Qinghai Lake, a beautiful natural
salt-water lake, is the largest. In southeast China, most lakes are fresh water. Poyang
Lake, Dongting Lake , and Taihu Lake are all fresh water lakes.
These provide China with precious resources such as aquatic products, petroleum, natural gas,
mines and renewable resources including tide power.

Mountaino Topography

China has large areas of mountainous land, about two-thirds of the country. The ranges mainly
run from east to west and from northeast to southwest. Among these mountains, some reach to
the sky, and others are lower with charming scenery. Out of the mountains throughout the world
at the altitude of over 7,000 meters, over 50 stand in China. To the east in China, lower
mountains like Mt. Taishan, Mt. Huashan, and Mt. Emeishan, also display their unique beauty.

China and Democracy

Some democratic reforms have taken place in China since the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, but the
Chinese Communist Party still holds a monopoly on political power. Decisions are made by a few
elite leaders chosen from the Communist Party.
Even so, significant political reforms have occurred at the local levels of government. Election reform
laws now require the number of people running for local government councils to exceed the number
of seats available. In addition, over 50 percent of the voters must vote for a candidate for him or her
to win a seat. Political campaigning, primary elections, and absentee ballots are becoming more
common. The Communist Party has apparently introduced these local democratic election reforms
mainly to improve its trust among the people, eliminate corrupt local officials, and deter social unrest.
People have more freedom today to discuss public matters openly and even criticize the
government, but only up to a point. The government comes down hard on individuals and groups
that even appear to threaten Communist Party rule or social stability.

Major Characteristics of Communist and Democratic Systems

COMMUNIST

DEMOCRATIC

Marxist Economy

Capitalist Economy

1. Farms, industries, and other enterprises owned in 1. Farms, industries, and other enterprises mainly
common by the people and operated by the

owned and operated by private entrepreneurs and

government.

shareholders seeking profits.

2. Government economic plans set production

2. Production, wages, and prices set by free market

goals, wages, and prices.

supply and demand.

3. Goods and services to be shared equally by all.

3. Goods and services distributed according to one's

ability to pay.

Leninist Government
Democratic Government
1. Communist Party alone rules as a "democratic
dictatorship."

1. Multiple political parties compete in fair elections to

rule.

2. Only those chosen by the party run unopposed in

elections for government offices.

2. Competitive elections for offices at all levels of

government.

3. Persons in power dictate laws and how courts will

rule.

3. lected leaders must obey the laws and court

decisions ("rule of law").

4. No guarantee of civil or political rights; dissent

against the party and government

4. Individuals guaranteed civil and political rights,

suppressed.

including dissent against the government.

The army opened fire on pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Since that
time, the government has acted quickly to smother attempts to establish independent student
organizations and labor unions. China has even outlawed the Falun Gong, a seemingly harmless
group that conducts physical exercises based on Buddhist spiritual practices. The government calls
the group a cult that threatens public order.
The Chinese have wide access to newspapers, TV, and even talk radio. But certain topics are off
limits. One dissenter was arrested recently for "endangering the state" when he tried to organize a
"We Want Human Rights, Not the Olympics" petition. The government censors books, videos, and
newspapers. It also blocks Internet sites and closes down blogs and chat rooms if they discuss
topics such as "democracy" and "famine in China."
Public demonstrations, some of them violent, have been increasing in recent years. Unemployed
factory workers, farmers pushed off the land, and people fed up with corrupt officials have taken to
the streets since they have few other ways to voice their grievances to the government.

Particularly disturbing to the government have been riots and uprisings by ethnic groups seeking
independence. In the months leading up to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, the government
harshly suppressed protests in Tibet, which China annexed by military force in 1951.
China today may be trying to define democracy on its own terms: "democracy with Chinese
characteristics," in the words of an official document. For example, the Communist Party stresses
group rights like health care over Western-style individual rights such as freedom of speech.
China's current top leader, Hu Jintao, has spoken about "greater participation" by the people. But
party leaders have not given much serious discussion to expanding local competitive elections to
China's provinces, let alone to the national level. "They want democracy to belong to the party, not to
belong to the people," said an anonymous retired party official.
Will the surprising development of capitalism in China lead to democracy? Political scientists had
long assumed that as capitalism improved the wealth of a society, an expanding middle class would
demand democratic rights. But some scholars have recently challenged this assumption as nations
like Russia and China have adopted capitalism without democracy.
A number of recent surveys indicate that after 30 years of capitalist reforms in China, private
entrepreneurs are much more interested in running their enterprises and making money than
demanding democracy. As long as the Communist Party continues the program of free market
reforms and keeps the country stable, China's new capitalist middle class seems to be content to go
along with the current regime, at least for now.
As new economic opportunities arise, more Chinese may finally begin to enjoy the prosperity that
Mao Zedong could never achieve. Some experts estimate that by 2025 China will have the world's
largest middle class. A wealthier and more confident China may yet evolve to become a democracy.

Chinese People
Population
China, with over 1,382,943,702 people (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) as
of Saturday, August 6, 2016, based on the latest United Nations estimates , is without
doubt the most populous country in the world. The population density in China is
147 per Km2 (381 people per mi2). According to the census at the end of 2016, the
ratio of the sexes is about 51.27% male and 48.73% female. Some 56.6 % of the
population resides in the urban cities and towns while the rest is in rural areas.
Median age of Chinese people are 37.7%.

Family Planning
China has almost 20% of the world's total population. To control rapid growth in the
population growth and to ensure quality of life, 'Family Planning', is one of the basic
state policies, since 1978. As a measure to avoid over population, late marriage and
postponement of childbearing means fewer but healthier babies, something that is
greatly encouraged by the government. In 1979, China became the first country to
launch the 'one child per couple' policy.
However, for those who endure more strenuous lives in countryside and where there
is a greater need for manual labor, they are allowed to have their second baby
several years later after the birth of the first one. A more liberal policy is also
followed in ethnic minority areas. Generally, two children are allowed for one family,
sometimes three. For extremely under populated minorities, there is no limitation on
childbirth.

The statistics from the latest census at the end of 2016 reveals that Chinas
population challenge has changed to disappearing of demographic dividend, low
birth rate, an aging society, and a widening gender imbalance. More and more
population scholars and professionals call for a new population policy in China. From
2009, a relaxed one-child policy has been applied in most provinces that couples
are allowed to have two children if both of the parents are only children. From 2013,
an upgrade two-child policy has been gradually applied in some provinces that
couples are allowed to have two children if one of the parents is an only child.
Experts and scholars predict that two-child policy will take the place of one-child
policy in China in the near future.

Ethnic Groups
China is a multiracial country consisting of 56 ethnic groups, the most populous
being the Han who form about 91.51% of the country's total population, while
8.49% are other 55 ethnic minorities. All the ethnic groups live together over vast
areas while some live in individual concentrated communities in small areas.
Although there are fewer people within the minorities, they are widely distributed
throughout the country.

Yunnan Province is the most multi-national region where there are 25 ethnic
minorities. The minorities mostly have their own religious beliefs, the freedom of
which is highly respected and legally protected by government.

People's Character and Life

The Chinese are industrious, hardworking, peace-loving and a strenuous nation,
while the numerous people are hospitable, conservative, modest and in general
easy to approach.

Nowadays, Chinese enjoy a higher standard of living, with greatly improved facilities
for education, a fact that contributes much to the overall quality of life for the entire
nation. Economic growth means that in time those in the poorer regions will enjoy a
higher standard of living but with such a large population these improvements take
time. There has been a distinct improvement in the status of women; while rights of
senior citizens and children enjoy more protection and care. Chinese society has
become more open, accommodating and self-sustaining in these new times.
However, the people never forget to carry forward and develop the traditional
Chinese virtues while they are willing to accept new ideas and try new things.

China Education
China education is the largest education system in the world. There are 9.4 million
students talking in Chinas National Higher Education Entrance Examination (Gao
Kao) in June 2016. Investment in education accounts for about 4% of total GDP in
China. In 1986, the Chinese government passed a compulsory education law,
making nine years of education mandatory for all Chinese children. Today the
ministry of education estimates that 99.7% of the population area of the country
has achieved universal nine-year basic education system.
China has a long history of providing education to international students studying in
high school & universities. International students have enrolled in over 811 higher
education institutions throughout the country. Over the past few years, the number
of international students who study abroad in china has significantly increased
every year.
The higher education sector has growth as well. China is seeking to improve the
quality of education through a major effort at curriculum reform. China has
increased the proportion of its college-age population in higher education to over
20% now from 1.4%in 1978.
China has a consistent teacher development system. Teaching has historically been
and remains today a high respected profession in China. Teachers has strong
preparation in there subject matter and prospective teachers spend a great deal of

time observing the classroom of experienced teachers often in schools attached to

their universities. Once teachers are employed in school and, there is a system of
induction and continuous professional development in which groups of work
together with master teachers on lesion plans and improvement.

History of Education
Many Scholars believed the history of education in China can be traced back as far
as the 16th century B.C. during the late Xia Dynasty . Throughout this period of
time education was the privilege of the elites.

Traditional Chinese of Medicines

Traditional Chinese Medicines Education has developed gradually higher and
secondary professional education, Postgraduate education. The TCM higher
education have been expanded in scale and its professional structure has been
rationally regulated.

International Communication
Since 1978 when china inaugurated the opening and reform initiative, international
communication and cooperation in the education sector has migrated onto a new
stage cheering healthy development of abroad studying increasing number of
foreigners studying in China.

Education Law of the peoples Republic of China

Adopted at the third session of the eight national peoples Congress, promulgated
by Order no.45 of the president of the peoples Republic of China on Mar 18, 1995
and effective as of Sept 1, 1995.