Location
China is situated in eastern Asia on the western shore of the Pacific Ocean, with an area of 9.6 million square kilometers. China's continental coastline extends for about 18,000 kilometers, and its vast sea surface is studded with more than 5,000 islands, of which Taiwan and Hainan are the largest.
Land Formation and Rivers
China's land drops off in escarpments eastward to the ocean, letting in humid air currents and leading many rivers eastward. Among the 220,000 kilometres of rivers the Changjiang (Yangtze), Huanghe (Yellow) and Zhujiang (Pearl) are the most famous.
China has beautiful scenery, with mountains and ranges, highlands, plains, basins, and hills. The highlands and hill regions account for 65 percent of the country's total land mass, and there are more than 2,000 lakes. The highest mountain peak is Qomolangma (Everest), the highest in the world, 8,848 meters above sea level; the lowest point is the Turpan Basin, 154 meters below sea level. |
Climate
China has a continental climate, and a latitude spanning nearly 50 degrees. Much of the landmass is situated in the temperate zone, with the tropical and subtropical zones to the south, and reaching the frigid zone in the north, so temperatures differ strikingly across the country. The northern part of Heilongjiang Province has long winters but no summers, while the Hainan Island has long summers but no winters. The Huaihe River valley is marked by distinctive seasonal changes, but it is spring all year round in the south of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. In the northwest hinterland, the temperature changes dramatically. China's high tundra zone is situated in the Qinghai-Tibet, where the temperature is low in all four seasons, and incredibly low in winter. Some desert areas are dry all year round.
The wet season occurs between March and April in southern and eastern China (eg Guilin, Suzhou, Hangzhou), from June until August in the west (eg Yunnan Province and Tibet), and between May and September for the areas near the Yangtze River (eg, Chongqing and Yichang). Typhoons can occur during the wet season along the southern and eastern coasts.
Population
China is the most heavily populated country in the world . Over 1.33 billion in fact, over 40% urban. Stringent population controls have been in place for several decades, and the government aims to limit the mainland population to 1.37 billion by 2010. However, the population of great Beijing, for example, is approaching 15 million, and the cities can be crowded and noisy in parts, as can the buses, trains, tourist sites etc
Living Standards
China is undergoing remarkable and rapid change. Many of the older people have lived through times of incredible hardship and famine on a scale that is often not fully appreciated in the west. Now economic prosperity is spreading, but there remain big differences between rural areas and the big cities, and between the Eastern seaboard and deep inland. In some of the more remote regions there are still people who, it has been said ‘cannot even afford themselves'. However, as more areas open to tourism, this introduces change, and the opportunity for improved living standards.
In the cities such as Beijing or Shanghai monthly salaries are increasing steadily C although not yet in line with equivalent western cities they are steadily getting there. This is accelerating with the new prosperity, foreign trade relations and rapidly rising standards of education in major centres.
English Spoken
In the early 1990s China reintroduced the study of English on a reasonable scale, after a long gap. It has taken a while to accelerate and today the ability to speak or understand English is still relatively uncommon. It is largely confined to the under-30s, and requires a University degree to attain any reasonable standard. It is also more common in the larger cities, and unusual in rural areas or smaller towns.
Tourism: agencies, guides, tipping
There is strong competition in the travel and tourism business in China. There are many reputable and ethical agencies, and there's the others. It's worth remembering that if an operator is offering a trip which seems amazingly cheap, then the difference will be collected some other way. Sometimes guides and drivers will pay the agency for the right to guide the visitor, (“buying” travellers), and they will then find ways to recover this from the visitors. Sometimes the agency will use non-accredited suppliers, for example for river boats, rather than those which meet the government standard.
A good agency, such as CHT, do not collect the ‘per head' fee, and pay their guides a fixed monthly salary, which recognises the fact that they are English graduates as well as expert guides. These days the guides expect a good salary as more and more foreign businesses open in China, offering an attractive alternative, and a guide with a good standard of English does not have to ‘buy' customers from an Agency.
A good agency does not permit its guides to collect commission on purchases which ‘their' group have made in shops.
A good agency believes in delivering value for money, reliable quality, clarity about what people will get for their money. It will charge a reasonable price, and pay its own staff and suppliers at a reasonable rate.
This, of course, raises the thorny issue of tipping. China has not previously had a ‘tipping culture'. As tourism increases, a number of service people have become used to being offered a tip if they have provided good service. This includes tour guides and drivers. However, if you are travelling with a reputable agency tipping is not a compulsory activity, it is entirely voluntary. Most agencies will provide a guide to the amount which would be considered fair for good service, but it is just that C a guide. Be very cautious about anyone who claims that tipping is compulsory.
Ethnic Groups
China is a multiracial country with 55ethnic groups, including Achang, Bai, Bonan, Blang, Bouyei, Korean, Daur, Dai, De'ang, Dongxiang, Derung, Oroqen, Russian, Ewenki, Gaoshan, Gelao, Hani, Kazak, Hezhen, Hui, Jino, Gin, ingpo, Kirgiz, Lahu, Li, Lisu, Lhoba, Manchu, Maonan, Mongolian, Monba, Miao, Mulam, Naxi, Nu, Primi, Qiang, Salar, She, Sui, Tajik, Tatar, Tu, Tujia, Va, Uygur, Uzbek, Xibe, Yi, Yuigur, Yao, Tibetan, and Zhuang. The ethnical groups account for only 8 percent of the population.
No matter how big or small the population is, all people share equal rights. A number of ethnic groups still live in some areas in a very traditional way, although their young people may leave and work elsewhere for varying periods, it's a matter of individual choice.
Religion
China is a multi-religious country. Taoism, Buddhism, lslamism, Protestantism and Catholicism have all developed quite a following in this country. Freedom of belief is a government policy, and normal religious activities are protected by the constitution.
Administrative Units
China is divided into 23 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities under the direct jurisdiction of the Central Government, and two special administrative regions. The 23 provinces are Hebei, Shaanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shaanxi,Guangdong, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Hainan; The five autonomous regions are Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Guangxi, and Tibet; The four municipalities are Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Chongqing; Hong Kong and Macao are the two special administrative regions.
Capital
Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China. A center for politics, economy and culture, Beijing has been developed into a world-class metropolis in which the modern world is blends harmoniously with the glories of the imperial past. |
