Chinese History and Statistics -- Page 2

Overview

China, located in East Asia, is the second largest country in the world in terms of area after Canada and the world's most populous nation, with a population of more than 1 billion, or nearly one-fourth of the world's total. Its coastline, bordering on the Yellow, East China, and South China seas, is about 12,000 km (7,500 mi.) long. China shares a land border of about 21,260 km (13,210 mi.) with 14 other countries: North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, and Vietnam. Another neighbor include the Portuguese territory of Macao, scheduled to return to Chinese control in 1999. The offshore island of Taiwan is a separate political entity from China, which has continued to demand the return of the island to its political jurisdiction since 1949. China disputes the ownership of the Spratley and the Paracel Islands.

Origins

The official name of China is the People's Republic of China. The republic was established in 1949, but the name China, which is commonly used by foreigners, is probably derived from the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC), which first unified the nation. The Chinese themselves use the name Zhonguo that originated with the early Chinese concept that China was the center of the world.