Backpacking Information on China

Population: 1.3 billion (UN, 2005)MANDARIN is Modern China's official language spoken
Capital: Beijingby 850 million Chinese. The Standard Mandarin is of
Area: 9.6 million sq km (3.7 million sq miles)the Beijing dialect and one of the six official languages
Major language: Mandarin Chinesedesignated by the United Nations. ENGLISH is the
Major religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Taoismnation's language for business and education with a
Life expectancy: 70 years (men), 73 years (women)growing demographic of 20 million speakers produced
(UN)annually. A majority of China's 55 ethnic groups have
Monetary unit: 1 Renminbi (yuan) (Y) = 10 jiao = 100 fentheir own varieties and dialects, like Cantonese, Fukien,
CHINAand so on.
The People's Republic of China - one of the world'sRELIGION
oldest and thriving civilizations consisting of states andChina's social values are rooted on Confucianism and
cultures dating back to more than 6 millennia, outpacingTaoism. The nation respects multi-religiosity with
the rest of the world in arts and sciences. AncientTaoism practiced by 400 million of the Chinese
China is the master creator of four of the most criticalpopulation (30%), whereas Buddhism is practiced in
innovations in our modern world: paper, compass,harmony with Taoism. Freedom of religion and
gunpowder, and printing, says British biochemist andactivities relating to belief are protected by the
scholar Joseph Needham. Besides, who does notconstitution, hence the presence and acceptance of
know of the Great Wall, Jackie Chan, or the PekingChristianity and Islam in the region as well.
Man who used fire 300-780 millennia ago?ATTRACTIONS
China's cultural sphere has extended to the tinyIn China, "attractions" is an understatement, but the
corners of the world from Southeast Asia, East Asia,most famous are the majestic Great Wall,
America, Australasia, to Europe. CHINATOWNout-of-this-world Tibet, the unmatched Silk Road, the
contributes significantly to this mobility with its presencemystifying Terra-Cotta warriors, the imperial Forbidden
celebrated in the whole of Asia, Middle East, Oceania,City, and the grand Yangtze River. Hainan Island, a
North America, Latin America, Europe, and evenSpecial Economic Zone, remains a total backpacker
Africa. The first Chinatown was established in Manila,destination for its natural grandeur coupled with a mild
but this is more of a commerce and trade hubclimate and favourable environment the whole year
nowadays, than as ethnic enclaves for overseasround. Tagged as "The Oriental Hawaii" for its
Chinese. This is mostly the world's (AND our)unmatched beach landscapes, this is China's sweet
orientation to Chinese culture; however, Chinatown iswinter escape where young people like to chill and old
apparently a part and parcel of this greater culture.people prefer to live.
GEOGRAPHYNatural or man-made, China takes pride in them all.
China, an East Asian country on coordinates 35 00 N,Indeed, Chinese architecture is greater than just its wall.
105 00 E, is the 4th largest country in the world afterFrom China's temples to palaces, the traveller will note
Russia, Canada, and the U.S. with a total area ofof the principle of balance and symmetry smeared
9,596,960 km². It has a terrain of mostly plains, hills,from its ornate roofs to the infinitesimal design details.
and deltas in the East, and mountains, plateaus, andIn modern architecture, China has the largest number
deserts in the west, with rivers flowing from West toof high-rise buildings in the world.
East, i.e. Yangtze and Huang Ho (main rivers), emptyingFOOD
into the Pacific Ocean. Elevation extremes compriseEvery single human being has an established concept
of Turpan Pendi, the lowest point (-154 m), andof "Chinese food" such as rice or noodle toppings in a
Qomolangma (Mount Everest), the highest point (8,850box, but it really is a general term as "European cuisine"
m). China currently deals with ecological concerns ofas food is diverse as the regions in China. Rice is the
air and water pollution, water shortages, deforestation,staple in the South, while wheat noodles, in the North.
and trade of endangered species.We're talking Guang Dong's Dim Sum, Shanghai's
CLIMATEspring rolls and pulled noodles, and Szechuan peppery
With an extremely diverse climate brought about by adishes to cite some. Beijing may be the home of the
vast territory, China experiences frequent typhoons,Peking duck, but Cantonese food is the most popular
floods, tsunamis, land subsidence, earthquakes, andto the world. Food trip alone will be a good reason to
droughts in some regions.take a trip to China for its enthusiastic gastronomic
Northern Zone: Summer-30 ° C; winter- sever arcticculture. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Chinese
Central Zone: Temperate continentalgourmands on and off the street ensure fresh and
Southern Zone: Subtropicalclean food. For "dog lovers", they also serve dog meat,
PEOPLEcamel's paw, snake, shark's fin and other bizarre
China ranks as the most heavily populated country inexotica.
the world with 1,336,860,000 people, comprising 19.62%ODD-BALL HABITS
of the world's population as of April 10, 2010, not evenSpitting ubiquitously (hotels, hospitals, banks,
including Hong Kong, China, and Macao. Of thissupermarkets, etc.);
population are 56 ethnic groups with the Han ChineseSlurping noodles (compliments to the chef!);
taking the cake as the largest single ethnic group in theStaring incessantly due to curiosity;
world with 92% of the PRC population. Nonetheless, allShoving in queues and accepted negligence to laws
Chinese, regardless of ethnicity, have equal nationaland regulations i.e. driving, smoking zones, etc.;
rights and privileges.Shouting or loud speech is simply vivacity and interest
LANGUAGEin conversation (not anger) and is very standard.