| China is such a large country that it is
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| | largest country on earth. Only Russia and
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| impossible to see even a fraction of it
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| | Canada are larger. China has a land area
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| in one visit. It is advisable to
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| | of 9,600,000 square kilometers (3,700,000
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| specialize in just one area, and get a
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| | square miles), and a widely varying
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| good guided tour. Ten-day guided tours
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| | climate. Before you leave, find out what
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| are available starting at approximately
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| | seasonal climates to expect in the region
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| $1100.
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| | you are going to visit, and pack
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| For instance, the ancient civilization of
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| | accordingly. China has a marked
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| mystical Tibet has always fascinated
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| | continental monsoon climate with great
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| travellers. Learn about the history of
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| | variety in temperature and rainfall. The
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| Tibetan Buddhism, and visit the Potala
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| | greatest part of China is in the northern
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| Palace. Pilgrims come from every corner
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| | temperate zone while the southern areas
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| of Tibet to the Heavenly Lake Namtso.
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| | are in the tropical or subtropical zone
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| Another popular tour travels along the
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| | and northern areas in the frigid zone.
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| historic Silk Road, one of the world's
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| | In most of China there is a clear
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| most famous trade routes. This route
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| | division between seasons. In winter,
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| features ancient Islamic and Buddhist
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| | northerly winds from high latitude areas
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| civilizations, bustling markets, exotic
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| | keep the northern region cold and dry,
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| folk customs and a faded but glorious
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| | while in summer, monsoons from southern
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| history. This fascinating overland route
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| | coastal areas bring warmth and humidity.
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| was once used for transporting silk to
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| | In north China, such as Xinjiang and
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| Europe. It covers areas in central China
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| | Inner Mongolia, summer is dry and
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| not visited by many tourists and passes
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| | sweltering while winter is bitingly cold.
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| through archaeological treasures such as
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| | Sandstorms often occur in spring in this
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| the cities of Xian and Dunhuang as it
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| | area, especially in the Inner Mongolia
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| heads into Xinjiang.
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| | and Beijing area. The red dust from these
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| Or hike along the Great Wall of China.
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| | storms can be picked up by high-altitude
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| Make sure to bring hiking shoes and warm
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| | winds are travel around the world. In
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| clothing, as the Wall was built as a
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| | Russia, pink snow was reported in the
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| military fortification atop steep,
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| | winter of 2006 as this far-flung red dust
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| exposed mountain ridges.
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| | mixed with local precipitation.
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| China has a population of 1.265 billion,
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| | On the Tibet-Qinghai plateau, which has
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| the largest of any country on earth, and
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| | an elevation of approximately 4,000
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| holds about 22 percent of the earth's
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| | meters above sea level, winter is long
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| total population. It is an extremely
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| | and extremely cold while summer is short
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| diverse nation consisting of 55 different
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| | and moderately warm. There is little
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| ethnic groups. The Chinese speak eight
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| | precipitation here and a great
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| major dialects: Putonghua (Mandarin), Yue
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| | temperature fluctuation between day and
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| (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei
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| | night. Visitors to Tibet should bring
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| (Fuzhou), Minnan (Taiwanese), Gan, Xiang,
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| | warm clothing even in summer.
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| and Hakka and many sub-dialects. In
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| | In central china, such as Yangtze River
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| addition, ethnic groups such as the
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| | area, summer is long, hot and humid while
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| Mongolian, Naxi, Tibetan, Yi, Uygur, and
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| | winter is short and cold. In the areas
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| other ethnic groups have their own native
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| | south of the Yangtze River, temperature
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| languages.
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| | rarely falls below freezing. In the
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| The language spoken in Beijing is often
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| | near-tropical far south, such as the area
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| referred to as Mandarin or Putonghua.
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| | around Guangzhou, the summer is long,
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| Putonghua, which means "common language"
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| | humid and hot while the winter is short
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| is the country's main language and is
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| | and mild. The rainy season runs from May
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| spoken by more than 70 percent of the
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| | through August and typhoons frequently
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| population. Putonghua is also referred to
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| | occur in the southeast coast between July
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| as the "Han language" (Hanyu) or simply
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| | and September.
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| Chinese. Because of the increased
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| | Chinese currency is called Renminbi
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| economic migration across China during
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| | (people's money), abbreviated as RMB,
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| the past two decades years, the use of
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| | issued by The Bank of China. The unit of
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| Mandarin has increased.
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| | Renminbi is a yuan and with smaller
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| In recent years, as tourism to China has
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| | denominations called jiao and fen. The
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| grown, the use of English has increased
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| | conversion among the three is: 1 yuan
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| across the country. In major cities,
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| | equals 10 jiao which equals 100 fen. The
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| staff in stores and hotels can speak
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| | safest way to bring currency to China is
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| fluent or at least basic English.
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| | in travellers' checks. Be sure to keep
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| However, it is best for English-speaking
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| | your currency exchange receipts because
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| tourists to have a translator, as
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| | you will need to show them when you
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| knowledge of English is by no means
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| | change RMB back to your own currency when
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| universal, especially in rural areas
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| | you leave China. Credit cards are often
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| where approximately 2/3 of China's
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| | not accepted in remote areas, so be sure
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| population lives.
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| | to carry sufficient RMB and travelers'
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| China, officially called the People's
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| | checks to cover your requirements.
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| Republic of China (PRC), is the third
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