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China: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As Chung-hua Jen-min Kung-ho-kuo • Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo • People’s Republic of China • Chung-kuo • Zhongguo • Chung-hua • Zhonghua
Head Of Government Premier: Li Qiang
Capital Beijing (Peking)
Population (2026 est.) 1,407,698,000
Currency Exchange Rate 1 USD equals 6.671 Chinese yuan renminbi
Head Of State President: Xi Jinping, assisted by Vice President Han Zheng
Form Of Government single-party people’s republic with one legislative house (National People’s Congress [3,0001])
Official Language Mandarin Chinese
Official Religion none2
Official Name Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo (People’s Republic of China)
Total Area (Sq Km) 9,572,900
Total Area (Sq Mi) 3,696,116
Monetary Unit renminbi (yuan) (Y)
Population Rank (2026) 2
Population Projection 2030 1,408,712,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2026) 380.9
Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2026) 147.1
Urban-Rural Population Urban: (2018) 59.6% • Rural: (2018) 40.4%
Life Expectancy At Birth Male: (2020) 75.4 years • Female: (2020) 80.9 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) (2024) 19,253,312
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2024) 13,660
1Statutory number; includes 36 seats allotted to Hong Kong and 12 to Macau.2Many Chinese practice both Chinese folk-religion and Buddhism.

Photos and Videos

China
Political map of China labeled in Pinyin, showing provincial-level divisions including provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and special administrative regions. Major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Lhasa are marked, along with neighboring countries and key bodies of water like the Yellow Sea and East China Sea. Disputed and controlled boundaries with India, Pakistan, and Bhutan are indicated with dashed and dotted lines. An inset map shows China's location within Asia.
Map highlighting China in solid orange, showing its location in East Asia and its borders with countries including Russia, Mongolia, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. Taiwan is shown in purple as self-governing but claimed by China. Disputed border areas are marked with letters and explained in a legend. Surrounding bodies of water such as the East China Sea, South China Sea, and Sea of Japan are labeled, and an inset globe shows China's posit
View across the Huangpu River to the Pudong financial district in Shanghai, featuring modern skyscrapers and the Oriental Pearl Tower.
Shanghai: Huangpu district
Map of China highlighting major physical features with labels in Pinyin. The map shows mountain ranges such as the Himalayas, Kunlun, Altun, and Qin Mountains; highlands and plateaus including the Plateau of Tibet and Loess Plateau; major basins like the Junggar and Sichuan Basins; deserts such as the Takla Makan and Gobi; and significant rivers including the Huang He (Yellow River), Chang Jiang (Yangtze River), and Zhu Jiang (Pearl River). Key lakes, nature reserves, and neighboring countries a
Xinjiang, China: Kyrgyz mosque in the Pamirs
Snow-covered peaks of Mount Everest and surrounding Himalayan mountains rise above dark rocky slopes in Nepal.
Wide autumn valley with golden grass in the foreground and low, tree-covered mountains of the Greater Khingan Range in the distance under a clear sky.
Tibet Autonomous Region: stupa on the Yarlung Zangbo
Explore the Great Wall of China
Garlic farming in Cangshan District, China
Chinese sculpture during the Han dynasty examined
How did World War II affect China?
The secret to brewing a good cup of tea
National anthem of China
See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

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continent
Map of eastern Asia highlighting China and its neighboring countries, with an arrow pointing to Beijing Municipality in northeastern China. The map includes international boundaries, disputed borders, and lines of control, and shows major surrounding countries such as Russia, Mongolia, India, Japan, North Korea, and South Korea. An inset at the bottom left shows the location of China within Asia.
Beijing
national capital, China
Lhasa, Tibet: Potala Palace
Tibet
autonomous region, China
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old and new buildings in Jinan
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Skyscrapers at night in central Chongqing, China.
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Karst peaks near Xi'an
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path in the Lu Mountains
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Political map of Eastern Asia showing national boundaries and labeling major countries including China, Mongolia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. Neighboring countries such as Russia, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos are also partially shown. Major surrounding bodies of water include the Sea of Japan, East China Sea, South China Sea, and Pacific Ocean. Disputed and administered regions along the India-China border are marked with lettered labels.
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Map of eastern Asia highlighting the province of Henan in central China in orange, with its capital Zhengzhou labeled. Surrounding countries and major international boundaries are shown, along with a small inset map locating Henan within all of China.
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