Introduction to China

China is staggeringly vast and a land of great diversity.It is the world's most populous nation and the third largest country, almost a continent in itself.

Stretching from its southern borders in the Himalayas to the deserts of Mongolia in the north, and from the East China Sea through the Yangzi River Valley plains, to the Tibetan Plateau in the western mainland, China covers an area of 9.6 million square kilometers or 3.7 million square miles...

China encompasses over 5000 islands and comprises five autonomous regions and twenty-two provinces, as well as Hong Kong and Macau, which are now known as “Special Administrative Regions”.The seat of government is Beijing, an enormous city of 11 million people.In Beijing, like all of China's urban metropolises, life contrasts immensely with that of the peasant farmers in rural areas.Because of its size, China's climate is very diverse, ranging from an unbearable 48oC in the northwest summer to a freezing cold minus 40oC in the winter in the far north.

The official language in China is Mandarin, as spoken in Beijing, but there are also many different dialects to listen for.Chinese food, and much of the ingredients used to create it, is like no other cuisine, and again this differs greatly between regions.Art in China is also stunningly unique, perhaps best typified by its calligraphy, created with ink and brush and held in extremely high esteem by the Chinese.