Getting to know China: land and people
FoundationThe People's Republic of China: capital Beijing, about 9.6 million km², about 1.4 billion people; 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities and 2 SARs; 56 ethnic groups.
- Capital Beijing; about 9.6 million km²
- 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities, 2 SARs
- 56 ethnic groups; Mandarin and renminbi
§Text Passage
1Getting to know the country starts with its basics: the full name is the People's Republic of China, founded on 1 October 1949; the capital is Beijing; the land area is about 9.6 million square kilometres, roughly the size of Europe; the population is about 1.4 billion, among the world's most populous nations. China lies in East Asia on the western shore of the Pacific, high in the west and low in the east, with great rivers such as the Yangtze and the Yellow River flowing to the sea, and a vast territory of hugely varied landscapes and climates.
2The country is divided into 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities and 2 special administrative regions — Hong Kong and Macao. Note that the capital is Beijing, not Shanghai: Shanghai is a municipality, and the two differ in status, so keep them clear in answers. Different systems coexist under 'one country', a truly unique arrangement.
3China is a unified multi-ethnic country: among its 56 ethnic groups the Han form the majority, and the other 55 are minorities — such as Tibetan, Uyghur and Miao — each with its own languages, scripts and customs, and distinctive festivals and foods. The national flag is the five-star red flag, Mandarin is used nationwide, and the currency is the renminbi — all important markers of national identity.
4Under its ethnic policies all groups are equal, and the state respects and protects the languages and customs of ethnic minorities; in areas where minorities live in concentrated communities, regional ethnic autonomy is practised, with administrative units such as the Tibet Autonomous Region and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region managing local internal affairs and promoting common development among all groups in economy and culture.
1Summary 重點摘要
The People's Republic of China: capital Beijing, about 9.6 million km², about 1.4 billion people; 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities and 2 SARs; 56 ethnic groups.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
A first-level administrative region; there are 23.
A province-level region where ethnic minorities live; there are 5.
A major city run directly by the centre: Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing.
Hong Kong and Macao, with a high degree of autonomy under the Basic Law.
The standard language used nationwide in schools and official settings.
The country's legal currency, used in everyday trade and payments.
Communities sharing a common language and culture; the country has 56.
The five-star red flag, the nation's official flag.
3Step by step Steps
- The country's name cardGetting to know the country starts with its 'name card': the full name is the People's Republic of China, founded on 1 October 1949; the capital is Beijing; the land area is about 9.6 million square kilometres, roughly equal to the whole of Europe; the population is about 1.4 billion, among the world's most populous nations. These basics are figures commonly used in answers and must be remembered accurately.
- Administrative divisionsThe country's administrative divisions come in four kinds: 23 provinces; 5 autonomous regions (Xinjiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Guangxi); 4 municipalities directly under the central government (Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing); and 2 SARs (Hong Kong and Macao). The common error is mistaking Shanghai for the capital — Shanghai is a municipality; the capital is Beijing. Keep the two clear in answers.
- Peoples and symbolsChina is a unified multi-ethnic country: among its 56 ethnic groups the Han form the majority, and the other 55 are ethnic minorities — such as Tibetan, Uyghur and Miao — each with its own languages and customs. As for national symbols, the flag is the five-star red flag, Mandarin is used nationwide, and the currency is the renminbi — all important markers of national identity and common material for tests.
- Memory and exam tipsThere are tricks for memory and answering: the capital is Beijing, not Shanghai; the two SARs are Hong Kong and Macao; remember the four municipalities by the rhyme 'Jing-Jin-Hu-Yu'; the five autonomous regions mostly lie along the frontiers. In answers, begin with the full name — the People's Republic of China — then give area, population and other figures: the structure stays clear and no key point is missed.
- A geographic overviewGeographically, China lies in East Asia on the western shore of the Pacific, a great country by both land and sea; the terrain is high in the west and low in the east, with the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the west and great rivers such as the Yangtze and the Yellow River flowing east to the sea. Its land borders touch 14 countries, and the long coastline favours foreign trade — geography deeply shapes the country's development.
- Policy on ethnic groupsUnder its ethnic policies, all ethnic groups are equal, and the state respects and protects the languages and customs of ethnic minorities; in areas where minorities live in concentrated communities, regional ethnic autonomy is practised, with autonomous regions as administrative units — for example the Tibet Autonomous Region and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The system lets minorities manage local internal affairs and promotes common development among all groups.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: how do Hong Kong and Beijing differ in administrative status?
- Beijing = a municipality, run directly by the centre
- Hong Kong = an SAR under 'one country, two systems' with a high degree of autonomy
- Both are parts of China
- Different systems: municipalities follow the national system; SARs keep their original way of life
- Answer: Beijing is a municipality run directly by the Central People's Government under the national system; Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region which, under the Basic Law and 'one country, two systems', enjoys a high degree of autonomy and keeps its original way of life. They are alike in both being parts of China, but differ in administrative status and system — the two points any good answer must state.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What is China's capital?
Q2How many SARs does China have?
Q3What are China's common language and currency?
Q4Where does China's land area rank in the world?
Q5How many ethnic groups are there in China?
8Recap Recap
- Capital Beijing; about 9.6 million km²
- 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities, 2 SARs
- 56 ethnic groups; Mandarin and renminbi
- Hong Kong is one of the country's two SARs
- All ethnic groups are equal, each with its own language and culture