|
| |
China
 |
 |
| Population: |
1,284,303,705
(2002 Est.) |
| Ethnic
Group: |
Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur,
Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other
nationalities 8.1% |
| Religion: |
Daoist
(Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%
note: officially atheist (2002 est.) |
| Natural
Resources: |
coal, iron ore, petroleum,
natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum,
vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential
(world's largest) |
| Climate: |
extremely diverse; tropical in
south to subarctic in north |
| Terrain: |
mostly mountains, high plateaus,
deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east |
| Government
Type: |
Communist state |
| Capital: |
Beijing |
| Independence: |
221 BC (unification under the
Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the
Republic on 12 February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October
1949) |
| Legal
System: |
a complex amalgam of custom and
statute, largely criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1
January 1987; new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing
efforts are being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and
commercial law |
* Map and information courtesy of CIA World Factbook 2002
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