China - CN - CHN - CHN - East and Southeast Asia
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The Xiaoxhai Tiankeng is the world’s largest and deepest sinkhole at 660 m deep (2,165 ft), with a volume of 130 million cu m (4.6 billion cu ft). Located in southwestern China, the tiankeng, which means “heavenly pit” in Mandarin, was discovered in 1994. It is a unique double-nested sinkhole that holds two craters joined by a sloping edge, and during the rainy season, a waterfall cascades from the mouth of the pit to an underground river and cave network below.
The Ming Dynasty Tombs are located some 50 km (30 mi) north of Beijing. The archway leading to the Sacred Way and the tombs dates to 1540; it is the earliest and largest stone archway in China.
The Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. The building was constructed in 1959 and is the home of the National People's Congress.
The Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. Constructed in 1958, it commemorates those who fought in revolutions from 1840 to 1949.
The Mao Zedong Mausoleum (or Chairman Mao Memorial Hall) was constructed in 1977 on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. Mao's body lies in a crystal casket for public viewing.
Revolutionary monument in front of Chairman Mao Zedong Mausoleum on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.
The National Museum of China on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. Completed in 1959, the museum's mission is to educate about the arts and history of China.
The Tiananmen or Gate of Heavenly Peace is a monumental gate in the center of Beijing, China; it is frequently used as a national symbol of China. First built in 1420, Tiananmen was the entrance to the Imperial City, where the Forbidden City is located.
Built in 1420, the Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) leads to the former Imperial City in Beijing, China. The gate has been reconstructed several times, most recently in 1969-70.
The Meridian Gate is the southern entrance and the largest gate to the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. Built from 1406 to 1420, the Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty, which began in 1368, through the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1912.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony as seen from the Inner Courtyard of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. The Hall was destroyed by fire seven times and was last rebuilt in 1695-97. Many buildings in the Forbidden City were built from precious woods and marble, with golden bricks used for floors.
The Palace of Heavenly Purity is the largest of three halls in the Inner Court of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. It served as the audience hall during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912).
A small garden inside a residence in Beijing, China.
The Tower of Buddhist Incense rises over the Temple of Buddhist Virtue at the Summer Palace in Beijing, China. The Palace -- called "the Gardens of Nurtured Harmony" in Chinese -- was a summer resort for the imperial family. It consists of palaces, gardens, a lake, and a hill. Gardens have been at the site since the 12th century; construction of the Summer Palace began in 1750.
Ruins of European-style palaces at the Old Summer Palace, 8 km (5 mi) northwest of the Imperial City section of Beijing, China. The complex of palaces and gardens was originally referred to as the Imperial Gardens. Constructed throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries, the Old Summer Palace was the main imperial residence of the emperor. Widely perceived as the pinnacle of Chinese imperial garden and palace design, the Old Summer Palace was destroyed in 1860 during the Second Opium War.
The Tower of Buddhist Incense at the Summer Palace in Beijing, China.
Section of the Long Corridor, a covered walkway at the Summer Palace in Beijing, China. The 18th-century corridor is famous for its great length (728 m), which is used to display over 14,000 paintings.
Throne hall in the emperor's administrative area, close to the East Gate of the Summer Palace in Beijing, China.
The Summer Palace is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens, and palaces in Beijing, China. The Stone Boat, a lakeside pavilion on the grounds, is 36 m long; it replaced an original wooden boat that burned in 1860. The new wooden structure is painted to imitate marble and displays an imitation western-style paddle wheel on both sides.
The Marble Boat, which is also known as The Boat of Purity and Ease, is a wooden pavilion in the shape of a paddle steamer that is painted to imitate marble, located at the Summer Palace in Beijing, China. It was originally built in 1755, but it was destroyed in 1860 during the Second Opium War and reconstructed in 1893.
A view of a gate tower at the Summer Palace in Beijing, China.
The Summer Palace is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens, and palaces in Beijing, China. It was an imperial garden during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). This view shows a folly on the grounds.
The Lama Temple in Beijing, China, was originally built in 1694 to house court eunuchs. Sometimes called the Palace of Peace and Harmony, it now serves as a Buddhist monastery. This pavilion and the incense burner in the foreground are part of the Temple complex.
The Drum Tower in Beijing, China, was built in 1272 and rebuilt twice after fires. It originally contained one large drum and 24 smaller drums that were used to keep track of time. The Drum Tower is 47 m high and located to the north of the Forbidden City.
The Juyongguan section of the Great Wall near Beijing, China. Most of the existing Great Wall was built during the Ming Dynasty (14th to 17th centuries) to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire.
A crenellated walkway on top of the Great Wall of China. The Wall stretched for thousands of miles linking fortresses.
The Huanghuacheng (Lakeside) section of the Great Wall of China derives its name from the man-made reservoir lakes nearby. The section, which is less visited than the main tourist sections at Mutianyu and Badaling, has a sweeping view, with a steep hike to a high guard tower.
The Gezhouba Dam locks on the Yangtze River in China. The dam was completed in 1988 and is 38 km downstream of the Three Gorges Dam. Here the water level in the locks has been lowered to receive vessels.
The five-stage locks at the Three Gorges Dam at Sandouping, China. The locks were constructed to increase river shipping by up to 10 times and cut transportation costs by one third.
The Huangling Temple in Sandouping, China, dates back to 1618.
Wushan on the Yangtze River in China is an example of a major city flooded by the rising waters of the Three Gorges Dam and moved to higher ground.
The Dragon Gate Gorge is one of the Three Lesser Gorges near Wushan, China, on the Daning River, a tributary of the Yangtze River.
Shibaozhai is a steep, craggy hill on the Yangtze River, in Zhong county, Chongqing, China. A temple at the crest of the 220 m (722 ft) hill was built in the 18th century. A nine-story wooden pagoda was constructed in the 1819 to help pilgrims reach the top of the hill, with three more stories added in 1956. A coffer dam protects the site from higher river waters -- the result of the Three Gorges Dam.
Entranceway to the Shibaozhai complex in Chongqing, China, via a swinging foot bridge.
The 12-story wooden pagoda at Shibaozhai in Chongqing, China. The first nine stories were constructed in the 1819; three more were added in 1956.
The entrance to the Shibaozhai Temple in Chongqing, China.
Imposing statue in the Shibaozhai Temple in Chongqing, China.
The Grand Theater in Shanghai, the largest city in China with over 20 million citizens. Shanghai is the largest center of commerce and investment in China, as well as a popular tourist destination. The distinctive tall building in the background, Tomorrow Square, houses a hotel and apartment units.
The Shanghai Museum of Ancient Art was founded in 1952 in the clubhouse of the former Shanghai Racecourse. A new building -- constructed in the form of an ancient bronze cooking vessel called a "ding" -- was opened in 1996 on People's Square. It houses some 120,000 items including bronzes, ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, furniture, jades, ancient coins, seals, and sculptures.
View of The Bund area in Shanghai, China. European and US businesses built most of the buildings in the early 20th century in a Neoclassical style.
View of The Bund area in Shanghai, China, from across the Huongpu River. "Bund" is an Anglo-Indian word for an embankment of a muddy waterfront.
The Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, China, overlooks the Huangpu River. Designed by a local architectural company and completed in 1995, it is 468 m (1,535 ft) tall and has a revolving restaurant, exhibition facilities, restaurants, a shopping mall, and the Space Hotel. The antenna for TV and radio broadcasting adds 118 m (387 ft) to the total height.
The Huxinting Teahouse (Mid-Lake Pavilion Teahouse) in Shanghai, China, was built as a pavilion in the middle of an artificial lake in 1784, then converted to a teahouse in 1855. It can accommodate 200 patrons.
Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, China, dates to the Ming Dynasty (14th-17th centuries) and contains two hectares (five acres) of delicate pavilions and winding paths.
Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, China, dates to the Ming Dynasty (14th-17th centuries). Its two hectares (five acres) display a variety of sights including caves, grottoes, and a 14 m (46 ft) artificial mountain.
Panda munching bamboo stalks at the Chongqing Zoo in China.
Red pandas at the Chongqing Zoo in China. (Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian National Zoo.)
The mosque in downtown Urumqi, Xinjiang Province, China, was built in 1919. One of the most beautiful parts of the structure is its prayer hall, decorated with glazed tiles in colorful patterns of flowers and plants.
The ruins of Jiaohe in the Yarnaz Valley 10 km (6 mi) west of Turpan, China. An important site along the Silk Road, the city was situated on an islet in the middle of a river, which served as a natural barrier and enabled the city to be built without walls. From 108 B.C. to A.D. 450, it was the capital of the Anterior Jushi Kingdom; later, it became a prefecture capital until the Mongols destroyed it in the 13th century.
Crescent Moon Lake is an oasis in the Singing Sands Mountains, six kilometers south of Dunhuang, China. The lake gets its name from its shape.
Gardens surround the Emin Mosque and Minaret in Turpan, China, which is an oasis city in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Province. Built in 1777, the minaret is the tallest in China (44 m, 144 ft) and is named in honor of Emin Khoja, a heroic Turpan general, whose statue stands in front of the minaret.
Some of the terra cotta warriors found in the mausoleum of first Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang (221-210 B.C.) in Xi'an, China. The tomb, under an earthen pyramid, was discovered in 1974. The ceramic army that accompanied the ruler into the afterlife is estimated to consist of over 8,000 soldiers (each with a unique face), 100 chariots with 400 horses, and 300 cavalry horses.
The Forest of Stone Stelae museum in Xi'an, China, is located in a former Confucian temple. Some 3,000 inscribed stelae and stone carvings are housed at this site that has been called the "Cradle of Calligraphy."
Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the world's deepest river canyons, is located on the Yangtze River near Lijiang City, Yunnan, China. A local legend of a tiger that leapt across the narrowest point of the gorge gives the site its name.
Elephant Trunk Hill, located on the western bank of the Li River, is the symbol of Guilin, China.
The Main Hall of the Longting (Dragon) Pavilion in Kaifeng, Henan province, China, dates to 1734.
The South China tiger, one of the most endangered animals in the in the world, is extinct in the wild, and only a few remain in zoos. The South China tiger is the smallest tiger subspecies from mainland Asia and has yellowish fur, with narrower and longer stripes than the Bengal tiger.
Gingko trees, which existed before the era of the dinosaurs, are often referred to as “living fossils.” Native to China, the trees have unique fan-shaped leaves and are a fixture in temple gardens. They are valued in many parts of the world for their resistance to fungus and insects. Ginkgos can grow up to 30.5 m (100 ft) high with trunks up to 0.60 m (2 ft) in diameter.
The Xiaoxhai Tiankeng is the world’s largest and deepest sinkhole at 660 m deep (2,165 ft), with a volume of 130 million cu m (4.6 billion cu ft). Located in southwestern China, the tiankeng, which means “heavenly pit” in Mandarin, was discovered in 1994. It is a unique double-nested sinkhole that holds two craters joined by a sloping edge, and during the rainy season, a waterfall cascades from the mouth of the pit to an underground river and cave network below.
The Ming Dynasty Tombs are located some 50 km (30 mi) north of Beijing. The archway leading to the Sacred Way and the tombs dates to 1540; it is the earliest and largest stone archway in China.
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China Factbook Data
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: 55 Anjialou Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100600
mailing address: 7300 Beijing Place, Washington DC 20521-7300
telephone: [86] (10) 8531-3000
FAX: [86] (10) 8531-4200
email address and website:
BeijingACS@state.gov
https://china.usembassy-china.org.cn/
consulate(s) general: Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan; note - the Chinese Government ordered closure of the US consulate in Chengdu in late July 2020
Transportation - note
Age structure
15-64 years: 69.3% (male 505,412,555/female 476,599,793)
65 years and over: 14.4% (2024 est.) (male 94,144,838/female 109,315,797)
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.
Geographic coordinates
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Heliports
Natural hazards
frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence
volcanism: China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries
People - note
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than the US
Military service age and obligation
note: the PLA’s conscription system functions as a levy; the PLA establishes the number of enlistees needed, which produces quotas for the provinces; each province provides a set number of soldiers or sailors; if the number of volunteers fails to meet quotas, the local governments may compel individuals to enter military service
Background
China's historical civilization dates to at least the 13th century B.C., first under the Shang (to 1046 B.C.) and then the Zhou (1046-221 B.C.) dynasties. The imperial era of China began in 221 B.C. under the Qin Dynasty and lasted until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912. During this period, China alternated between periods of unity and disunity under a succession of imperial dynasties. In the 19th century, the Qing Dynasty suffered heavily from overextension by territorial conquest, insolvency, civil war, imperialism, military defeats, and foreign expropriation of ports and infrastructure. It collapsed following the Revolution of 1911, and China became a republic under SUN Yat-sen of the Kuomintang (KMT or Nationalist) Party. However, the republic was beset by division, warlordism, and continued foreign intervention. In the late 1920s, a civil war erupted between the ruling KMT-controlled government, led by CHIANG Kai-shek, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Japan occupied much of northeastern China in the early 1930s, and then launched a full-scale invasion of the country in 1937. The resulting eight years of warfare devastated the country and cost up to 20 million Chinese lives by the time of Japan’s defeat in 1945. The Nationalist-Communist civil war continued with renewed intensity after the end of World War II and culminated with a CCP victory in 1949, under the leadership of MAO Zedong.
MAO and the CCP established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring the PRC's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and launched agricultural, economic, political, and social policies -- such as the Great Leap Forward (1958-1962) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) -- that cost the lives of millions of people. MAO died in 1976. Beginning in 1978, leaders DENG Xiaoping, JIANG Zemin, and HU Jintao focused on market-oriented economic development and opening up the country to foreign trade, while maintaining the rule of the CCP. Since the change, China has been among the world’s fastest growing economies, with real gross domestic product averaging over 9% growth annually through 2021, lifting an estimated 800 million people out of poverty and dramatically improving overall living standards. By 2011, the PRC’s economy was the second largest in the world. Current leader XI Jinping has continued these policies but has also maintained tight political controls. Over the past decade, China has increased its global outreach, including military deployments, participation in international organizations, and a global connectivity plan in 2013 called the "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI). Many nations have signed on to BRI agreements to attract PRC investment, but others have expressed concerns about such issues as the opaque nature of the projects, financing, and potentially unsustainable debt obligations. XI Jinping assumed the positions of General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission in 2012 and President in 2013. In 2018, the PRC’s National People’s Congress passed an amendment abolishing presidential term limits, which allowed XI to gain a third five-year term in 2023.
Environment - current issues
Environment - international agreements
signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Population below poverty line
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 29.4% (2020 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Exports - commodities
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Administrative divisions
23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural), and two special administrative regions (tebie xingzhengqu, singular and plural)
provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan)
autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), Ningxia, Xinjiang Uyghur, Xizang (Tibet)
municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin
special administrative regions: Hong Kong, Macau
note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau
Agricultural products
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Military and security forces
note 1: the PAP is a paramilitary police component of China’s armed forces that is under the dual authority of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the Central Military Commission and charged with internal security, law enforcement, counterterrorism, and maritime rights protection
note 2: in 2018, the Coast Guard was moved from the State Oceanic Administration to the PAP; in 2013, China merged four of its five major maritime law enforcement agencies – the China Marine Surveillance (CMS), Maritime Police, Fishery Law Enforcement (FLE), and Anti-Smuggling Police – into a unified coast guard
Budget
expenditures: $4.893 trillion (2019 est.)
Capital
geographic coordinates: 39 55 N, 116 23 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
time zone note: China is the largest country (in terms of area) with just one time zone; before 1949 it was divided into five
etymology: the Chinese meaning is "Northern Capital"
Imports - commodities
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Climate
Coastline
Constitution
amendments: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress or supported by more than one fifth of the National People’s Congress membership; passage requires more than two-thirds majority vote of the Congress membership; amended several times, last in 2018
Exchange rates
Exchange rates:
7.084 (2023 est.)
6.737 (2022 est.)
6.449 (2021 est.)
6.901 (2020 est.)
6.908 (2019 est.)
Executive branch
head of government: Premier LI Qiang (since 11 March 2023)
cabinet: State Council appointed by National People's Congress
elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by National People's Congress; election last held on 10 March 2023 (next to be held in March 2028); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress
election results:
2023: XI Jinping reelected president; National People's Congress vote - 2,952 (unanimously); HAN Zheng
elected vice president with 2,952 votes
2018: XI Jinping reelected president; National People's Congress vote - 2,970 (unanimously); WANG Qishan elected vice president with 2,969 votes
note: ultimate authority rests with the Communist Party Central Committee’s 25-member Political Bureau (Politburo) and its seven-member Standing Committee; XI Jinping holds the three most powerful positions as party general secretary, state president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission
Flag description
Illicit drugs
a major source of precursor chemicals for narcotics such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, new psychoactive substances (NPS), and synthetic drugs; is a destination and transit country for methamphetamine and heroin produced in South east and Southwest Asia; China remains a major source of precursor chemicals sold in North America via the internet and shipped to overseas customers; domestic use of synthetic drugs is prevalent; chemical alterations of drugs circumvent laws and hamper efforts to stem the flow of these
(2021)Independence
Industries
Judicial branch
judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the People's National Congress (NPC); limited to 2 consecutive 5-year-terms; other justices and judges nominated by the chief justice and appointed by the Standing Committee of the NPC; term of other justices and judges determined by the NPC
subordinate courts: Higher People's Courts; Intermediate People's Courts; District and County People's Courts; Autonomous Region People's Courts; International Commercial Courts; Special People's Courts for military, maritime, transportation, and forestry issues
Land boundaries
border countries (14): Afghanistan 91 km; Bhutan 477 km; Burma 2,129 km; India 2,659 km; Kazakhstan 1,765 km; North Korea 1,352 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,063 km; Laos 475 km; Mongolia 4,630 km; Nepal 1,389 km; Pakistan 438 km; Russia (northeast) 4,133 km and Russia (northwest) 46 km; Tajikistan 477 km; Vietnam 1,297 km
Land use
arable land: 11.3% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1.6% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.8% (2018 est.)
forest: 22.3% (2018 est.)
other: 23% (2018 est.)
Legal system
Legislative branch
elections: the 14th NPC convened on 5 March 2023; the 15th NPC will convene in March 2028
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - NA; the 14th NPC consists of 2,977 delegates; 2,187 men, 790 women, percentage women 26.5%
note: in practice, only members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), its 8 allied independent parties, and CCP-approved independent candidates are elected
Literacy
total population: 96.8%
male: 98.5%
female: 95.2% (2018)
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
International organization participation
National holiday
Nationality
adjective: Chinese
Natural resources
Geography - note
note 2: the largest cave chamber in the world is the Miao Room, in the Gebihe cave system at China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park, which encloses some 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volume; the world's largest sinkhole is the Xiaoxhai Tiankeng sinkhole in Chongqing Municipality, which is 660 m deep, with a volume of 130 million cu m
note 3: China appears to have been the center of domestication for two of the world's leading cereal crops: millet in the north along the Yellow River and rice in the south along the lower or middle Yangtze River
Economic overview
Pipelines
Political parties
note: China has 8 nominally independent small parties controlled by the CCP
Suffrage
Telecommunication systems
domestic: nearly 13 per 100 fixed line and 122 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)
international: country code - 86; landing points for the RJCN, EAC-C2C, TPE, APCN-2, APG, NCP, TEA, SeaMeWe-3, SJC2, Taiwan Strait Express-1, AAE-1, APCN-2, AAG, FEA, FLAG and TSE submarine cables providing connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean; 1 Intersputnik - Indian Ocean region; and 1 Inmarsat - Pacific and Indian Ocean regions) (2019)
Terrain
Government type
Country name
conventional short form: China
local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
local short form: Zhongguo
abbreviation: PRC
etymology: English name derives from the Qin (Chin) rulers of the 3rd century B.C., who comprised the first imperial dynasty of ancient China; the Chinese name Zhongguo translates as "Central Nation" or "Middle Kingdom"
Location
Map references
Irrigated land
Diplomatic representation in the US
chancery: 3505 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 495-2266
FAX: [1] (202) 495-2138
email address and website:
chinaemppress_us@mfa.gov.cn
http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco; note - the US ordered closure of the Houston consulate in late July 2020
Internet country code
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: undetermined (2021)
GDP (official exchange rate)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Trafficking in persons
Credit ratings
Moody's rating: A1 (2017)
Standard & Poors rating: A+ (2017)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Total renewable water resources
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 14 years
female: 14 years (2015)
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 1.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data do not include Hong Kong and Macau
Broadcast media
Drinking water source
rural: 91.5% of population
total: 95.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 2.7% of population
rural: 8.5% of population
total: 4.9% of population (2020 est.)
National anthem
lyrics/music: TIAN Han/NIE Er
note: adopted 1949; the anthem, though banned during the Cultural Revolution, is more commonly known as "Zhongguo Guoge" (Chinese National Song); it was originally the theme song to the 1935 Chinese movie, "Sons and Daughters in a Time of Storm"
Major urban areas - population
International law organization participation
Physician density
Hospital bed density
National symbol(s)
GDP - composition, by end use
government consumption: 16.1% (2022 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 41.9% (2022 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.2% (2022 est.)
exports of goods and services: 19.7% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -17.6% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 25.5
elderly dependency ratio: 19
potential support ratio: 5.3 (2021 est.)
note: data do not include Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: least one parent must be a citizen of China
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: while naturalization is theoretically possible, in practical terms it is extremely difficult; residency is required but not specified
Population distribution
Electricity access
National air transport system
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 2,890
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 436,183,969 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 611,439,830 (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Sanitation facility access
rural: 90.6% of population
total: 94.9% of population
unimproved: urban: 2.4% of population
rural: 9.4% of population
total: 5.1% of population (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups
note: the PRC officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups
Religions
note: officially atheist
Languages
major-language sample(s):
世界概況 – 不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Standard Chinese)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Imports - partners
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Government - note
Elevation
lowest point: Turpan Pendi (Turfan Depression) -154 m
mean elevation: 1,840 m
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Current health expenditure
Military - note
the PLA is the world’s largest military; its primary responsibility is external security but it also has some domestic security duties; China’s stated defense policy includes safeguarding sovereignty, security, and development interests while emphasizing a greater global role for the PLA; the PLA conducts air, counterspace, cyber, electronic warfare, joint, land, maritime, missile, nuclear, and space operations; it trains regularly, including multinational and multiservice exercises, deploys overseas, and participates in international peacekeeping missions
the PRC's internal security forces consist primarily of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the Ministry of State Security (MSS), the People’s Armed Police (PAP), and the militia; the PLA support the internal security forces as necessary:
--the MPS controls the civilian national police, which serves as the first-line force for public order; its primary mission is domestic law enforcement and maintaining order, including anti-rioting and anti-terrorism
--the MSS is the PRC’s main civilian intelligence and counterintelligence service
--the PAP is a paramilitary component (or adjunct) of the PLA; its primary missions include internal security, maintaining public order, maritime security, and assisting the PLA in times of war; it is under the command of the CMC; the China Coast Guard (CCG) administratively falls under the PAP; the CCG has a variety of missions, such as maritime sovereignty enforcement, surveillance, resource protection, anti-smuggling, and general law enforcement; it is the largest maritime law enforcement fleet in the world
--the militia is an armed reserve of civilians which serves as an auxiliary and reserve force for the PLA upon mobilization, although it is distinct from the PLA’s reserve forces; militia units are organized around towns, villages, urban sub-districts, and enterprises, and vary widely in composition and mission; they have dual civilian-military command structures; a key component of the militia are the local maritime forces, commonly referred to as the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM); the PAFMM consists of mariners (and their vessels) who receive training, equipment, and other forms of support from the Navy and CCG (although the PAFMM remains separate from both) to perform tasks such as maritime patrolling, surveillance and reconnaissance, emergency/disaster response, transportation, search and rescue, and auxiliary tasks in support of naval operations in wartime; the PAFMM’s tasks are often conducted in conjunction or coordination with the Navy and the CCG; it has been used to assert Beijing's maritime claims in the Sea of Japan and South China Sea (2023)
Military and security service personnel strengths
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
note: the PLA is in the midst of a decades-long modernization effort; in 2017, President XI set three developmental goals for the force - becoming a mechanized force with increased information and strategic capabilities by 2020, a fully modernized force by 2035, and a world-class military by mid-century
Military deployments
Total water withdrawal
industrial: 103.04 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 361.24 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
Average household expenditures
on alcohol and tobacco: 3% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 9,893.04 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 1,490.24 megatons (2020 est.)
Major aquifers
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km), Salween (271,914 sq km)
Arctic Ocean drainage: Ob (2,972,493 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km), Lake Balkash (510,015 sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s): Quinghai Hu - 4,460 sq km; Nam Co - 2,500 sq km; Siling Co - 1,860 sq km; Tangra Yumco - 1,400 sq km; Bosten Hu 1,380 sq km
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales:
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (c); Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (c); The Great Wall (c); Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing (c); Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area (n); Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (c); Ancient Ancient City of Ping Yao (c); Historic Center of Macau (c); Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth” (c); The Grand Canal (c); Mount Huangshan (m);Mogao Caves (c);Mount Taishan (m);Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian(c);Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (n);Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (n);Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (c);Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde (c);Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu (c);Lushan National Park (c);Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area (m); Classical Gardens of Suzhou (c);Old Town of Lijiang (c);Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing (c); Dazu Rock Carvings (c); Mount Wuyi (m); Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun (c);Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (c); Longmen Grottoes (c); Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (c); Yungang Grottoes (c); Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas (n); Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom (c);Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries - Wolong, Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains (c);Yin Xu (c);Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (c);South China Karst (n);Fujian Tulou (c);Mount Sanqingshan National Park (n);Mount Wutai (c);China Danxia (n)West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou (c);Chengjiang Fossil Site (n);Site of Xanadu (c)Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces(c);Xinjiang Tianshan (n);Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (c);Tusi Sites (c);Hubei Shennongjia (n);Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (c);Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement (c);Qinghai Hoh Xil (n);Fanjingshan (n);Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City (c);Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (n);Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China (c; )Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er (c); Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes (n); Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital(c)
Coal
consumption: 5.313 billion metric tons (2022 est.)
exports: 12.925 million metric tons (2022 est.)
imports: 313.937 million metric tons (2022 est.)
proven reserves: 143.197 billion metric tons (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources
nuclear: 4.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
solar: 4.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
wind: 8.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
hydroelectricity: 15.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
biomass and waste: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 366.16 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
exports: 5.617 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
imports: 142.784 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
proven reserves: 6.654 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 15.148 million bbl/day (2022 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 26.023 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
Remittances
0.15% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.13% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Nuclear energy
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 25 (2023)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 54.15GW (2023 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 4.9% (2023 est.)
Space program overview
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
Space launch site(s)
Space agency/agencies
Child marriage
women married by age 18: 2.8%
men married by age 18: 0.7% (2020 est.)
Geoparks
global geoparks and regional networks: Alxa; Arxan; Dali-Cangshan; Danxiashan; Dunhuang; Enshi Grand Canyon-Tenglongdong; Fangshan; Funiushan; Guangwushan-Noushuihe; Hexigten; Hong Kong; Huanggang Dabieshan; Huangshan; Jingpohu; Jiuhuashan; Keketuohai; Leiqiong; Leye Fengshan; Linxia; Longhushan; Longyan; Lushan; Mount Changbaishan; Mount Kunlun; Ningde; Qinling Zhongnanshan; Sanqingshan; Shennongjia; Shilin; Songshan; Taining; Taishan; Tianzhushan; Wangwushan-Daimeishan; Wudalianchi; Wugongshan; Xiangxi; Xingwen; Yingyi; Yandangshan; Yanqing; Yimengshan; Yuntaishan; Zhangjlajle; Zhangye; Zhijingdong Cave; Zigong (2024)
Ports
large: 5
medium: 9
small: 25
very small: 27
ports with oil terminals: 48
key ports: Chaozhou, Dalian, Fang-Cheng, Guangzhou, Hankow, Lon Shui Terminal, Qingdao Gang, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shekou, Tianjin Xin Gang, Weihai, Wenzhou, Xiamen
Labor force
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 16.9% (2023 est.)
female: 14.2% (2023 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Net migration rate
Median age
male: 39 years
female: 41.5 years
Debt - external
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Maternal mortality ratio
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$3.307 trillion (2022 est.)
$3.428 trillion (2021 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Waterways
Public debt
note: official data; data cover both central and local government debt, including debt officially recognized by China's National Audit Office report in 2011; data exclude policy bank bonds, Ministry of Railway debt, and China Asset Management Company debt
Total fertility rate
Military expenditures
1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2019 est.)
Unemployment rate
4.98% (2022 est.)
4.55% (2021 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Population
male: 722,201,504
female: 693,841,766 (2024 est.)
Internet users
percent of population: 73% (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
from coal and metallurgical coke: 11.059 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 1.729 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 716.939 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
Area
land: 9,326,410 sq km
water: 270,550 sq km
Taxes and other revenues
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$29.683 trillion (2022 est.)
$28.822 trillion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
Roadways
paved: 4.578 million km (2020) (includes 168000 km of expressways)
unpaved: 622,000 km (2017)
Airports
Infant mortality rate
male: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.97% (2022 est.)
0.98% (2021 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Current account balance
$443.374 billion (2022 est.)
$352.886 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Real GDP per capita
$21,000 (2022 est.)
$20,400 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2020 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 49.4% (2020 est.)
female: 1.7% (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
Energy consumption per capita
Death rate
Birth rate
Electricity
consumption: 8.54 trillion kWh (2022 est.)
exports: 20.176 billion kWh (2022 est.)
imports: 5.87 billion kWh (2022 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 327.874 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Merchant marine
by type: bulk carrier 1,831, container ship 419, general cargo 1,392, oil tanker 1,196, other 3,476
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Imports
$3.142 trillion (2022 est.)
$3.094 trillion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports
$3.719 trillion (2022 est.)
$3.555 trillion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 1.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
male: 76 years
female: 81.7 years
Real GDP growth rate
2.99% (2022 est.)
8.45% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Industrial production growth rate
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Railways
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 38.3% (2023 est.)
services: 54.6% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data