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What do you know?

Where is China?

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Key points

  • China is the fourth largest country in the world by area. It lies in the Northern Hemisphere in the continent of Asia.
  • It is one of the most populous countries in the world and the major language is Mandarin Chinese.
  • The capital city is Beijing. It has a population of over 21 million.
  • There are many religious groups, including Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Taoism.
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Activity: Explore China

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What are the physical characteristics of China?

The People鈥檚 Republic of China is the fourth largest country in the world by area. It covers an area of 9,596,960 km虏, which is approximately 39 times greater the size of the UK. The country spans five .

China is located in the . Around a third of the country is mountainous, which includes Mount Everest in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. The of China also consists of Asia鈥檚 largest rivers such as The Yangtze and The Yellow Rivers, , , and forests. China also has a very long coastline.

颁丑颈苍补鈥檚 varies greatly:

The Great Wall of China in North China. The area is green and cool.
Image caption,
North China lies at a higher latitude
  • The north lies at a higher and is further away from the sea. Temperatures are cooler and is lower.
The South China coastline, with blue sea and green hills
Image caption,
South China lies at a lower latitude
  • The south lies at a lower latitude and is closer to the sea. Temperatures are much warmer and seasonal rains fall.
A mountain range in West China
Image caption,
West China is mountainous
  • The west is mountainous and has a cooler climate.

China experiences several , including , , , , , , and .

Question

Why does 颁丑颈苍补鈥檚 climate vary so greatly?

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What are the human characteristics of China?

Life expectancy and literacy rates

China is the second most country in the world after India, with approximately 1.4 billion people. Around 18 per cent of the world鈥檚 total population live in China. is 79 years. are above 97 per cent, meaning most Chinese people can read and write.

Population distribution

Most people live in the eastern half of the country. This is where the , Beijing, and many other larger cities are located. Around 65 per cent of 颁丑颈苍补鈥檚 population live in cities. The east of China is coastal, with many large . Fewer people live in the mountainous and regions to the north and west.

Map of China showing the Himalayas, Bay of Bengal and South China Sea. Shows cities such as Beijing (capital), Tianjin, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dongguan, Guangzou, Wuhan, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong
Figure caption,
A map showing the major cities in China

Question

Describe the population distribution of China.

Economy

China is an Upper . It is neither very rich nor very poor. 颁丑颈苍补鈥檚 main are goods, such as electronic machinery, clothing and footwear. The United States and Japan are major .

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Play the Planet Planners game! game

Make decisions for the planet in this KS3 geography game.

Play the Planet Planners game!
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