China, also known as the People’s Republic of China, is a country in Asia with a population of 1 billion people. It is run by the Communist Party. It has the largest population of any country in the world, and is the 4th largest country in the world.

Country Profile

A large yellow star with four smaller 5-point stars to the right of it on a red background.

Population: 1.4 billion
Land mass (square miles): 3,700,000
Capital city: Beijing
Official language: Chinese
Religion: Atheism (belief that there is no God)
Currency: Yuan (¥)
Leader: Xi Jinping

A map of China and surrounding countries.

Physical geography

China has the highest number of people of any country in the world with 1.4 billion people. It is the 4th largest country by the amount of land. It is bordered by North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, India, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Vietnam.

Plants and animals

China has a variety of animal habitats, including a few different types of forest. In the north of China, you can find conifer forests. In these forests, you can find Asian black bears, moose and over 120 species of bird. Under the trees, you may find some bamboo. There are also tropical rainforests, where over a quarter of animals and plants in China can be found.

One of the most famous animals that comes from China is the giant panda. It can be found in the south of China.

Economy

Communism

The government used to own most businesses and farms, under a system known as communism. Communism is a system where everyone creates wealth, but people only get what they need.)

One-child policy

In 1980, a policy was introduced that said couples living in China could only have one child. The aim of this policy was to limit the growth of the population in China. The policy was scrapped in 2016.

Landmarks

Great Wall of China

Most of the Great Wall of China was built in the 14th century under the Ming dynasty. The main aim of the wall was to keep out invaders.