China

Stretching from its southern borders in the Himalayas to the deserts of Mongolia in the north, and from the East China Sea through the Yangzi River Valley plains, to the Tibetan Plateau in the western mainland, China covers an area of 9,596,960 square kilometres.

China also encompasses over 5000 islands, not to mention the disputed territories such as the Spratlys and the Paracels.The nation comprises five autonomous regions and twenty-two provinces, as well as Hong Kong, which is now titled a 'Special Administrative Region'.The seat of government, Beijing, is a large city of 11 million people, and like all of China's urban metropolises, life here contrasts immensely with that of the peasant farmers in rural areas.





Due to its size, China's climate is obviously very diverse, ranging from an unbearable 48ºC in the northwest during Summer to an equally unbearable -40ºC in the far north in winter.

The official language in China is Mandarin, as spoken in Beijing, but there are also many different dialects to listen for.

Chinese food (and much of the ingredients used to create it is like no other cuisine - and again, this differs greatly between regions.

Art in China is also stunningly unique, perhaps best typified by calligraphy, performed with ink and brush, and held in extremely high esteem by the Chinese.