| Area Total | 9,596,960 sq km |
| Climate | extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north |
| Natural Resources | coal, iron ore, helium, petroleum, natural gas, arsenic, bismuth, cobalt, cadmium, ferrosilicon, gallium, germanium, hafnium, indium, lithium, mercury, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, antimony, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, selenium, strontium, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, rare earth elements, uranium, hydropower potential (world’s largest), arable land |
| Imports | South Korea 9.7%, Japan 9.1%, US 8.5%, Germany 5.3%, Australia 5.1% (2017) – electrical and other machinery, including integrated circuits and other computer components, oil and mineral fuels; optical and medical equipment, metal ores, motor vehicles; soybeans |
| Government | communist party-led state |
| Capital | Beijing |
| Population | 1.4 billion (July 2018 est.) |
| Ethnicity | Han Chinese 91.6%, Zhuang 1.3%, other (includes Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) 7.1% (2010 est.) |
| Language | Standard Chinese or Mandarin (official; Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry) |
| Exports | US 19%, Hong Kong 12.4%, Japan 6%, South Korea 4.5% (2017) – Exports – commodities field listing electrical and other machinery, including computers and telecommunications equipment, apparel, furniture, textiles |
News about China
- How Hong Kong can capitalise on Chinese creative destructionby Ken Chu on December 13, 2025
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- China's Foreign Minister, Special Envoy of UAE President to China discuss strengthening comprehensive strategic partnership between two countrieson December 13, 2025
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- Abdullah bin Zayed, Chinese Foreign Minister affirm depth of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between two countries in joint statementon December 13, 2025
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- US raids cargo ship travelling from China to Iranon December 13, 2025
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- Hong Kong expo vendors expect 20% sales boost amid bigger crowds, good weatherby Ambrose Li on December 13, 2025
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- Hong Kong police arrest man, 71, for alleged attack on 2 others over smoking disputeby Edith Lin on December 13, 2025
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- Temperature in Hong Kong to drop to 14 degrees and remain cool till midweekby Jiang Chuqin on December 13, 2025
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. Temperatures in Hong Kong are set to dip to as low as 14 degrees Celsius (57.2 Fahrenheit) on Sunday after a cold front moves across the coast of […]
- MEA Secy Ghosh's talks with China "timely and productive": Chinese embassyon December 13, 2025
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- China's grain output tops 714 mn tonnes in 2025on December 13, 2025
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- Tributes pour in after former Hong Kong commerce minister Gregory So dies at 67by Elizabeth Cheung,Jeffie Lam on December 13, 2025
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- Primary school near Hong Kong estate destroyed in deadly blaze hopes to moveby William Yiu on December 13, 2025
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- Hong Kong man, 51, badly burnt after allegedly setting his own flat on fireby Jeffie Lam,Jiang Chuqin on December 13, 2025
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- Taiwan records 9 PLA aircraft sorties, 7 PLAN vessels around its territoryon December 13, 2025
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- Both nations seeking to recalculate their relationships: Expert on India freeing up visas for Chinese tourists, professionalson December 12, 2025
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- India, China hold constructive diplomatic talks during Joint Secy's visit to Beijingon December 12, 2025
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- Rahul Gandhi demands parliamentary discussion on air pollution, Govt says 'ready to find solution'on December 12, 2025
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- From nukes to AI, China seeks to write new global ruleson December 12, 2025
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- India speeds up business visas for Chinese citizens - mediaon December 12, 2025
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- India speeds up business visas for Chinese citizens mediaon December 12, 2025
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- US report slams China for persecuting Taiwanese activist Yang Chih-yuanon December 12, 2025
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- China: Veteran Journalist Charged with 'Picking Quarrels'on December 12, 2025
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- Manulife becomes first insurer to redomicile in Hong Kongby Enoch Yiu on December 12, 2025
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- Hong Kong national security police arrest 9 over military-style combat drillsby Ng Kang-chung on December 12, 2025
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- India on cusp of major BESS expansion as demand set for J-curve growth: Reporton December 12, 2025
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