China holds quite a few records. Not only is it the second-largest nation in Asia, it also has the biggest population in the entire world. It has a socialist government that oversees 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, as well as the Special Autonomous Regions of Macau and Hong Kong.
China Facts
1. China is home to about 1.4 billion people.
According to the Chinese National Data, its current citizens are at more than 1.4 billion. With this figure, there are about 148 people for every square kilometer. To date, the Chinese citizens corresponds to 18% of the total world population, a fun China fact.
The number of Chinese is expected to rise in the years to come, given the country’s average growth rate of 0.6%. Although there is an upward trend, there is an anticipated drop in 2023 – with the population declining by a few million. This may be due to the country’s noticeably decreasing birth rate. From 15.23 million births in 2018, the numbers have fallen to 14.65 million in 2019.
2. It is the third-largest country in the world.
With a span of 3.7 million square miles, China is the second-largest country in Asia – and the third-largest nation in the world. Its landmass is considerably big, with bodies of water only occupying 104,460 square miles. Its reach could increase in size, as this measurement does not include disputed territories such as Taiwan and some islands along the South China Sea.
3. China is one of the world’s first civilizations.
An interesting fact about China is that with agriculture remnants going back to 7000 BC, this country is considered as one of the earliest cradles of civilization. Three distinct tribes that dominated early China include the Yellow river people, the Liao people, and the Yangtze people.
The most prominent site remains to be Jiahu, which is located at the banks of the Yellow River. Jiahu settlers eventually became the Yangshaos, who practiced an early form of silk farming.
4. It is an economic powerhouse.
With a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) amounting to $14.3 trillion, China has the highest growth percentage at an average of 6%. Historically speaking, it is poised to increase further.
It is also the largest exporter of the world, overtaking the United States in 2013, an interesting China fact. As of December 2019, Chinese exports amounted to about $238 billion. About 27% of these exports involved electrical equipment, while 17.2% covered computer machinery. Furniture, bedding, and linens account for 3.9% or $96.4 billion worth of exports.
Expectedly, China is also the world’s second-largest importer, after the United States. The country has imported $190.9 billion worth of goods as of the end of 2019. Electrical machinery – which is its the top export – is coincidentally China’s top import as well.
5. China is hailed as one of the world’s Potential Superpowers.
China is seen as an emerging superpower with its raging economic growth and vast military capacity. Economist Arvind Subramanian even went on to say that in 10-15 years, the Chinese renminbi could take over the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Its military, on the other hand, is poised to grow even larger than the US Armed Forces in the next 20 years.
6. The country is home to some of the richest people on earth.
An interesting fact about China is that a part of this country’s economic supremacy can be attributed to the 285 billionaires and the 4.4 million millionaires living in the country. The Chinese are now the wealthiest people. More than 100 million citizens are part of the top 10% richest people in the world.
Taking the top spot of the list is Jack Ma. The founder of the Alibaba Group has a net worth of $38.2 billion. Tencent CEO Ma Huateng is second with a net worth of $36 billion. With a net worth of $27.7 billion, real estate developer Hui Ka Yan is perched at the third spot.
7. China has the largest standing army on the planet.
With more than 2 million active personnel, China has the largest standing army on the planet. It trumps the US – considered a military superpower – by more than 600,000 people.
Apart from active personnel, China has a reserve military corps of more than 500,000 officers and a paramilitary staff of 660,000.
8. It is one of the few socialist states in the world.
The socialist government was established in 1949 when the Communist Party took over China. Chairman Mao Ze Dong, who is considered the founding father of the People’s Republic (PRC), led the country’s communist reforms. His formal unveiling of the new PRC on October 1, 1949, is celebrated annually as “National Day.”
9. China is one of 17 ‘megadiverse’ countries.
An interesting China fact is that this country, which is home to more than 34,000 animal and plant species, is considered as the third most biodiverse country in the world. This is largely due to the 2 ecozones that the country belongs in: the Paleartic and Indo-Malayan realms.
A total of 551 mammals can be found in China, making it the third-highest in the world list. There are also 333 amphibians and 424 reptile species in the nation. As for birds, 1,221 breeds can be found around the country. Recognizing the importance of these florae and fauna, China has committed to protecting these species by establishing 2,349 nature reserves in the country.
Despite these impressive numbers, a lot of these species are threatened. Some are on the brink of extinction because of illegal poaching and careless habitat destruction.
10. Chinese cities are some of the most polluted in the world.
Development comes at a steep price. As a major hub for manufacturing, Chinese cities emit high amounts of noxious gases and toxic wastes. Baoding may be 19th in the entire world, however, it remains to be the highest Chinese city in the list. It produces 93 micrograms of PM 2.5 pollution (particles that reduce visibility) per cubic meter. As for the PM10 or the common pollutant, Baoding makes 147 micrograms per cubic meter.
Other Chinese cities included in the deplorable list are Ji’nan, Shijiazhuang, Xingtai, Hengshui, Anyang, Liaocheng, and Jiaozuo.
Conclusion
An early cradle of civilization, China continues to be one of the most influential countries in the world. With its unstoppable GDP growth rate and high yield of exports, experts say that China is right on track to becoming the most powerful nation in the world.
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