Overview
China is the world's most populous country, with a continuous culture stretching back nearly 4,000 years. Many of the elements that make up the foundation of the modern world originated in China, including paper, gunpowder, credit banking, the compass and paper money. After stagnating for more than two decades under the rigid authoritarianism of early communist rule under its late leader, Chairman Mao, China now has the world's fastest-growing economy and is undergoing what has been described as a second industrial revolution.
Map
Facts
| Full name | People's Republic of China |
|---|---|
| Population: | 1.34 billion (UN, 2008) |
| Capital: | Beijing |
| Largest city | Shanghai |
| Area: | 9.6 million sq km (3.7 million sq miles) |
| Major language: | Mandarin Chinese |
| Major religions: | Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism |
| Life expectancy: | 71 years (men), 75 years (women) (UN) |
| Monetary unit: | 1 Renminbi (yuan) (Y) = 10 jiao = 100 fen; |
| Main exports: | Manufactured goods, including textiles, garments, electronics, arms |
| GNI per capita: | US $2,360 (World Bank, 2007) |
| Internet domain: | .cn |
| International dialling code: | +86 |
Blogs
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Web Monitor09 Jul 09 | Magazine Monitor - Magazine Monitor
Merch girl says burlesque is spreading across the world - with a big burlesque scene in Japan and tassels even making a show in an old Buddhist temple in China. ...
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How to say: Chinese names and ethnic groups09 Jul 09 | Magazine Monitor - Magazine Monitor
China's President Hu Jintao cut short his visit to the G8 summit to tackle the crisis. Florence), then we recommend this rather than the form in the native language. ...
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Web Monitor02 Jul 09 | Magazine Monitor - Magazine Monitor
The keffiyeh, the checkered scarf made famous by Yasser Arafat, is now mostly made in China, not the Palestinian Territories, Mother Jones reports. ...
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China and Google - what's going on25 Jun 09 | Rory Cellan-Jones - dot.life
On Wednesday night Google's international and Chinese websites were unavailable in many parts of China. BBC News in English is available in China, but our Chinese site, remains blocked." ...
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World Service on mobile11 Jun 09 | Sheila Thomson - BBC Internet Blog
Support for languages also varies greatly between devices. It depends very much on which script the language is written in. ...
BBC iPlayer
TV
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HARDtalk - Baroness Catherine Ashton, EU Trade CommissionerBaroness Catherine Ashton, EU Trade Commissioner, 31 Mar 09Worries about global trade are being raised at the G20 summit. Zeinab Badawi asks Baroness Catherine Ashton, the EU Commissioner in charge of trade, how much the EU is to blame.
Watch "HARDtalk - Baroness Catherine Ashton, EU Trade Commissioner" now
Radio
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Today - 07/07/200907 Jul 09With John Humphrys and Sarah Montague. Including Sports Desk; Weather; Thought for the Day; Yesterday in Parliament.
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Night Waves - Karen Armstrong/Pompeii/China/MindawayKaren Armstrong/Pompeii/China/Mindaway, 08 Jul 09Isabel Hilton talks to bestselling religious writer Karen Armstrong about her book The Case for God, a passionate defence of religion and an attack on prominent atheists.
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Knowledge
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Religion & Ethics - Subdivisions and groups: Taoist groupsReligion & Ethics
Historically, they have been documented from the second century C.E. onward and shown a high degree of continuity over the millennia.
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Radio 4 In Our Time - The Needham QuestionRadio 4 In Our Time
Programme details Thursday 19 October 2006 THE NEEDHAM QUESTION What do these things have in common? But did Joseph Needham give a satisfactory answer to the question that bears his name?
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Religion and Ethics - The Missionaries: JapanReligion and Ethics
There are, there are about 20 variations of Chinese, but the civil service all used this language we now call Mandarin, and all the classics were written in Mandarin.
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Films - Review - Platform (Zhan Tai)Films
Yet it's also pleasingly ambivalent towards the impact of historical forces on ordinary lives.
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Religion & Ethics - Islam in China (650-present): IntegrationReligion & Ethics
In addition to names, Muslim customs of dress and food also underwent a synthesis with Chinese culture. Communist era The People's Republic of China was founded in 1949.
Coming Up
Radio
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Wild Water - Swimming in the IceBBC Radio 3, 13 Jul 09 23:00
Series in which writer and climber Robert Macfarlane explores the state of the natural environment in China.
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Wild Wall - The Unkempt and Unrestored WallBBC Radio 3, 14 Jul 09 23:00
Series in which writer and climber Robert Macfarlane explores the state of the natural environment in China, and focuses on the Great Wall. ...
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Wild Mountain - BeginningsBBC Radio 3, 15 Jul 09 23:00
Series in which writer and climber Robert Macfarlane explores the state of the natural environment in China. He travels to the mountainous heart of China to visit the holy peak of Minya Konka. ...
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Wild Mountain - EndingsBBC Radio 3, 16 Jul 09 23:00
Series in which writer and climber Robert Macfarlane explores the state of the natural environment in China.
News
News Articles
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Most Xinjiang dead Han Chinese11 Jul 09 | Asia-PacificUighurs living in exile outside China have also disputed the Chinese figures.
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US trade gap lowest in nine years10 Jul 09 | BusinessAnd the US deficit with Japan dropped its lowest level in more than 20 years, at $1.9bn. The deficit with China meanwhile added 4.4% to $17.5bn - though this is below the level seen in 2008.
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What the G8 pledges mean10 Jul 09 | Europe
It helps bind India and China, in particular, into a process of restricting emissions of greenhouse gases - a process to which they have previously been highly resistant or even downright hostile.
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Turkey attacks China 'genocide'10 Jul 09 | Asia-PacificWe have difficulty understanding how China's leadership can remain a spectator in the face of these events." We are scared of the violence," a 23-year-old construction worker from central China said.
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Clinton plea for N Korea captives10 Jul 09 | Asia-PacificLaura Ling and Euna Lee were imprisoned after apparently illegally entering North Korea from China in March.
News Clips
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Curfew reimposed in Chinese city11 Jul 09Dr Kerry Brown, of Chatham House, and author Jonathan Fenby discuss the ethnic unrest in China.
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China reimposes curfew in Urumqi10 Jul 09A night-time curfew has been reimposed in the western Chinese city of Urumqi, officials have announced.
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'Strong hatred' between Han and Uighurs10 Jul 09Quentin Sommerville reports on the continuing unrest between between Uighur Muslims and Han Chinese.
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China bans Urumqi mosque prayers10 Jul 09China has ordered mosques in its restive western city of Urumqi not to open for Friday prayers.
Watch "China bans Urumqi mosque prayers" now -
China quake destroys 10,000 homes10 Jul 09An earthquake in south-western China has destroyed 10,000 homes and injured more than 300 people, according to state media.
Watch "China quake destroys 10,000 homes" now
Around the web
News From Other Sources
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How the U.S. can help the Uighurs12 Jul 09 | China Post
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May news in brief12 Jul 09 | Macau Business
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Pandemics that changed the course of history11 Jul 09 | Guardian Unlimited
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New policies a goodwill gesture for Taiwan11 Jul 09 | South China Morning Post
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John Pomfret -- China's Actions in Xinjiang...11 Jul 09 | Washington Post
Weather
Weather for Beijing
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions |  sunny intervals |  heavy showers |  sunny |
| Max Temperature | Max:33°C/91°F | Max:33°C/91°F | Max:36°C/97°F |
| Min Temperature | Min:25°C/77°F | Min:23°C/73°F | Min:25°C/77°F |
Sport
Sport Articles
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GB rowers storm to Lucerne finals11 Jul 09Zhang Xiuyun of China overtook the Grainger in the second half of the race but the Briton should mount a serious challenge in the final.
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England held by late Dutch strike11 Jul 09Defending champions Argentina beat China 2-1 and hosts Australia overcame Germany 2-0 in the other matches on the opening day of the six-team tournament.
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Herbert excited about Champions10 Jul 09The England team faces tough opposition, taking on the Netherlands, Germany, China, Argentina and hosts Australia, but Herbert is happy to be there.
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German Grand Prix practice photos10 Jul 09
Action from Friday's sessions at the Nurburgring. German Grand Prix practice photos Race nine of the 2009 Formula 1 season sees the circus ...
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Schedule/results 200909 Jul 09
Fights in Britain and the rest of the world as well as the latest results.. Schedule/results 2009 SCHEDULE JULY 3: Paris, France, Souleymane M'baye bt Colin Lynes by split decision (vacant European ...
Sport Clips
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Murray Walker answers your questions - week 319 May 09Formula 1 expert Murray Walker answers your questions after round three of the 2009 season sees Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel dominate in China.
Watch "Murray Walker answers your questions - week 3" now -
Murray Walker's China Grand Prix preview16 Apr 09F1 commentating legend Murray Walker gives his thoughts on the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix and picks out a surprising potential winner.
Watch "Murray Walker's China Grand Prix preview" now -
'Super6s' can be future of snooker - White12 Apr 09Snooker legend Jimmy White says format innovations are one way of helping boost the game's popularity, and comes out strongly against ideas to move the World Championship to China and away from the ...
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Daley pleased with China performance30 Mar 09Tom Daley tells BBC South West he is pleased to be competing in the Fina Diving World Series again and to have a chance to improve his personal best. ...
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Report: Hamilton extends lead with China win19 Oct 08BBC Sport's David Croft reports as a win for Lewis Hamilton at the Chinese Grand Prix leaves the British driver with a seven-point lead heading into the final race of the championship in Brazil in ...
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