| "> | | | | when he set out with his father for China. |
| World Heritage Sites | | | | Soccer |
| Did you know - China's Great Wall is one of the New | | | | Did you know - By 2002 in South Korea/Japan, the |
| Seven Wonders of the world since 2007. Curiously, it, | | | | Communist nation finished 31st in the FIFA World |
| a national symbol, is the only UNESCO Wonder visible | | | | Championships. It had never qualified for a major |
| from space. Otherwise, the People's Republic boasts | | | | soccer championship before. |
| more Universal Wonders than any country in the world: | | | | Diplomatic Ties |
| 38 World Heritage Sites (compared to 20 in the United | | | | Did you know - Beijing maintains diplomatic ties with |
| States), among them the Lushan National Park, | | | | more than 170 states, including former allies of Taiwan, |
| Yungang Grottoes, Yin Xu and Fujian Tulou. | | | | like Chad (2006-), Costa Rica (2007-), Dominica |
| Chinese Cuisine | | | | (2004-), Grenada (2005-), Malawi (2008-), and Senegal |
| Did you know - China's cuisine is one of the most | | | | (2005-). |
| popular on Earth, from Buenos Aires and New York to | | | | China & USA |
| Paris, as well as Tokyo and Moscow. It boasts eight | | | | Did you know - In the 70s, America's author Roxane |
| regional cuisines : Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, | | | | Witke published "Comrade Chiang Ching", a unique |
| Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan and Zhejiang cuisines. | | | | book about Mao Zedong's wife, one of the world's |
| Land Area | | | | most secretive First Ladies in the past century. |
| Did you know - The PRC has an area of 3,706,566 sq. | | | | Modern History |
| mi /9,326,411 sq. km., making it the Earth's third-largest | | | | Did you know - By 1949, the People's Republic of |
| country, after Russia and Canada. | | | | China -- as large as Japan and the United States |
| Asian Games | | | | together -- was founded, after the defeat of |
| Did you know - The city of Guangzhou -- also known | | | | Nationalist forces. |
| as Canton-- has won the right to host the 2010 Asian | | | | Table Tennis |
| Games; the continent's largest multi-sports event. | | | | Did you know - In 1959, the country's tennis table |
| United Nations | | | | player Kuo-tuan Jung became the first Chinese in |
| Did you know- Since 1971, China is a permanent | | | | history to win an individual world title when he earned |
| member of the Security Council of the UN, along with | | | | the gold medal at the World Championships in |
| Russia, France, Great Britain and the States. | | | | Dortmund, Germany. |
| Ancient History | | | | Chinese Leaders |
| Did you know - In the 1340s, when traveler Ibn Battuta | | | | Did you know - Deng Xiaoping -- one of the nation's |
| came to China was impressed with the country's | | | | best-known political figures -- once said, "It doesn't |
| progress, and said "China is the safest and pleasantest | | | | matter whether a cat is black or white so long as it |
| country in the world for the traveler". | | | | catches mice". In the 1980s,Xiaoping built China into the |
| The Last Emperor | | | | cultural and commercial center of the Asian world. |
| Did you know - The People's Republic was | | | | Mineral Resources |
| popularized in 1987 by the film "The Last Emperor", a | | | | Did you know - The Asian nation is the world's largest |
| movie which won nine Academy Awards ( Best | | | | producer of zinc, followed by Canada and Australia. |
| Picture, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best | | | | Cinematography |
| Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Director, | | | | Did you Know - China's movie "Hero" received an |
| Best Music, among others prizes). This movie, about | | | | Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign |
| Puyi (China's last monarch), was shot in the Forbidden | | | | Language Film in the early 2000s. This was the second |
| City in Beijing, the country's capital. | | | | nomination for the People's Republic in this category. |
| Tropical Paradise | | | | Volleyball |
| Did you know- Hainan island, one of Asia's largest | | | | Did you know - The Japanese women's volleyball |
| islands, is home to some of the continent's most | | | | squad suffered a setback when it was beaten by |
| stunning beaches, fishing sites, resorts, and seafood | | | | China -- the underdogs throughout this tournament -- in |
| restaurants. It is the country's equivalent of Hawaii. | | | | the FIVB World Cup in November 1981. Japan had |
| Neighbours | | | | never been beaten in international competition since |
| Did you know - The nation in the world with the most | | | | 1978. After winning the match, the PRC earned the |
| neighbours is the People's Republic (followed by Russia | | | | global tournament ;it has never been forgiven by |
| and Brazil), with a total of 14 neighbours, including | | | | Chinese people. In addition, Lang Ping, nicknamed the |
| Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burma, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, | | | | "Hammer Iron", was selected as one of the most |
| India, Mongolia, North Korea, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, | | | | valuable athletes. China's gold medal set off a frenzy |
| Russia, Tajikistan, and the Republic Socialist of | | | | of celebrations in Beijing, where Chinese youngsters |
| Vietnam. | | | | dream of emulating such renowned volleyball players |
| Marco Polo & China | | | | as Lang Ping and Yang Xilan. |
| Did you know - Italy's Marco Polo was a teenager | | | | |