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Hey FUCK CHina them damn chinese suck fucking ass
{{featured article}}{{redirect|PRC}}{{distinguish2|the ] }}
{{Infobox Country or territory
|native_name = 中华人民共和国<br/>中華人民共和國<br/>''Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó''
|conventional_long_name = People's Republic of China
|common_name = the People's Republic of China
|image_flag = Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
|image_coat = National emblem of the People's Republic of China.png
|symbol_type = National Emblem
|national_motto =
|image_map = LocationPRChina.png
|national_anthem = ]<br/>''March of the Volunteers''</small>
|official_languages = ]<sup>1</sup> (]), ]
|capital = ]
|latd=39|latm=55|latNS=N|longd=116|longm=23|longEW=E
|government_type = ] ]<sup>2</sup> <!--"Socialist republic" is the formal description used by the Encyclopaedia Britannica-->
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|largest_city = ]
|area = 9,596,960
|areami² = 3,704,427<sup>2</sup> <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|area_rank = 3rd<sup>3</sup>
|area_magnitude = 1 E12
|percent_water = 2.8<sup>2</sup>
|population_estimate = 1,315,844,000<sup>4</sup> <!--UN WPP-->
|population_estimate_year = 2006
|population_estimate_rank = 1st
|population_census = 1,242,612,226
|population_census_year = 2000
|population_density = 140<sup>2</sup>
|population_densitymi² = 363<sup>2</sup> <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|population_density_rank = 72nd
|GDP_nominal = $2.224 ]
|GDP_nominal_rank = 4th
|GDP_nominal_year = 2005
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $1,709
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 110th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2005
|GDP_PPP = $8.859 trillion<sup>2</sup>
|GDP_PPP_rank = 2nd
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $7,204<sup>2</sup>
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 84th
|HDI_year = 2004
|HDI = 0.768
|HDI_rank = 81st
|HDI_category = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font>
|sovereignty_type = ]
|established_event1 = ]
|established_event2 = ]
|established_event3 = ]
|established_event4 = PRC declared
|established_date1 = ]
|established_date2 = ]
|established_date3 = ] ]
|established_date4 = ] ]
|currency = ]<sup>5, 2</sup>
|currency_code = CNY
|time_zone =
|utc_offset = +8
|time_zone_DST = ''not observed''
|utc_offset_DST = +8
|cctld = ]<sup>2</sup>
|calling_code = 86<sup>2</sup>
|footnotes = <sup>1</sup> In addition to Standard Mandarin, ] is co-official in both {{HKG}} and {{MAC}}. ] is co-official in ] (SAR); correspondingly, ] in ] (SAR). Similarly, several minority languages are also co-official with Standard Mandarin in minority areas, viz. ] in ], ] (mainly Cyrillic but also Chahar alphabet) in ], ] in ], and ] in ], ].<br/><sup>2</sup> Information for mainland China only. ], ] and territories under administration of the ] (Taiwan, Quemoy, etc) are excluded.<br/><sup>3</sup> Area rank is '']'' with the U.S. and is sometimes ranked 3rd or 4th (see ]).<br/><sup>4</sup> Midyear.<br/><sup>5</sup> (RMB¥)
}}
The '''People's Republic of China,''' also known as '''],''' '''P.R.C,''' and '''PRC''' ({{zh-stp|s=中华人民共和国|t=中華人民共和國|p=Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó}} {{Audio|Zh-Zhonghua renmin gongheguo.ogg|listen}}), is a ] in ]. The PRC has a coastline of 14,500 kilometres (9,010 mi),<ref name="CIA - The World Factbook">{{cite web |title=CIA - The World Factbook |work=CIA |url=https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html |accessdate=August 20 |accessyear=2006}}</ref> and borders (clockwise from south to northeast) ], ], ], ], ], ], ],<ref name="afgh">The Government of India considers the entire state of ] to be a part of India including the portion bordering ]. A ceasefire sponsored by the ] in 1948 freezes the positions of Indian and Pakistani held territory. As a consequence, the region bordering Afghanistan is in Pakistani-administered territory.</ref> ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and located on the west of ]. PRC is a ], with its ] ].

At over 3.7 million square miles (over 9.5 million km²), the PRC is the ] country by area. It is also the world's ] nation, with over 1.3 billion ]s and borders the most countries in the world at with 14 independent countries.

The present day PRC was the birthplace of the ] that dates back thousands of years. The PRC was officially established as a state in ], during the closing stages of the ]; in that same year, the previous government of China, the ], retreated to the ] of ], where it currently remains. Since then, the People's Republic of China (PRC) ] and some nearby islands, which are administered by the ], and asserts that the PRC has supplanted the ROC in its legitimacy to govern all of China. The ] on ] rejects these claims, and administers itself as a ] ] with a democratically elected ] and ]. Until 1991, Taiwan also claimed to be the sole leader of all of China, as well as ]. The term "]" is sometimes used to denote the area under PRC rule, but usually excludes the two ]s: ] and ]. The ] (CPC) has led the PRC under a ] system since the country's establishment in 1949. Despite this, nearly half of the PRC's economy has been ] in the past three decades under "]." During the 1980s, these ] helped lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, bringing the poverty rate down to less than 9% from 33% of the population.<ref> (which cites World Bank, 1992, p. 4 as the reference). Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref>

The PRC is the world's ] and second largest at ] (which is predicted to become the largest by 2020) and ] as a permanent member of the ] and ]. China is the third largest ]er and ]er in the world. China consumes a third of the world's ], over half of the world's ] {{fact}} and the second largest importer and consumer of world ]. There are currently more construction projects in China than any other country on earth {{fact}}. However, due to this ] of ] and ], the PRC is faced with a number of problems associated with each, including unemployment and an increasing rural/urban income gap. Despite these shortcomings, greater prosperity has led to growing Chinese influence in ] ], ], ], ], ], and ] affairs. Due to its large and stable population, its growing ] and ] and capabilities,<ref>''Oded Shenkar'' </ref> the PRC is often considered an ].

==History==
{{main|History of the People's Republic of China}}
The ] ended in 1949 with the ] in control of the ], and the ] retreating to ] and some outlying islands of ]. On ], ] ] proclaimed the People's Republic of China, declaring "the Chinese people have stood up."<ref>. UCLA Center for East Asian Studies. Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref>

Following a series of dramatic economic failures, like the famous ], Mao stepped down from his position as chairman in 1959, with ], elected by the National People's Congress, as successor. Mao still had a huge influence over the Party, but was removed from day-to-day management of economic affairs, which came under the control of a more moderate leadership consisting of ], ], and others who initiated economic reforms.

In 1966, Mao and his allies launched the ], which is viewed by many analysts and historians as an attempt to purge the moderate leadership and strike-back at Mao's rivals by mobilizing the population in support of his thought. Mao's sympathizers argued it as an experiment in direct ] and a genuine attempt at fighting ] and other negative influences within Chinese society. However, Mao's ] at the time and the ] structure of the "]," as well as the economic reconstruction needed after these events, tend to contradict this interpretation. Extreme disorder followed in the wake of the Cultural Revolution, but premier ] mediated its destructive impacts and helped the moderate forces regain influence.

After Mao's death in 1976 and the arrest of the ], Deng Xiaoping quickly wrested power from Mao's anointed successor ]. Although ] never became the head of the Party or State himself, his influence within the Party led the country to economic reforms, exemplified by one of his favorite sayings: "It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice."<ref>Zwaan, Herman de. . Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref> The Communist Party subsequently loosened governmental control over people's personal lives and the ]s were disbanded with many peasants receiving multiple land leases, which greatly increased incentives and agricultural production. This turn of events marked China's transition from a planned economy to a ]. The PRC adopted its current ] on ], ].

Despite market reforms, the Communist Party of China remains in sole control, requiring the registration and supervision of all civic organizations. The CPC suppresses groups that it claims are threats to social stability and national unity, such as ] and the separatist movement in ]. Supporters of these policies claim that they safeguard stability in a society that was torn apart by class differences and rivalries, has no tradition of civil participation, and limited rule of law. Opponents claim that these policies severely curtail ] and that they have resulted in a ], creating an atmosphere of fear and ignorance.

].]]In 1989 the death of the pro-reform official, ], helped to spark the ], during which students and others campaigned for democratic reform and freedom. The protests were soon put down on June 4 when ] troops entered and forcibly cleared the square, resulting in hundreds of casualties. This event was ] and brought worldwide condemnation and sanctions against the PRC government. The ] has been a taboo subject within the government, though the Party did defend its actions by saying that it was necessary for the continued stability and economic development of the country.

President ] and Premier ], both former mayors of ], led post-Tiananmen China in the 1990s, bringing unprecedented wealth and international standing to the country. Under Jiang Zemin's ten years of administration, China pulled an estimated 150 million peasants out of poverty and sustained an average annual GDP growth rate of 11.2%. The country formally joined the ] in 2001.<ref> (July 11, 2003). China Daily.</ref><ref> (March 1, 2000). People's Daily Online.</ref>

Although China needs economic growth to spur its development, the government has begun to worry that rapid economic growth could negatively impact the country's resources and environment. Another concern is that many people are not benefiting from China's economic miracle. As a result, the PRC, under current President ] and Premier ], have initiated policies to address these issues, but the outcome remains to be seen.<ref>. BBC. Accessed 16 April, 2006.</ref> For much of China's population, living standards have seen extremely large improvements, and freedom continues to expand, but political controls remain tight.

==Government and politics==
<!--This section is on the politics of ]-->
], on the west side of ], is China's congress building. There are 2,979 representatives in the annual ].]]
{{morepolitics|country=the People's Republic of China}}<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series-->
While the PRC is regarded as a ] by many ], attempts to characterize the nature of China's political ] into a single, simple category are typically seen as lacking sufficient depth to be satisfactory.<ref>Boum, Aomar (1999). . Retrieved April 18, 2006.</ref> The PRC government has been variously described as ], ], and ], with heavy restrictions remain in some areas, most notably on ] and in ]. At the same time, China is slowly becoming ] in its economic system.<ref> (Winter 1997). Proletarian Revolution.</ref>

The country is mainly run by the ] (CPC), but there are other political parties in the PRC, referred to in China as "democratic parties" (民主党派), which participate in the ], while serving mainly to endorse CPC policies. There have been some moves toward political liberalization, in that open contested elections are now held at the village and town levels,<ref></ref> and that legislatures have shown some assertiveness from time to time; however, the Party retains effective control over governmental appointments. This is because, in the absence of meaningful opposition, the CPC wins by default in most electorates.<ref>. 1 May 2006. USDA Economic Research Service. ''URL accessed 3 May 2006.''</ref> The CPC has been enforcing its rule by clamping down on political dissidents while simultaneously attempting to reduce dissent by improving the economy and allowing public expression of personal grievances so long as they are not organized. Current political concerns in China include lessening the growing gap between rich and poor, and fighting corruption within the government leadership.<ref>. Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref> The support that the Communist Party of China has among the Chinese population in general is unclear because there are no consistently contested national elections.<ref>. 4 April 2006. HKU POP. ''URL accessed 3 May 2006.''</ref>

For much of China's history, the state had been ruled by some form of ], which was followed by a chaotic succession of largely ] ] governments as well as ]-] administrations since the last few years of the ] in 1912.

{{seealso|Government of the People's Republic of China|Chinese nationalism|Chinese propaganda|Chinese law|Politics of the Republic of China|Politics of Hong Kong|Politics of Macau}}

===Political divisions===
{{main|Political divisions of China}}
The People's Republic of China has administrative control over twenty-two provinces (省); the government of the PRC considers ] (台湾) to be its twenty-third province.<ref>Gwillim Law (April 2, 2005). . Retrieved April 15, 2006.</ref> (See ] for more information). Apart from provinces, there are five ] (自治区), each with a designated minority group; four ] (直辖市); and two ]s (特别行政区) that enjoy considerable autonomy.

The twenty-two provinces, five autonomous regions and four municipalities can be collectively referred to as "]", a term which usually excludes Hong Kong, Macau.

]
The following are a list of administrative divisions of areas under the control of the People's Republic of China.
{{columns
|width = 290px
|gap = 5px
|col1 =
'''Provinces''' （省）
*] (安徽)
*] (福建)
*] (甘肃)
*] (广东)
*] (贵州)
*] (海南)
*] (河北)
*] (黑龙江)
*] (河南)
*] (湖北)
*] (湖南)
*] (江苏)
*] (江西)
*] (吉林)
*] (辽宁)
*] (青海)
*] (陕西)
*] (山东)
*] (山西)
*] (四川)
*(]) (台湾)<ref>The PRC considers Táiwān (台湾) to be its twenty-third province.</ref>
*] (云南)
*] (浙江)

|col2 =
'''Autonomous regions''' （自治区）
*] (广西壮族自治区)
*] (内蒙古自治区)
*] (宁夏回族自治区)
*] (新疆维吾尔自治区)
*] (西藏自治区)
<br/>
'''Municipalities''' （直辖市）
*] (北京市)
*] (重庆市)
*] (上海市)
*] (天津市)
<br/>
'''Special Administrative Regions''' （特别行政区）
*{{HKG}} (Xiānggǎng) (香港特别行政区)
*{{MAC}} (Àomén) (澳门特别行政区)
<br/>
}}
{{seealso|List of cities in the People's Republic of China}}

===Foreign relations===
] with ]. The ] between the world's sole ] ] and the ] status of the ] is closely watched by international observers.]]
{{main|Foreign relations of the People's Republic of China}}
The PRC maintains diplomatic relations with most countries in the world. In 1971, the PRC replaced the Republic of China as the sole representative for "China" in the ] and as one of the five permanent members of the ].<ref>Eddy Chang (Aug 22, 2004). The Taipei Times.</ref> It is considered a founding member of the UN, though the PRC was not in control of China at the time. (See ]). The PRC was also a former member and leader of the ].

Under the ], the PRC has made it a precondition to establishing diplomatic relations that the other country acknowledges its claim to ] and sever any official ties with the ] (ROC) government. The government actively opposes foreign travels by former and present Taiwanese officials, such as ] and ], and other politically controversial figures, such as ], the current ] of ], in an official context.

China has been playing an increasing role in calling for ]s and security pacts amongst its Asia-Pacific neighbors. In 2004, China proposed an entirely new ] (EAS) framework as a forum for regional security issues that pointedly excluded the United States.<ref>Dillon, Dana and John Tkacik Jr, , ''Policy Review'', December 2005 and January 2006, Issue No. 134. Accessed 22 April 2006.</ref> The EAS, which includes ], ], ] and ], held its inaugural summit in 2005. China is also a founding member of the ] (SCO), with ] and the ] republics.

Much of the current foreign policy is based on the concept of ]. However, conflicts with foreign countries have occurred at various times in its recent history, particularly with the ]; e.g., the U.S. bombing of the Chinese embassy in ] during the ] in May 1999 and the ] in April 2001. Also, its foreign relations with many other Western nations suffered for a time following the Tiananmen Square Incident in 1989, sometimes referred to as the Tiananmen Square Massacre or June 4th Incident. The relationship between ] has been strained at times by Japan's refusal to acknowledge its war-time past to the satisfaction of the PRC, e.g. ] comments made by prominent Japanese officials, and insufficient attention paid to the ] and other ] committed during ] in some ]. Another point of conflict between the two countries is the frequent visits by Japanese government officials to the ], which enshrines thousands of World War II war criminals, including 14 Class A convicts. Relations with China and Japan also have been strained by the ] that occurred in spring of 2005.

The PRC is in a number of ]. China's territorial disputes have led to several localized wars in the last 50 years, including the ] in 1962, the ] in 1969 and the ] in 1979. In 2001, the PRC and Russia signed the ],<ref> (March 21, 2006). Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref> which paved the way in 2004 for Russia to transfer Yinlong Island as well as one half of Heixiazi Island to China, ending a long-standing ] border dispute. Other territorial disputes include islands in the ] and ]s, and undefined or disputed borders with ], ] and ].

===Population policy===
{{main|One-child policy}}
With a population of over 1.3 billion, the PRC is very concerned about its population growth and has attempted with mixed results to implement a strict family planning policy. The government's goal is ], with exceptions for ethnic minorities and flexibility in rural areas, where a family can have a second child if the first is a girl or physically disabled. The government's goal is to stabilize population growth early in the 21st century, though some current projections estimate a population of anywhere ranging from 1.4 billion to 1.6 billion by 2025.

The policy is resisted, particularly in rural areas, because of the need for ] labour and a traditional preference for boys. Families who breach the policy often lie during the census. Official government policy opposes forced abortion or sterilization, but allegations of coercion continue as local officials, who are faced with penalties for failing to curb population growth, may resort to forced abortion or sterilization, or manipulation of census figures.

The decreasing reliability of PRC population statistics since family planning began in the late 1970s has made evaluating the effectiveness of the policy difficult. Estimates by Chinese demographers of the ] vary from 1.5 to 2.0. The government is particularly concerned with the large imbalance in the ] at birth, apparently the result of a combination of traditional preference for boys, family planning pressure, and the wide availability of ], which led to its ban for the purpose of ].

===Human rights===
{{main|Human rights in the People's Republic of China}}
The ] guarantees ], ], the ], ], ], and ].<ref>. 16 March 2004. Accessed 28 April 2006.</ref> However, ] of political speech and information is openly and routinely used to protect what the government considers national security interests.<ref name=right> (March 1995). Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref> The government has a policy of suppressing most protests and organizations that it considers a threat to social stability and national unity, as was the case with the ]. However, there are limits to the methods that the Party is willing or able to use as the media have become increasingly active in publicizing social problems, and exposing corruption and inefficiency at lower levels of government. The Party has also been rather unsuccessful at controlling information, and in some cases has had to change policies in response to public outrage. Although organized opposition against the Party is not accepted, demonstrations over local issues are frequently and increasingly tolerated.

At times, the PRC is faced with criticism from Western governments and ]s concerning allegations of gross human rights violations. These criticisms allege that there existed a widespread practice of lengthy detentions without trial, forced confessions, torture, mistreatment of prisoners, as well as allegations of restrictions on freedoms of ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name=right> (March 1995).</ref> Furthermore, China leads the world in ], accounting for roughly 90% of total death-penalty executions in 2004,<ref>http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0405-07.htm 5 April 2005. Accessed 23 June 2006. ''The Independent/UK'' article, republished.</ref> These issues remain one of the driving forces behind independence movements in ] and ]. The PRC government responds to these criticisms by arguing that the notion of human rights should factor in standards-of-living. It views the rise in China's standard-of-living as an indicator of improvement in the human rights issue.<ref>. 11 December 2003. Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States. Accessed 28 April 2006.</ref>

In ]' Annual World Press Freedom Index of 2005,<ref>http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=554</ref> the PRC ranked 159 out of 167 places. This is an indication that Reporters Without Borders considers the PRC one of the countries in the world with the strictest media control.

==Geography and climate==
<!--May contain many border inaccuracies: ]-->
], ], ].]]
] in ], ].]]
], ].]]
{{main|Geography of China}}
The PRC is the largest ] in ] in ] (excluding Russia) and the third largest<ref> (September 7, 2005). Foreign & Commonwealth Office</ref> in the world by land-and-sea area. (However, due to a recent change in the method used by the ] to calculate its surface area, some countries and international organisations list the United States as third largest.<ref> (March 29, 2006). CIA World Factbook.</ref>) It borders 14 nations (counted clockwise from south): ], ], ] (Burma), ], ], ], ],<ref>China's border with Pakistan falls in the disputed ] province. The area under Pakistani-administration is claimed by India.</ref> ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].

The territory of the PRC contains a large variety of landscapes. In the east, along the shores of the ] and the ], there are extensive and densely populated ], while on the edges of the Inner Mongolian plateau in the north, grasslands can be seen. Southern China is dominated by hill country and low ]s. In the central-east are the ] of China's two major rivers, the ] and ] (Chang Jiang). Other major rivers include the ], ], ] and ].

To the west, major mountain ranges, notably the ]s with China's highest point ], and high ]s feature among the more arid landscapes such as the ] and the ].

A major issue is the continued expansion of deserts, particularly the ].<ref>. BBC news. Accessed 17 April, 2006.</ref> Although barrier tree lines planted since the 1970s have reduced the frequency of ]s, prolonged ] and poor agricultural practices result in ]s plaguing northern China each spring, which then spread to other parts of East Asia, including ], ] and ]. Dust from the northern plains has been tracked to the ]. Water, ], and pollution control have become important issues in China's relations with other countries.

China has some relevant environmental regulations: the 1979 Environmental Protection Law, which was largely modelled on U.S. legislation. But the environment continues to deteriorate.<ref >{{cite book|Ma, Xiaoying and Ortalano, Leonard, ''Environmental Regulation in China'', Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2002</ref> Twelve years after the law, only one Chinese city was making an effort to clean up its water discharges.<ref>Sinkule, Barbara J., ''Implementing Environmental Policy in China'', Praeger Publishers, 1995, ISBN 0-275-94980-X</ref> This indicates that China is about 20 years behind the U.S. schedule of environmental regulation and 20 to 30 years behind Europe.

] has increased as an issue along with industrial production. The Chinese government has chosen a discharge standard measuring the concentration of a pollutant rather than the total pollutant load (as is done in the ] and many western countries). As a result many industrial dischargers in China simply dilute the effluent with river water taken from the same source as the receiving waters. Consequently the outcome has been to create considerable water pollution in many of the country's rivers.

With regard to carbon emissions, China was exempted from the ], and since that treaty was signed, China has become the world's number one emitter of carbon gases, adding to the threat of ].

Killing elephants for ivory has been a major cause of the decline of the African elephant population since at least the 1970s. Most of the ivory harvested is imported into the People's Republic of China and ]. For example, between 1996 and 2002 forty five tonnes of ivory in transit to China were seized by authorities. Quite recently China has agreed to reduce imports of ivory; however a Chinese official Chen Jianwei has indicated that many Chinese people are confused about the legality of ivory imports.

{{see also|Environment of China}}

==Military==
{{main|People's Liberation Army}}
] recruit training. The PLA has been rapidly modernizing, but reducing the size of its military force.]]

The ] (PLA), with its 2.25 million active troops, is currently the largest military in the world.<ref> (2006). Retrieved April 15, 2006.</ref> The PLA consists of an ], ], ], and strategic ] force. The official ] of the PLA for 2005 is $30 billion,<ref>Ang, Khen. . VOA Khmer. Retrieved April 15, 2006.</ref> possibly excluding foreign weapons purchases, military research and development, and the ], a ] force.

The PRC, despite possession of ]s and delivery systems, is widely seen by military researchers both within and outside of China as having only limited ] capability, so it is not yet considered to be a true ], though it is widely regarded as a major ].<ref>Nolt, James H. . Asia Times. Retrieved April 15, 2006.</ref> This is due to the limited effectiveness of its navy, which has no aircraft carriers (due to heavy US restriction).

Much progress has been made in the last decade and the PRC continues to make efforts to modernize its military. It has purchased state-of-the-art fighter jets from Russia, such as the ]s, and has also produced its own modern fighters, specifically the Chinese ]s and the ]s.<ref>. Accessed 15 April, 2006</ref> It has also acquired and improved upon the Russian ] Surface-to-Air missile systems, which are considered to be among the best aircraft-intercepting systems in the world.<ref> (2006). Accessed 15 April, 2006.</ref> The PRC's armoured and rapid-reaction forces have been updated with enhanced electronics and targeting capabilities. In recent years, much attention has been focused on building a navy with ] capability.<ref> (2006). Accessed 15 April, 2006</ref>

==Economy==
] trend from 1952 to 2005.]]
{{main|Economy of the People's Republic of China|Economy of Hong Kong}}
Beginning in late 1978, the Chinese leadership has been ] from a ]-style centrally planned economy to a more ]-oriented economy that is still within a rigid political framework under Party control. The reforms replaced ] with privatization of farmlands, increased the responsibility of local authorities and industry managers, allowed a wide variety of small-scale enterprises to flourish, and promoted foreign investment. Price controls were also relaxed. These changes resulted in mainland China's shift from a ] to a ]. China became a member of the ] in 2001.

The government emphasizes personal income and consumption by introducing new management systems to help increase productivity. The government also focuses on foreign trade as a major vehicle for economic growth, which led to 5 ]s (SEZ: Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, Xiamen, Hainan Province) where investment laws are relaxed so as to attract foreign capital. Since the 1990s, SEZs and similar concepts have been expanded to other major Chinese cities, including Shanghai and Beijing. The result has been a 6-fold increase of ] since 1978. Chinese economic development is among the fastest in the world, and has been growing at an average annual GDP rate of 9.4% for the past 25 years.<ref>Malik, Khalid (December 16, 2005). . </ref> At the end of 2005, the PRC became the fourth largest economy in the world by exchange rate, and the second largest in the world after the ] by ] at US$8,158 trillion.<ref></ref> But with its large population this still gives an average GDP per person of only an estimated US$7,200, about 1/6th that of the United States. However, China is expected to surpass the US in all areas of economy at the earliest in 2020, at the latest in 2050.

Mainland China has a reputation as being a low-cost manufacturer, which caused notable disputes in global markets. This is largely because Chinese corporations can produce many products far more cheaply than other parts of Asia or Latin America, and because expensive products produced in ] like the United States are in large part uncompetitive compared to European or Asian goods. Another factor is the unfavorable ] between the ] and the ] to which it was ].

On July 21, 2005 the ] announced that it would move to a ], allowing its currency to move against the ] by 0.3% a day, while 3% a day against other currencies.<ref> (September 23, 2005). Retrieved April 15, 2006.</ref> Many high-tech American companies have difficulty exporting to China due to US federal government restrictions, which exacerbated the trade gap between the PRC and the US, and perceived low quality of US goods. On the other hand, China runs a trade deficit with Taiwan and South Korea, importing more from those nations than exports. China runs a large but diminishing trade surplus with Japan. <sup> </sup> (Slight deficit if Hong Kong is included). With the elimination of clothing quotas, China stands to take over a large chunk of the worldwide textile industry.<ref>.</ref><ref>.</ref>

Preferential tax incentives are also given as a direct fiscal incentive to manufacture in China, whether for export or for the local market of 1.3 billion people. China is attempting to harmonize the system of taxes and duties it imposes on enterprises, domestic and foreign alike. As a result, preferential tax and duty policies that benefit exporters in special economic zones and coastal cities have been targeted for revision.

There is a large wealth disparity between the coastal regions and the remainder of the country. To counter this potentially destabilizing problem, the government has initiated the ] strategy (2000), the ] initiative (2003), and the ] policy (2004), which are all aimed at helping the ] of China to catch up.

There has been a significant rise in the Chinese standard of living in recent years. Today, a rapidly declining 10 percent of the Chinese population is below the poverty line. 98.9% of the youth population is literate, compared to 69.9% in the 1980s. The life expectancy in China is the third highest in East Asia, after Japan and South Korea. All of these statistics have been attributed partly to the Chinese economy, and toward the government, who has earned much praise in the 2000s.

==Science and technology==
] High-tech industries and R&D are becoming increasingly emphasized in the Chinese economy.]]
{{main|Science and technology in China}}
After the ], China started to develop its own indigenous ] and delivery systems, successfully detonating its first surface nuclear test in 1964 at ]. A natural outgrowth of this was a satellite launching program, which culminated in 1970 with the launching of ], the first Chinese satellite. This made the PRC the fifth nation to independently launch a satellite. In 1992, the ] manned spaceflight program was authorized.<ref> (2003). Ministry of Culture. Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref> After four tests, '']'' was launched on ], ], using a ] and carrying Chinese astronaut ], making the PRC the third country to put a human being into ] through its own endeavors.<ref>Wade, Mark. (6 January 2006). Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref> With the successful completion of the second manned mission, '']'' in October 2005, the country plans to build a ] in the near future and achieve a lunar landing in the next decade.<ref>Wade, Mark. (30 March 2005). Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref>

The Chinese government continues to place heavy emphasis on ] by creating greater public awareness of innovation, and reforming financial and tax systems to promote growth in cutting-edge industries. President Hu Jintao in January 2006 called for China to make the transition from a manufacturing-based economy to an innovation-based one, and this year's National People's Congress has approved large increases in research funding. Controversial areas such as ] and ] face minimal regulation in China.

China is also actively developing its ], ] and ] industries, including ] such as hydro, wind and solar power.<ref> Bruce Einhorn, ''Business Week'', 31 March 2006, accessed: 16 April 2006.</ref> In an effort to reduce pollution from coal-burning power plants, China has been pioneering the deployment of ], which run cooler and safer, and have potential applications for the ].<ref>Robert J. Saiget. ''DAGA''. 5 October 2004. Accessed 16 April 2006. </ref>

The ] is also part of China's science and technology focus. This program led to the development of the ] computer processor.

==Transportation==
]. There are currently 41,000&nbsp;km (25,000&nbsp;mi) of expressways in China, half that of the US.]]
{{main|Transportation in the People's Republic of China}}
Transportation in the mainland of the People's Republic of China has improved remarkably since the late 1990s as part of a government effort to link the entire nation through a series of ] known as the ] (NTHS). Between 2001 and 2005, more than 25,000&nbsp;km (16,000&nbsp;mi) of expressways were built in China for a total of 41,000&nbsp;km (25,000&nbsp;mi), second only to the United States.<ref>Li, Lin (April 4, 2006). . SINA English.</ref>

Private car ownership is increasing at an annual rate of 15%, though it is still uncommon due to government policies that make car ownership expensive, such as taxes and toll roads.<ref> (June 13, 2005). Earlywarning.</ref>

Air travel has increased, but remains too expensive for most. Long distance transportation is still dominated by railways and charter bus systems. The railways are still the vital carrier in China, and until this year steam locomotives were still a common sight. It is thought that some are still in use, especially on industrial networks.

Cities such as ] and ] are building ] or ] systems. ] has one of the most developed transport systems in the world.
Shanghai already has a ] system connecting downtown Shanghai to ]
{{seealso|Rail transport in the People's Republic of China}}

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of mainland China|Nationalities of China}}
]. Chinese society has been rapidly modernizing in the last two decades, spawning the largest ] within a generation in human history.]]
] July 2006, there are 1,313,973,713 people in the PRC. About 20.8% (male 145,461,833; female 128,445,739) are 14 years old or younger, 71.4% (male 482,439,115; female 455,960,489) are between 15 and 64 years old, and 7.7% (male 48,562,635; female 53,103,902) are over 65 years old. The population growth rate for 2006 is 0.59%.<ref name=pop>. 20 April 2006. ''URL accessed 3 May 2006.''</ref> The PRC officially recognizes 56 distinct ethnic groups, the largest of which are ], who constitute about 91.9% of the total population.<ref> (29 March 2006). Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref> Large ethnic minorities include the ] (16 million), ] (10 million), ] (9 million), ] (8 million), ] (7 million), ] (7 million), ] (5.75 million), ]s (5 million), ]s (5 million), ] (3 million), and ]s (2 million).<ref>Stein, Justin J (Spring 2003). . Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref>

In the past decade, China's cities expanded at an average rate of 10% annually. The country's urbanization rate increased from 17.4% to 41.8% between 1978 and 2005, a scale unprecedented in human history.<ref>Zhou Qun, Lin Yanhua. , Chinanews.cn (中国新闻网), November 11, 2005. Accessed 21 April 2005.</ref> Caught between urban and rural are the 80 to 120 million ] who work part-time in the major cities of China and return home to the countryside periodically with their earnings.<ref>, CBC Radio One, December 2004. Accessed: 21 April 2006</ref>

Today, the People's Republic of China has dozens of major cities with one million or more long-term residents, including the three ] of ], ], and ].
Major cities in China play key roles in national and regional identity, culture and economics.

===Largest Cities===
The figures below are the 2001 estimates for the ten largest urban populations within administrative city limits; a different ranking exists when considering the total municipal populations (which includes suburban and rural populations). The large floating populations of migrant workers make conducting censuses in urban areas difficult;<ref>Francesco Sisci, "China's floating population a headache for census", ''The Straits Times'', 22 September 2000.</ref> the figures below do not include the floating population, only long-term residents.
]]]
]]]
]]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right; margin-right:60px;"
!rowspan="2"| Rank
!rowspan="2" align="center"| City urban area
!rowspan="2" align="center"| Type/location
!rowspan="2"| Population<br><small>(2001 est)<ref>, compiled by Thomas Brinkhoff, data from official PRC estimates for 2001. Retrieved: 20 April 2006.</ref><br/>millions</small>
!rowspan="2"| Density<br/><small>(2001 est)<ref>, data from PRC estimates for 2001. Retrieved 21 April 2006.</ref></small><br/><small>per km²</small><br/>
!colspan="2" rowspan="1"| Municipality limits<br/><small>(2000 census)<ref>''Tabulation on the 2000 population census of the People's Republic of China'', compiled by the Population Census Office under the PRC State Council & Department of Population, Social, Science and Technology Statistics, Beijing: China National Bureau of Statistics Press, 2002. All data in column obtained from this reference except for Hong Kong, which uses the 2005 estimate from United Nations DESA.</ref></small>
!rowspan="2"| Region
|-
!rowspan="1"| <small>millions</small>
!rowspan="1"| <small>density (/km²)</small>
|-
|align="center"| 1 ||align="left"| ] ||align="left"| <small>municipality</small>
| '''9.838''' || 34,700 || 16.74 || 2,640
|align="center"| ]
|-
|align="center"| 2 ||align="left"| ] ||align="left"| <small>municipality</small>
| '''7.441''' || 29,800 || 13.82 || 822
|align="center"| ]
|-
|align="center"| 3 ||align="left"| ] ||align="left"| <small>SAR</small>
| '''6.112''' || 76,200 || 7.01 || 6,294
|align="center"| ]
|-
|align="center"| 4 ||align="left"| ] ||align="left"| <small>municipality</small>
| '''5.095''' || 10,500 || 10.01 || 803
|align="center"| ]
|-
|align="center"| 5 ||align="left"| ] ||align="left"| <small>]</small>
| '''4.489''' || 12,950 || 8.31 || 947
|align="center"| ]
|-
|align="center"| 6 ||align="left"| ] ||align="left"| <small>]</small>
| '''4.155''' || 11,600 || 10.15 || 1,337
|align="center"| ]
|-
|align="center"| 7 ||align="left"| ] ||align="left"| <small>]</small>
| '''3.981''' || 9,250 || 7.20 || 557
|align="center"| ]
|-
|align="center"| 8 ||align="left"| ] ||align="left"| <small>municipality</small>
| '''3.934''' || 23,500 || 30.90 || 378
|align="center"| ]
|-
|align="center"| 9 ||align="left"| ] ||align="left"| <small>]</small>
| '''2.822''' || 13,250 || 6.40 || 970
|align="center"| ]
|-
|align="center"| 10 ||align="left"| ] ||align="left"| <small>]</small>
| '''2.672''' || 11,350 || 9.35 || 174
|align="center"| ]
|-
|}

==Education==
{{main|Education in mainland China|Education in Hong Kong}}
].]]
In 1986, China set the long-term goal of providing compulsory nine-year basic education to every child. As of 1997, there were 628,840 primary schools, 78,642 secondary schools and 1,020 higher education institutions in the PRC.<ref> (2002). Orasia co.,ltd.</ref> In February 2006, the government advanced its basic education goal by pledging to provide completely free nine-year education, including textbooks and fees, in the poorer western provinces.<ref> (February 21, 2006). China Economic Net.</ref> As of 2002, 90.9% (male: 95.1%; female: 86.5%) of the population over age 15 are literate.<ref name=pop> (2005). TravelBlog. </ref>

The quality of ] varies considerably across the country. The consistently top-ranked universities in mainland China include ] and ] in Beijing, ] and ] in ], ] in ], the ] in ], ] in ],and ] in ].<ref> (February 21, 2005). China Daily. Retrieved April 16, 2006.</ref><ref> (2003). Retrieved April 17, 2006.</ref>

Many parents are highly committed to their children's education, often investing large portions of the family's income on education. Private lessons and recreational activities, such as in foreign languages or music, are popular among the middle-class families who can afford them.<ref>. 27 September 2004. BBC News. ''Accessed 2 may 2006''.</ref>

==Public health==
{{main|Public health in mainland China}}
The ], together with its counterparts in the provincial health bureaus, oversees the health needs of the Chinese population.<ref>. 2003. China Aids Survey. Accessed 18 April 2006.</ref> An emphasis on ] and ] characterized health policy since the early 1950s. At that time, the ] started the ], which was aimed at improving ] and ], as well as attacking several ]. This has shown major results as diseases like cholera, typhoid, and scarlet fever were nearly eradicated.

With economic reform after 1978, the health of the Chinese public improved rapidly due to better nutrition despite the disappearance, along with the People's Communes, of much of the free public health services provided in the countryside. Health care in China became largely private fee-for-service. By 2000, when the World Health Organization made a large study of public health systems throughout the world, the Chinese public health system ranked 144 of the 191 UN member states ranked.

The country's ] jumped from about 32 years in 1950 to almost 73 years in 2006,<ref>. 18 April 2006. University of Chicago's East Asia Workshop. ''URL accessed 3 May 2006.''</ref> and ] went down from 300 per thousand in the 1950s to about 23 per thousand in 2006.<ref name=pop>. 20 April 2006. ''URL accessed 3 May 2006.''</ref><ref>. 11 September 2001. CHINA.ORG.CN. ''URL accessed 3 May 2006.''</ref> ] as of 2002 stood at 12 percent of the population according to ] ] sources .
<!--Recent health insurance initiatives like the Ningxia Cooperative Plan should be mentioned here-->

Despite significant improvements in health and the introduction of western style medical facilities, the PRC currently has several emerging ] problems, which include respiratory problems as a result of ] and millions of ],<ref>. 16 August 2001. Honolulu Community College. Accessed 17 April 2006.</ref> a possible future ] epidemic, and an increase in ] among urban youths.<ref>. 1999. Bruce Kennedy. CNN. Accessed 17 April 2006.</ref><ref> 4 August 2000. People's Daily. Accessed 17 April 2006.</ref> China's large population and close living quarters has led to some serious disease outbreaks in recent years, such as the 2002 outbreak of ] (a pneumonia-like disease) which has since been contained.<ref>. 18 May 2004. World Health Organization. Accessed 17 April 2006.</ref>

==Culture==
] characters, ], in ].]]
] concert in Shanghai. The band combines ] and musical elements with ].]]
{{main|Culture of China}}

For centuries, opportunity for economic and social advancement in China could be provided by high performance on ]. The literary emphasis of the exams affected the general perception of cultural refinement in China, such as the view that ] was a higher form of art than painting or drama. China's traditional values were derived from various versions of ] and ]. A number of more ] strains of thought have also been influential, such as ]. There was often conflict between the philosophies, such as the ] ] ], who believed ] departed from the original spirit of Confucianism. Examinations and a ] remain greatly valued in China today. In recent years, a number of ] have advocated that democratic ideals and human rights are quite compatible with traditional Confucian "Asian values".<ref>Bary, Theodore de. . Columbia University.</ref>

The first leaders of the People's Republic of China were born in the old society but were influenced by the ] and reformist ideals. They sought to change some traditional aspects of Chinese culture, such as rural land tenure, sexism, and a Confucian education, while preserving others, such as the family structure and obedience to the state. Many observers believe that the period following 1949 is a continuation of traditional Chinese ] history, while others say that the CPC's rule has damaged the foundations of Chinese culture, especially through political movements such as the ], where many aspects of traditional culture were labeled 'regressive and harmful' or 'vestiges of feudalism' by the regime. They further argue that many important aspects of traditional Chinese morals and culture, such as ], ], literature, and performing arts like ], were altered to conform to government policies and communist propaganda. The institution of the ] orthography reform is controversial as well.

Today, the PRC government has accepted much of traditional ] as an integral part of Chinese society, lauding it as an important achievement of the ] and emphasizing it as vital to a ]. Modern Chinese art, literature, music, film, fashion and architecture have become increasingly ready to incorporate various degrees of traditional Chinese culture into their works.

===Religion===
{{Main|Religion in China}}
The majority of Chinese identify themselves as non-religious, which constitute about 59% of the population, or about 767 million people.<ref>''World Desk Reference''. D K Publishing. ISBN 0-7566-1099-0</ref> However, religion and rituals play a significant part in the lives of many, especially the traditional beliefs of ] and ]. About 33% of the population follow a mixture of beliefs usually referred to by statisticians as "Traditional Beliefs" or just "Other".

About 6% of the Chinese population are avowed ], with ] and its subset ] being the most widely practiced. With an estimated 100 million adherents, Buddhism is the country's largest organized religion. Other forms of Buddhism, such as ] and ], are practiced largely by ethnic minorities along the geographic fringes of the Chinese mainland.<ref>Macintosh, R. Scott. (March 09, 2006). Retrieved April 15, 2006.</ref> Official figures indicate that there are currently about 20 million ] (mostly ]), more than 15 million ], and 5 million ] in the country.<ref>. 2004. International Religious Freedom Report 2004 - U.S. Department of State. ''URL accessed 30 May 2006.''</ref>

{{seealso|Chinese folk religion|feng shui}}

===Sports and recreation===
] game by the gates of the ] in Beijing.]]
China has one of the ] in the world, spanning the course of several millennia. There is, in fact, evidence that a form of ] was first played in ] around 1000 AD, leading many historians to believe that the popular sport originated from China<ref>. 2000. Athleticscholarships.net. Accessed 23 April 2006.</ref>. Besides soccer, some of the most popular sports in the country include ], ], ], ], ], and more recently, ]. ] such as ], ] (Weiqi), and ] (Chinese chess) are also commonly played and have organised competitions.

] is widely emphasized in ]. Morning exercises are a common activity and often times one can find the elderly practicing ] in parks or students doing stretches on school campuses. Young people are especially keen on ], especially in urban centres with limited space and grass areas. The ] has a huge following among Chinese youths, with ] being the idol of many. The ], officially known as the ''Games of the XXIX Olympiad'', will be held in ].

Many traditional sports are also played. The popular Chinese ] occurs during the ]. In ], sports such as Mongolian-style wrestling and ] are popular. In ], archery and ] are a part of traditional festivals. <ref>Qinfa, Ye. . About.com. Retrieved April 21, 2006.</ref>

{{seealso|Sport in China|Chinese art|Chinese clothing|Chinese cuisine|Chinese medicine|Chinese literature|Chinese mythology|Cinema of China|Chinese animation|Music of China|Traditional Chinese holidays|List of Chinese people}}

==See also==
{{portal}}
{{main|List of China-related topics}}
* ] (civilization)
* ]
* ]
*], ], and ]
*]
*]
*]

===Neighbouring countries===

{{Geographic Location (8-way)
| Northwest = {{RUS}}<br/>{{KAZ}}<br/>{{KYR}}<br/>{{TAJ}}
| North = {{MNG}}
| Northeast = {{DPRK}}<br/>{{RUS}}
| West = {{AFG}}<br/>{{PAK}}
| Centre = {{CHN}}
| East = ]<br/>]
| Southwest = {{IND}}<br/>{{NEP}}<br/>{{BHU}}<br/>{{MYA}}
| South = {{LAO}}<br/>{{VIE}}<br/>]
| Southeast = ] }}

==Notes and references==
{{ChineseText}}
<div class="references-small">
; Overviews
*
*
*
*
*
*
* general information

; Documentaries
* PBS Online NewsHour. October 2005.
* a documentary co-produced by the New York Times, Discovery Times, CBC, ZDF, France 5 and S4C. ]].
* documentary covering 1998-2001.
----
<references/>
</div>

==Further reading==
{{sisterlinks|China}}
*Lynch, Michael, <cite>Peoples Republic Of China 1949-90</cite>, 160 pages, Trafalgar Square: 1998, ISBN 034068853X.
*Murphey, Rhoads, <cite>East Asia: A New History</cite>, U. of Michigan Press: 1996.
*Sang, Ye, <cite>China Candid : The People on the People's Republic </cite>, 368 pages, University of California Press: 2006, ISBN 0520245148.
*Seldon, Mark, <cite>People's Republic of China: Documentary History of Revolutionary Change</cite>, 718 pages, Monthly Review PR: 1979.
*Terrill, Ross, <cite>The New Chinese Empire: And What It Means for the United States</cite>, Basic Books, hardcover, 400 pages, ISBN 0465084125.
*Thurston, Anne F., <cite>China Bound: A Guide to Academic Life and Work in the PRC</i>, 272 pages, National Academies Press: 1994, ISBN 0309049326.

{{clear}}
==External links==
; Government
*
*

; News
* ongoing coverage
*
*
* ongoing coverage
* ongoing coverage
* ongoing coverage from the Financial Times
* ongoing coverage
*
*
*

; Studies
* February 11, 2005.
* Visual archive of 20th century East Asian cultural heritage.
* an annotated list of internet resources
* Timeline of Key Events since 1949.
*
* - 4200 Public Domain photos of China.

; Maps
*
*


{{China ties}}
{{Countries of Asia}}

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Revision as of 19:05, 21 November 2006

Hey FUCK CHina them damn chinese suck fucking ass