Background:

For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. But in the 19th and early 20th centuries, China was beset by civil unrest, famines, and foreign occupation. Today, the communist government has gradually introduced market-oriented reforms although human rights remain an issue.  China is home to the richest and oldest heritage of art and literature in the world.  Calligraphy is regarded as the highest form of visual arts in China.  Chinese heritages are also reflected in music instruments, Chinese operas, music, vessels, jay, sculptures and other art forms.

• Area: total:9,596,960 sq km. water: 270,550 sq km , land: 9,326,410 sq km
• Borders: Burma, India, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Laos,  Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Vietnam
• Climate: very diverse; tropical in south, to subarctic in north
• Terrain: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east

• Population: 1,284,303,705
• Ethnic Groups: Han Chinese 91.9%, other 8.1%
• Religions: (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%, Christian 4%
  note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

• Industries: iron, steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and apparel, petroleum, toys, food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics, telecommunications
• Imports: machinery, fuels, plastics, iron, steel, chemicals
• Exports: machinery, textiles, footwear, toys, fuel

• Chinese Embassy, US
• China Internet Information Center
• Chinese Art and Culture