China

Location, size, and extent



The People's Republic of China (PRC), the third-largest country in the world after the former USSR and Canada and the largest nation in Asia, claims an area of 9,596,960 sq km (3,705,406 sq mi), including Taiwan, which the PRC claims as a province; the major administrative divisions, excluding Taiwan and the offshore islands, cover 9,444,292 sq km (3,646,448 sq mi). Comparatively, the area occupied by China is slightly larger than the United States. The mainland has an extension of 4,845 km (3,011 mi) ENEWSW and 3,350 km (2,082 mi) SSENNW. The mainland's 5,774 km (3,588 mi) coastline, extending from the mouth of the Yalu River in the northeast to the Gulf of Tonkin in the south, forms a great arc, with the Liaodong and Shandong peninsulas in the north protruding into the Yellow Sea and the Leizhou Peninsula in the south protruding into the South China Sea. China's territory includes several large islands, the most important of which is Hainan, off the south coast. Other islands include the reefs and islands of the South China Sea, extending as far as 4° N. These reefs and islands include Dongsha (Pratas), to which Taiwan has also laid claim. China's claims to the Xisha (Paracel) and Nansha (Spratly) archipelagoes are also in dispute. In 1986, the United Kingdom agreed to transfer Hong Kong to the PRC in 1997; in March 1987, the PRC and Portugal reached an agreement for the return of Macau to the PRC on 20 December 1999.

China is bordered on the N by Mongolia (Mongolian People's Republic–MPR) and Russia; on the NE by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK); on the E by the Yellow and the East China seas; along the southern border are Hong Kong, Macau, the South China Sea, the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam, and Laos; on the SW by Myanmar, India, Bhutan, and Nepal; on the W by India, Jammu and Kashmir (disputed areas), Pakistan (west of the Karakoram Pass), and Afghanistan; and on the NW by Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakstan. China's total boundary length, including the coastline (14,500 km/9,010 mi) is 36,647 km (22,771 mi). China's capital city, Beijing, is located in the northeastern part of the country.

User Contributions:

Report this comment as inappropriate
May 14, 2007 @ 3:03 am
Well, Personally I am quite astonished as to the fact of the landmass.
Also to my disgust, Correct me if I'm wrong, the horriffic trade of young infants.
I was quite horriffied at this knowledge.
Please reply to my anguish.
Report this comment as inappropriate
Nov 1, 2007 @ 1:01 am
no no, China does not have the trade of young infants, that is elsewhere.
CHina has changed greatly for the better now, I just went there recently and woah! It's astonishing how wonderful it is!!
Report this comment as inappropriate
Nov 20, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
I'm absolutely amazed at the statistics for China; particually the population numbers. Considering that China is classed a 'less well off' country, I can't believe that it has the largest population numbers of any country! Plus this statistic is still growing at a very fast rate I believe. Does anyone have any ideas WHY this is?
I thought it was China that has a one child rule with regards to the 'trade of young infants?
Report this comment as inappropriate
Feb 12, 2008 @ 1:13 pm
I really like you alls country it looks very nice down there and I am looking forward to come down there soon
Report this comment as inappropriate
Jun 30, 2008 @ 11:23 pm
i am researching China and this website had all of the answers i needed. i think that the size of China should be in square kilometre. thank you 4 making dis site its cool. but u should add some colour to it. its still cool though!

Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:

CAPTCHA


China forum