221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic of China); 1 October 1949 (People's Republic of China established)
5 July 1962 (from France)
Religions
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2% note: officially atheist (2002 est.)
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Languages
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry)
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Exports
electrical and other machinery, including data processing equipment, apparel, textile, iron and steel, optical and medical equipment
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
External Debt
$770,800,000,000 $
$4,344,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Renminbi yuan (RMB) per US dollar - 6.9385 (2008 est.), 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004)
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 63.25 (2008 est.), 69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.600%
4.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
100
2
Location
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Area
9,596,961 km sq
2,381,741 km sq
Coastline
14,500 km
998 km
Climate
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
