China Facts (17 Fantastic Facts about China)

China is the world's third biggest country by territory, and it has the largest population. It's home to one of the oldest civilizations on earth with a unique and sophisticated culture.
It has developed at record speed to become the second largest economy in the world, and it holds innumerable attractions for tourists to explore.
Below, you can read about the top facts that you must know about this fascinating country, grouped into the following categories:
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· Chinese People and Language
· China's Economy
· Chinese Culture
· Chinese Food
· China History
· China Geography
· Climate and Weather
· China's Tourism Attractions
China's Country Profile
· Full Name: The People's Republic of China
· Chinese name: 中国 Zhōngguó /jong-gwor/, the Middle Country
· Important Cities: Beijing (capital); Shanghai (largest city by population)
· National Day: October 1
· Biggest National Festival: Chinese New Year
Chinese People and Language
1. China has the largest population in the world.
China has a population of over 1.4 billion. The population density in China is 153 per kilometer square (396 per square mile). The median age in China is 38.4 years. About 60.8% of the population live in urban areas.
2. Officially China has 56 ethnic groups.
The largest group, the Han, is almost 91% of the whole population. Among the 55 minority groups, Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, and Miao have the largest populations. Most minority groups have their own distinctive culture. Some also have their own language and writing system.
Ethnic Groups in Yunnan
3. There are about 35 million people who live in caves in China!
Most of them live in Shaanxi Province. It is a Chinese architectural style dating back to the stone age. People in some northern China areas appreciate underground and cave dwellings since they are cheaper to build, easier to warm in the winter, and cool in the summer.
4. Chinese is the only surviving pictographic writing system.
Chinese is often believed to be the world's most spoken and most difficult-to-learn first language. Mandarin is the official Chinese language and is taught in schools all over China. But there are many dialects and even other Chinese languages...
Some regions speak a dialect of Mandarin; some regions have their own distinct languages. Cantonese, for example, is spoken in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, and Macau. People around Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu speak Wu. These languages can be very different from Mandarin.
5. China has a variety of beliefs.
China has no unifying religion, but people hold a wide range of beliefs, mainly ranging from atheism to ancestor worship to one of China's 'Four Major Religions': Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, or Christianity.
China's Economy
6. China has a fast-booming economy.
China was the world's fastest-growing economy for over 30 years (around 10% per year for three decades). China is known as 'the factory of the world". It is the world's largest producer of concrete, steel, fertilizer, clothing, and toys.
7. China has 18 cities with a population of over 10 million.
According to the latest data, China has more than 660 cities. About 90 of them have a population of over 1 million people. There are 18 cities with a population of over 10 million. The most populous city is Shanghai having a population of over 24 million. Read more about top cities of China.
Shanghai Nightview
8. China builds a skyscraper every five days.
According to the published research, China has more than 200 skyscrapers that are over 150 meters tall under construction. In the next five years, China plans to build more than 800 skyscrapers. By 2030, there are planned to be more than 1,500 new buildings that are over 150 meters tall in cities of China.
9. China's railway lines can loop around the world thrice.
China has the longest high-speed railway network, which was over 38,000 kilometers (24,000 miles) long. The total length of railway lines of China is more than 146,000 kilometers (90,000 miles) long, which is the second longest railway network in the world.
A China's Bullet Train
10. China has the world's longest sea-crossing bridge.
The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge is the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world. The total length of the bridge is 55 kilometers (34 miles), including a 6.7-kilometer (4.2-mile) tunnel.
Chinese Culture
11. Confucianism was a leading philosophy in ancient China.
Existing for more than 2,500 years, Confucianism is an ancient belief system, which had an influential impact on Chinese culture. It focuses on inner virtue, morality, and respect for the community and nature. Its founder, Confucius, was a great philosopher and teacher, who lived from 551 to 479 BCE. His teaching, thoughts, good behavior, and ethics were written down by his students in a book called "Lun Yu" or "The Analects of Confucius".
Confucius Temple in Beijing
12. Different colors have different meanings in China.
In Chinese culture, colors have lucky and unlucky meanings. Red is the favorite of the Chinese people. It means good luck and happiness. White is related to death and funerals. Yellow is regarded as the royal color in ancient China.
13. China has lucky numbers and unlucky numbers.
In China, numbers that sound like words with lucky meanings are considered lucky numbers. The numbers 8, 6, and 9 are lucky numbers. 'Eight' (八) in Chinese is pronounced ba and sounds similar to fa (发/發) as in facai (发财), meaning 'well-off' or 'becoming rich in a short time'. The number 4 is an unlucky number because its pronunciation (si) is similar to the word for 'death' in Chinese. Read more about Chinese lucky numbers.
Chinese Lucky Numbers and Unlucky Numbers
14. Chinese poetry is China's most popular literary form.
Chinese literature is a vast subject matter that spans thousands of years. Literary works include fiction, philosophical and religious works, poetry, and scientific writings. Among them, Chinese poetry is the most popular form of literature. Ancient Chinese poetry is stil