China is an ancient nation that has always appealed to travellers from around the world. It is just as beautiful as it is mysterious. The stories of Marco Polo have intrigued travellers for over seven centuries. One of China’s greatest treasures is its long and rich history. The earliest humans evolved from this land over 1.7 million years ago!

The People’s Republic of China is located in the eastern part of Asia and is currently the world’s third largest country, after Russia and Canada. Due to its size, China has a total of 14 countries along its borders. This vast and beautiful country is a communist-led state, founded by Mao Zedong on October 1, 1949 and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) being the country’s ruling party with other parties participating in and discussing the State affairs. The capital of the People’s Republic of China is Beijing, as it was for 858 years from the Jin Dynasty.

The country’s population is a massive 1.3 billion, the largest in the world. The Han ethnic group makes up most of the population, approximately 90.6%. The major religions practised in China are Taoism and Buddhism, while Christianity and Islam are considered minor religions. Mandarin is the official language, however, due to the many ethnic groups living in the country, there are many dialects spoken: Yue, Wu, Minbei and Minnan, to name a few.

China has experienced tremendous growth in many aspects since Mao Zedong’s successor Deng Xiaping opened up the borders by introducing marketing oriented reforms and decentralizing economic decision-making.