Asia
China
vital statistics
- Beijing
- 1.357 billion
- Standard Mandarin
- Renminbi
China is a country of contradictions and contrasts. Where else can you find communist soldiers sipping Coca-Cola? But it’s also a country of surprises. Cities like Shanghai may be the poster children for shopping and new-world decadence, but the other extreme – sedate, rice terrace-laden countryside and lush jungle-like hinterland – can still be found.
Living history – Tiananmen Square, the Terracotta Warriors and much more beyond – can be witnessed around every corner. After all, this is China, a country that has been continuously settled for around 4000 years. In a country this size, the regional cultural differences are as supremely varied as is its cuisine, so traversing the vast land is an adventure in itself. From the stark beauty of the Gobi Desert to the white beaches and coconut palms that dot the coast of the South China Sea, there’s more to China than a little red book and a bloody big wall.