Since then, China has expanded, fractured, and re-unified numerous times. For millennia, China's political system was based on absolute hereditary monarchies, or dynasties, beginning with the semi-legendary Xia dynasty in 21st century BCE. China was one of the world's foremost economic powers for most of the two millennia from the 1st until the 19th century. The national capital is Beijing, the largest city and financial center is Shanghai, followed by Guangzhou and the technological and innovative hub is Shenzhen.Ĭhina emerged as one of the world's first civilisations in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain. The country consists of 23 provinces, four municipalities, five autonomous regions, and two Special Administrative Regions ( Hong Kong and Macau).
Covering an area of approximately 9.6 million square kilometers (3,700,000 sq mi), it is the world's third or fourth largest country. China spans five geographical time zones and borders 14 different countries, the second most of any country in the world after Russia.
It is the world's most populous country, with a population of more than 1.4 billion. China ( Chinese: 中国 pinyin: Zhōngguó), officially the People's Republic of China ( PRC Chinese: 中华人民共和国 pinyin: Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó), is a country in East Asia.