China's Country Information
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| Name : |
China |
| Official Name : |
People’s Republic of China |
| Capital : |
Beijing |
| Climate : |
Extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north. |
| Race : |
91.9% Han Chinese; 8.1% Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities. |
| Language : |
Putongua (Mandarin), Cantonese, Shanghaiese, Fuzhou, Hokkien-Taiwanese, Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages. |
| Official Language : |
Putongua (Mandarin) |
| Religion : |
Officially atheist, but traditionally pragmatic and eclectic. Taoism, Buddhism, 2%-3% Muslim, 1% Christian. |
| Government : |
Communist state. |
| Population (in mil) : |
1,254.4 |
| Literacy Rate : |
81.5% |
| Visas : |
Visas are required by all foreigners entering mainland China * standard tourist visas are valid for 30-day visits. |
| Immunisations : |
Is essential against cholera, hepatitis A and B, Japanese encephalitis, polio, rabies and typhoid. |
| Time : |
GMT/UTC plus eight hours
The whole of China is set to Beijing time |
| Electricity : |
220V, 50 AC * plugs can be three-pronged angled, three-pronged round, two flat pins or two narrow round pins. |
| Weights & Measures : |
Metric |
| Currency : |
Renminbi (RMB). The basic unit is the yuan. |
| Travellers Cheque : |
Can be changed at the main branches of the Bank of China, the tourist hotels, Friendship Stores and some department stores.
Travellers' cheques are useful because the exchange rate is more favourable than cash. |
| Credit Cards : |
Visa, MasterCard, American Express (branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xiamen), JCB and Diners Club.
Can be used in most mid to top-range hotels, Friendship and department stores.
Cash advances can be made at head branches of the Bank of China (4% commission). |
| Tipping : |
Not really expected in mainland China |
| Bargaining : |
You can bargain in shops, street stalls, and hotels - but not in large stores. |
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