60+ Interesting Facts About China

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  1. China, a country in East Asia, is the world’s most populous country. It is also the 3rd largest country by area, the 2nd largest country by land area, and the largest country wholly inside Asia.
  2. The process of making silk cloth started in China around 2696 BC. The Chinese managed to keep this invention secret from the outside world until 550 AD. (Source)
  3. The world’s two fastest trains are in China. The maximum speed for Shanghai Maglev is 267 mph (431 km/hr), while Fuxing Hao can run at 249 mph. (Source)
  4. Chinese celebrate their New Year for 15 days. There are exclusive traditions to celebrate each day of the Chinese New Year. (Source)
  5. China has the 2nd highest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world after Italy. This Asian country has 56 sites: 38 cultural, 14 natural, and 4 mixed.
  6. The Chinese communist government opposes all religions. It is a crucial factor behind the high percentage of atheists in the country. China is the most atheist country as more than 40% of Chinese are “convinced atheists.” (Source)
  7. In 1979, China started its mandatory one-child policy to overcome a high population and birth rate. This policy continued till 2015. This forced policy produced several complications, including gender imbalance (30 million more men than women), an aged population, and a shrinking workforce.
  8. China has the highest number of neighboring countries in the world. It shares borders with 14 countries. (Source)
    Position of China in world map
    China shares border with highest number of countries

  9. Currently, China has the world’s largest economy by GDP (PPP) and the 2nd largest economy by nominal GDP. (Source)
  10. The trading partnership between China and the USA remained at $737.1 billion in 2018, the highest in the world. The USA is facing a huge trade deficit in this partnership, which is $378.6 billion. (Source)
  11. Shanghai Tower, having an altitude of 2073 m, is the world’s 2nd tallest building. China has 8 out of the 15 tallest buildings in the world. (Source)
  12. In China’s Shanxi province, around 3 million people live in caves. People have been living in these caves for the past 5,000 years. (Source)
  13. Ancient China is one of the few cradles of civilization, located in the Yellow River basin in the North China Plain. The first Chinese dynasty was the Xia dynasty, which emerged around 2070 BC. 
  14. The first Chinese Empire was established in 221 BC with the unification of mainland China by the Qin Dynasty. Since then, China remained under the control of various imperial dynasties until the beginning of the 20th Century.
  15. The Forbidden City remained the imperial palace of the Qing and Ming dynasties for 492 years (1420-1912). This city contains 70 palace compounds with 980 buildings and more than 8,700 rooms.
  16. The Chinese imperial period lasted by 1912. China became a republic in 1912 after Xinhai Revolution (also known as the Chinese Revolution). The last Chinese imperial dynasty was the Qing dynasty (1636-1912).
  17. The former Republic of China has authority over Taiwan, a small island located south of mainland China.
  18. The period of the Republic of China was short-lived. The People’s Republic of China replaced it in 1949. World War 2 and the Chinese Civil War played a vital role in the weakening and disestablishing of the Republic of China.
  19. Most countries abandoned communism after the disintegration of the USSR in the 1990s. However, China is one of the five remaining countries that still practice communism. (Source)
  20. An important reason for the Chinese retaining the communist system but still gaining economic prosperity is its adoption of the Chinese economic reform in 1978. This reform, known as the "Opening of China" in the West, changed the economic system of the country with the privatization of industries and opening up of the country for foreign investment.
  21. This reform has made the Chinese economy one of the fastest-growing in the world. Its annual growth constantly remained above six since these reforms.
  22. China has the highest industrial output in the world. With this high industrial output, China can surpass the USA to become the world’s largest economy in 2029. (Source)
  23. The longest canal in the world is the Grand Canal, which connects Yangtze and Yellow rivers. This canal in China is around 1,104 miles long and completed in the 7th Century. (Source)
  24. China is the world’s largest producer of renewable energy. Its top renewable energy sources are hydro, wind, and solar power. The country has built the world’s largest (Three Gorges) hydroelectric power plant. (Source)
    Satellite images of Three Gorges after (top) and before (bottom)
    Three Gorges in China is the world's largest dam

  25. Jinping-1 in mainland China is the highest dam in the world. The height of this dam, built in 2012, is 305 m (1,000 ft.), which is taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. (Source)
  26. China is the world’s top pollution contributor. The country produces 30% of the total pollution in the world. (Source)
  27. Chongqing in China is the 2nd cloudiest city on earth after Torshavn in Faroe Islands. This Chinese city receives nearly 1,054 hours of sunshine per year. (Source)
  28. China is the world’s 2nd largest e-commerce market. Alibaba Group, a Chinese multinational company, is the largest e-commerce corporation in the world. (Source)
  29. China has the second-largest number of millionaires and billionaires in the world. China is only behind the USA in the list of wealthiest persons.
  30. In the past four decades since the start of reforms in 1978, China has reduced its poverty rate markedly. There were around 740 million poor people in China in 1978. But their numbers decreased to less than 31 million in 2017. (Source)
  31. Shanghai accepted around 30,000 European Jews during Holocaust. The number of Jewish refugees in Shanghai was more than the combined number of refugees in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, and South Africa. (Source)
  32. China gained the permanent seat of the UNSC in 1946 as an Allied member during WW2. After 1949, the Nationalist government (present in Taiwan) retained this seat until 1971. However, the seat was transferred to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) after the expulsion of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from the UN in 1971.
  33. China is known for internet censorship. Currently, many famous websites are inaccessible in China. These include Google, Yahoo, BBC, CNN, Reuters, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, DailyMotion, and others.
  34. China has the highest number of skyscrapers (buildings over 150 m in height). There are at least 1,651 skyscrapers in China which is more than double the country with the 2nd highest count of skyscrapers (the USA with 737).
  35. China has achieved the largest net forest gain per year in the world. This area is 12 times the size of London. (Source)
  36. China is the world’s largest producer of agricultural products overall. It is the leading producer of rice and pork and one of the largest producers of beef, chicken, and milk.
  37. The world’s first explosive for gunpowder is the black powder used in fireworks and signals. It originated in China during the 10th Century. (Source)
  38. During World War 2, China suffered the most civilian deaths by military activity. More than 7 million Chinese got killed by opponents (primarily Japanese soldiers), while more than 5 million also perished due to war-related diseases and famines. During this war, China lost more than 15 million people, the 2nd highest casualty figure after the USSR (deaths of more than 20 million).
  39. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has more than 2 million active troops. It makes PLA the largest active military in the world.
  40. China has the 2nd highest military budget in the world. The Chinese $230 billion worth defensive budget is only behind the USA. (Source)
    Soldiers with a military vehicle
    China has the largest active military and the 2nd highest military budget 

  41. China is a recognized nuclear power with around 290 nuclear weapons. It is also one of five nuclear power states that have signed the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty). China tested its first nuclear device in 1964.
  42. China is rapidly advancing in the field of science and technology. Currently, there are more than 4.7 million STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) graduates in China, the highest in the world. (Source)
  43. China has become the largest producer of scientific articles in the world. It produced more science publications than the USA for the first time in 2018. (Source)
  44. China has the 3rd (Sunway TaihuLight) and 4th fastest (Tianhe-2A) supercomputers. These computers were built in 2016 and 2013, respectively. The country has 219 systems in the list of the Top 500 fastest supercomputers in the world.
  45. China is the largest exporter of goods in the world. Its share in total exports in the world is around 13%. (Source)
  46. China spends the most on international tourism in the world. The country spent $277 billion on international tourism in 2018. (Source)
  47. China has the world’s 2nd longest railway network after the USA. The length of this network is more than 100,000 km. (Source)
  48. China has the longest expressway system in the world. The total length of this expressway is 142,500 km.
  49. Spring Temple Buddha in China is the tallest religious statue in the world and the 2nd tallest statue overall. Its height is 128 m (420 ft.).
  50. Macao, an autonomous region of China, is known as the Gambling Capital of the World. It is the only part of China where gambling is legal. There are 38 casinos in Macau, including Venetian Macau, the biggest casino in the world.
  51. China imports a large number of goods from other countries. It is the world’s 2nd largest importer after the USA. (Source)
  52. China hosted the most expensive Summer Olympic Games in history. The total cost of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing was $40 billion. (Source)
  53. There are 551 species of mammals in China. It is the 3rd highest number of mammal species after Indonesia and Brazil. (Source)
  54. All giant pandas in the world are owned by China. Chinese government lends giant pandas to other countries for ten years and receives a rent of $1,000,000 per year for each panda. Any cub born to these pandas also belongs to China.
  55. China is one of the few countries where cosmetic products must be tested on animals. This law is for both domestic and foreign cosmetic companies. (Source)
  56. China has suffered the five deadliest floods in human history. These floods resulted in millions of deaths, along with the destruction of crops and large-scale displacements.
    A flood
    China has faced 5 deadliest floods in history

  57. Shandong fossil bone beds in Zhucheng City, China, is the largest dinosaur fossil site in the world. It contains more than 7,600 dinosaur fossils. (Source)
  58. Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature in China is the world’s largest dinosaur museum, having an exhibition space of 28,000 square meters. It contains thousands of dinosaur and other ancient fossils. (Source)
  59. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club in China is the longest golf course worldwide. It is 8,548 yd. (7,816 m) long. (Source)
  60. The Chinese government is planning to judge all citizens according to their social behavior. The citizens will get rewards or punishments according to their scoring. (Source)
  61. Kites were invented by the Chinese. The invention of kites dates back around 3000 years in Ancient China.
  62. Chinese are the inventors of the soccer game. The Chinese game of Tsu’Chu (kicking the ball) was initially played during the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD).
  63. China is also the place for the invention of toilet paper. Toilet papers were widespread in China during the 6th Century.
  64. The invention of ice cream took place in China around 200 BC. The Chinese did so by packing a mixture of milk and rice into snow. (Source)

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