China

• China

  The world's most populous country, and one of the most important
• What is china good at?: is a big, fascinating, important country
• People's Republic of China (PRC)

  China's full name, capital is Beijing
• China has the world's largest population: over 1.4 billion people. Almost one in every five people in the world is Chinese!
• Taiwan


  Runs itself. But the People's Republic of China claims it, and wants unification. Many in Taiwan rebuff this claim.
• China's flag. Red is for the revolution which led to modern China. The big star represents the Communist Party, and the small stars the people.
• What happen 500 years ago, China was a wealthy empire. Then it fell into poverty - but now it's catching up fast.
• Hong Kong

  Was a British colony for 145 years, from 1842 to 1997. When it was handed back, China agreed to give it special status until 2047. So Hong Kong runs its own legal system, and economy.
• Macau

  Was a Portuguese colony for 442 years. It was handed back to China in 1999, and it too has special status.
• For over 2000 years, China was ruled by Emperors. This is the last Emperor, who was forced to step down in 1912, at age 6.
• Empire

  A group of countries or regions under the control of a single ruler or government
• Republic

  A state in which power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch
• China has undergone enormous changes

  120 years
• Qin dynasty

  • First dynasty in China
  • Established by Qin Shi Huangdi in 221 BCE
• Han dynasty

  • Second dynasty in China
  • Referred to as 'us' in the text
• Writing system standardisation

  Qin Shi Huangdi wanted to standardise the writing system
• Currency unification

  Qin Shi Huangdi wanted to sort out the currency
• Great Wall construction

  Qin Shi Huangdi wanted to build the Great Wall
• Qin Shi Huangdi became Emperor in 221 BCE
• China grew wealthy and powerful
• European traders bought silk, tea, porcelain and other Chinese goods

  But China didn't want European goods, it wanted payment in silver
• British traders began to sell opium into China

  This shameful trade led to the first Opium War between Britain and China (1840-1842)
• China lost the first Opium War
• China lost the Second Opium War
• The defeats and hardship led to revolts within China
• In 1912, the young Emperor was forced out
• The Nationalist Party was set up
• The Nationalists were unable to unite China
• The Communists struggled with the Nationalists, and eventually took over
• In 1949, the Nationalist leaders fled to Taiwan
• The Communist Party took control of mainland China and is still in control today
• Taiwan calls itself the Republic of China (Taiwan)
• The People's Republic of China claims Taiwan
• The issue of Taiwan is not yet resolved
• Mainland China's physical geography

  • Key physical features
  • Climate
• China is the fourth largest country in the world by land area, after Russia, Canada and the USA
• China is about 40 times the size of the UK
• 'Mainland China' includes the tropical island of Hainan
• Physical features of mainland China

  • Dongbei Plain
  • Taklimakan Desert
  • Kumtag Desert
  • Plateau of Tibet
  • Mount Everest
  • Huabei Plain
  • Gobi Desert
  • Mu Us Desert
  • Yellow River
  • Yangtze River
  • Xi River
• Relief of mainland China


  1. Lowest areas are along the coast

  2. Next step up has mountain ranges and large deserts

  3. Top step has the vast Plateau of Tibet