Fact sheet: China

With Chinese New Year just gone, the colourful, vibrant celebrations might have got you interested in learning a little more about China - or even thinking about planning a holiday to The People's Republic. We thought we'd put together a little fact sheet on China, to get you in the mood and provide a few useful hints and tips for visiting China.

With over 1.3 billion citizens, China is the most populous state on Earth
The most common language is Mandarin, but there are at least 12 other regional variations used. Around one-fifth of the world's population speak a form of Chinese and Mandarin is listed as the most widely spoken language in the world, by population
China covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres, making it the second largest country in physical size, behind Russia
Tourism in China has grown massively in recent decades, with many drawn to the culture and traditions, as well as the amazing cities and landscapes
China's diverse wildlife includes tigers, leopards, snow leopards, monkeys and giant pandas
Some of the most popular tourist destinations in China include The Great Wall, Mount Everest, panda sanctuaries, Hong Kong, the Terracotta Army, the Yangtze River and the Forbidden City
Many people travel to China on organised tours, to make dealing with the cultural and language barrier easier
It takes around 11 hours to fly from the UK to Beijing
Renminbi is the official currency of China, usually shorted to RMB. The units are Yuan, Jiao and Fen: 1 Yuan = 10 Jiao = 100 Fen. It is used throughout China, except in Hong Kong and Macau
Chinese food is very varied and can be split into eight regions, each with its own distinct style
Chinese etiquette can seem strict to an outsider but, once you're learned a few rules, you'll find the Chinese are just as relaxed, and self-deprecating, as everyone else.