COUNTRY PROFILE: CHINA
February 2005
COUNTRY
Formal Name: People’s Republic of China
(Zhonghua Renmin Gonghe Guo). 中华人民共和国
Short Form: China (Zhongguo). 中国
Term for Citizen(s) Chinese (singular and plural) (Huaren). 华人
Capital: Beijing (Northern Capital). 北京
Major Cities: Based on 2000 census data, the largest cities are the four centrally administered municipalities, which include dense urban areas, suburbs, and large rural areas: Chongqing (30.5 million), Shanghai (16.4 million), Beijing (13.5 million), and Tianjin (9.8 million). Other major cities are Wuhan (5.1 million), Shenyang (4.8 million), Guangzhou (3.8 million), Chengdu (3.2 million), Xi’an (3.1 million), and Changchun (3 million). China has 12 other cities with populations of between 2 million and 2.9 million and 20 or more other cities with populations of more than 1 million persons.
Independence: As the result of a revolution that broke out on October 10, 1911, on February 12, 1912, the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) was formally replaced by the government of the Republic of China. The People’s Republic of China was officially established on October 1, 1949.
Public Holidays: The official national holidays are New Year’s Day (January 1); Spring Festival or Lunar New Year (movable dates—three days—in January and February), Labor Day (May 1), and National Day (two-day observance on October 1–2). Also commemorated are International Women’s Day (March 8), Youth Day (May 4), Children’s Day (June 1), Chinese Communist Party Founding Day (July 1), Army Day (August 1), and Teachers’ Day (September 10).
Flag: The flag of China is red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four
smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the
middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner. The color red symbolizes
the spirit of the revolution, and the five stars signify the unity of the people
of China under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. The flag
was officially unveiled in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on October 1, 1949,
with the formal announcement of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
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