China's major rivers: Xi Jiang River, Chang Jiang River, Huang He river and the Heilongjiang River

The Great Wall

The Great Wall of China was built over 2,000 years ago, by Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China during the Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty (221 B.C - 206 B.C.). In Chinese the wall is called "Wan-Li Qang-Qeng" which means 10,000-Li Long Wall (10,000 Li = about 5,000 km).

After subjugating and uniting China from seven Warring States, the emperor connected and extended four old fortification walls along the north of China that originated about 700 B.C. (over 2500 years ago). Armies were stationed along the wall as a first line of defense against the invading nomadic Hsiung Nu tribes north of China (the Huns). Signal fires from the Wall provided early warning of an attack.

The Great Wall is one of the largest building construction projects ever completed. It stretches across the mountains of northern China, winding north and northwest of Beijing. It is constructed of masonry, rocks and packed-earth. It was over 5,000 km (=10,000 Li) long. Its thickness ranged from about 4.5 to 9 meters (15 to 30 feet) and was up to 7.5 meters (25 feet) tall.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Great Wall was enlarged to 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles) and renovated over a 200 year period, with watch-towers and cannons added.

The Great Wall can be seen from Earth orbit, but, contrary to legend, is not visible from the moon, according to astronauts Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, and Jim Irwin.

China's Population

ShangHai: "China's Manhatten" is China's largest city and the center of China's international trade. 2,000 years ago, it was just a fishing community and today it is the third largest port in the world for cargo and trade purposes. Double deck buses are used in the cities. Native ShangHaiees are ahead of their time and bursting with energy for their city. Pudong is a district in ShangHai where free trade and business takes place. It is a major banking and international trade center. Urban hotels and business centers are found everywhere. It is known as the business center of the world. The Boonde is a refuge from the cities fast pace and splendor. At night, people come to the Boonde for entertaining night life and dining as well as shows and shopping. ShangHai is about 30 miles north of the entrance to the North China Sea.
The Grand Canal in China goes from Hong Kong to Beijing. It is the longest man-made waterway in the world.
The West Lakes region of China is a very peaceful, calm spot in China. honeymooners and vacationers go there very often.
The Great Wall: One of the man-made wonders of the world. It is the only sign of human life seen from space. Visitors grasp the vastness of China when seeing the Great Wall.
Beijing: Humans have occupied this area for over a 50,00 years. It is the capital of China. Inside the Forbidden City is a place in China where old ancient Chinese buildings lay and massive squares for the people. Duck is a dinnertime favorite in Beijing. Another tradition that Beijing clings to is Chinese Opera. It is classic movements with costumes and moves. beijing is a world capital of international business and culture where many young people explore the culture of the western world.
Hong Kong: Hong Kong is a territory in southern China with a population of about 7 million people on 1,108 km2 of land, making it one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Hong Kong is known as an area of "one country, two systems". Hong Kong is mainly self-governing and has its own currency. It isn't considered a part of mainland China. Hong Kong is home to one of the largest and most important financial centers of the world, a major cultural hab and maintains a high capitalist economy. "East meets West" in this cultural and economic territory of China.

Where is China?

China, in general, is a country in south eastern Asia. Specifically, it's in the region of Asia and the coordinates are 35 north, 105 east. It borders the East China sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea and the South China Sea between North Korea and Vietnam. China also borders Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, India, Burma, Vietnam, and Pakistan. The People's Republic of China (PRC), commonly known as Communist China or simply China, has control over mainland China and the largely self-governing territories of Hong Kong (since 1997) and Macau.