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China has a population of over 1,355,692,576 people.

Ethnic Groups:

Han Chinese 91.6%, Zhuang 1.3%, other 7.1%

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The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest sights in the world. The longest wall in the world, it is an awe-inspiring feat of ancient defensive architecture. Its winding path over rugged country and steep mountains takes in some great scenery. The Wall is the project with the longest duration and greatest cost in human lives, blood, sweat and tears.

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The Terracotta Army or the "Terracotta Warriors and Horses" is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.

Attraction name:The Qin Tomb Terracotta Warriors and Horses

Chinese: 秦陵兵马俑 Qínlíng Bīngmǎyǒng /chin-ling bing-maa-yong/

Features:hundreds of life-size model soldiers, horses, and chariots in battle array

Construction: 246–206 BC. With the tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang it took 720,000 builders.

Time needed:half a day

Suited for:history and Chinese culture enthusiasts

Physical requirements:low (indoor sightseeing); wheelchair-accessible lifts and corridors are provided

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Buddhist 18.2%, Christian 5.1%, Muslim 1.8%, folk religion 21.9%, Hindu < .1%, Jewish < .1%, other 0.7% (includes Daoist (Taoist)), unaffiliated 52.2%

note: officially atheist as of 2010

Religious observance in China is on the rise. According to a survey published in a state-run newspaper, 31.4 percent of Chinese adults are religious, a figure that is three times the initial government estimate. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is officially atheist, but it has been growing more tolerant of religious activity for the past twenty years. China's constitution explicitly allows "freedom of religious belief"

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Jiuzhaigou Valley is a nature reserve and national park located in the north of Sichuan, China. Jiuzhaigou Valley is part of the Min Mountains on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau and stretches over 74,132 acres hectares.

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Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen gate located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the fourth largest city square in the world.

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Standard Chinese or Mandarin (official), Yue, Wu, Minbei, Minnan, Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages

note: Zhuang is official in Guangxi Zhuang, Yue is official in Guangdong, Mongolian is official in Nei Mongol, Uighur is official in Xinjiang Uygur, Kyrgyz is official in Xinjiang Uyghur, and Tibetan is official in Xizang

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The Mogao Caves or Mogao Grottoes, also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, form a system of 492 temples 16 mi southeast of the center of Dunhuang, an oasis strategically located at a religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road, in Gansu province, China.

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Communist state government, officially known as the People's Republic of China, that leans towards socialism and capitalistic methods. China is a one-party state, with real power lying with the Chinese Communist party.

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6. Breathing in Beijing air is not as bad as you might think.

Feng Li / Getty Images

Although pollution in Beijing is a major worsening issue, according to a recent study, breathing in the air is only equivalent to being exposed to secondhand smoke (one-sixth of a cigarette) as opposed to smoking a pack a day, which is the popular belief.

7. The one-child policy does not apply to everyone.

ChinaFotoPress / Getty Images

China's cne-child policy was only enacted in 1978, so most people born before then are likely to have siblings. Also, the policy was meant more for the urban population, so rural families and Chinese ethnic minorities (there are 55) are allowed to have more than one child.

11. You won't necessarily be the tallest person in the room.

China Photos / Getty Images

In China's northern region, the average height for men is 5'10", and for women is 5'6". In fact, the tallest woman in the world (8'1"!) was Chinese.

14. There is a good chance you will have to use a squat toilet at some point. Don't be afraid.

It's actually more sanitary than using a regular toilet. Just remember to BYTP (bring your own toilet paper).

15. Explore beyond Beijing and Shanghai.

Though everyone should visit both places at least once, China has so much more to offer than most people tend to talk about. The south of China is great for spicy food and cities like Suzhou (the "Venice" of China) and Hangzhou (known for the West Lake) in Eastern China are a little more off the beaten path. Make sure you hit some real natural beauties though, like Karakul Lake in Xinjiang in Huang Shan in An Hui.

16. The Chinese food you're used to eating in the USA/Europe is probably not real Chinese food.

Sweet and sour pork, egg rolls, beef and broccoli... Yeah, Chinese people don't eat that. Instead, you'll find more cooked vegetables and simple meat dishes. Different, but delicious.

19. This kind of thing does not happen.

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19 Things To Know Before You Visit China

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14. There is a good chance you will have to use a squat toilet at some point. Don't be afraid. It's actually more sanitary than using a regular toilet. Just remember to BYTP (bring your own toilet paper). 15. Explore beyond Beijing and Shanghai.

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Shangri-La Hotel in Zhongshan

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In the shadow of Zhizhusi, a hitherto forgotten Tibetan temple, this 120-seat restaurant is Beijing's hottest address for fine dining in a historic setting.

Standout dishes include a masterful double play of lobster and goose liver on toast, and grilled pigeon with ceps, smoked duck and truffle jus.
Temple Restaurant in Beijing

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Many people say the government stops people from having freedom of speech, freedom of religion and other political rights that people in western countries have. China still has one-party rule, and is not a democracy.

The rise of the middle classes

The rise of the middles classes range from 100 million to 250 million, with forecasts predicting 700 million middle class people by 2020.

The imbalance of wealth

The uneven distribution of social wealth has created major social and economic issues for the government and will influence the path of China’s development in the future.

Urbanisation

The state has diminished control over population distribution, labour market development, population censorship methods and the accuracy of the population statistics. About 62% of the population lives in the rural areas but economists are predicting that by 2035 almost 70% of the population will live in urban areas.

An ageing nation

China’s elderly population is growing significantly. This is as a result of the strict one-child policy, introduced in 1979, in an attempt to control China’s booming population. There are currently 130 million elderly residents, equating to just over 10% of the population. The infrastructure and social services for the elderly do not meet the demand.

Environmental concerns

It is stated by Chinese sources that 35% of the total area has been harmed by acid rain and 40% of rivers have been polluted. Over 25% of Chinese residents drink contaminated water and 400 of the 667 Chinese cities suffer from water shortage. 35% of people living in the towns and cities breathe polluted air.