The Chinese are a respected and revered nation with a world-class economy, that has been largely unaffected by recent recession. Once known for having one of the most powerful military collectives in the world, China still dominates statistics for having one of the largest working armies at present. In recent years, China has established a reputation for being a forward-thinking, technologically advanced nation, synonymous with rapid scientific and technological progression.

Intute, (the web resource site) cites China as the “fourth largest country in the world” with a total area of “9,596,960 km2″. It is often thought to be just one nation, however China is actually a “multi-national entity”, and divided into two separate republics. After the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949, the country diversified from the Republic of China, formed in 1912. The former republic consisted of all mainland and outlying areas, however the diversification of 1949 led to the formation of a new “Peoples Republic of China”. This area included most of the mainland, and became inclusive of Hong Kong and Macau in the late 1990’s.

The old Republic of China also remained, however this is now more commonly referred to as Taiwan. Wikipedia refers to this as the “outlying islands off the Peoples Republic, inclusive of Matsu, Penghu and Kinmen”.

Beijing is the capital city of The People’s Republic of China, and according to Wikipedia, the Republic itself has the densest population in the world, with over 1.3 billion people living there.

As with many countries, China’s name has evolved over the centuries. Originally, the country took it’s name in accordance with the dynasty or ruler in power such as Qing and Ming. The name “China” came into existence around 150 A.D, and is thought to derive from the Sanskrit word “Cina”, a descriptive term for the inhabitants, of lands east of India.

China is considered to have the world’s longest continuous civilization, with occupation dating back to around 6000 B.C. Chinese is considered to be one of the oldest languages, and in it’s written form, is said to be one of the world’s oldest formats. Chinese writing is considered to be a “logographic” system, and each individual symbol has multiple sounds and concepts, depending upon the context to which it applies.

Famed for unique cuisine, love of sushi, and fortune cookies, the Chinese were also the inventors of ice-cream over 3000 years ago. The recipe consisted of crushed rice and milk, which was then packed into the snow to freeze. Improvements included the addition of honey and native fruits. Ice cream was a delicacy and only served to the Emperor and immediate aristocracy.

Paper currency is something we often take for granted in Western society. From the Euro to the Dollar, paper currency has remained a popular format worldwide, however it is the Chinese who can be credited with the original invention of this currency format. The oldest recorded piece of paper in the world was found in China, and dates back to 1st Century B.C. The invention of paper money can also be credited to the Chinese, who came up with the idea in the 9th Century. It was originally referred to as “flying money” as it so easily blew out of one’s hand. Early paper money took the form of paper certificates, which were redeemable for specific commodities. Later improvements to paper currency led to the manufacture of silk paper money, which worked on the same principle.

The Chinese are renowned for architectural accomplishments on a grand scale. From the Great Wall of China to the Terracotta Qin Shi Hang Army, dating back to 210 B.C, the Chinese have produced some stunning feats of architecture. One such record breaking achievement is the Grand Canal, both the longest and oldest in the world. Construction commenced in 5th Century B.C and connects Beijing to Hangzhou, covering 1,114 miles. The canal has 24 locks, 60 bridges and is at it’s highest in the mountains of Shandong.

Renowned for possessing one of the largest and most powerful armies in the world, China still employs obligatory conscription. Men between the ages of 18-22 are required by law to join the nation’s army, and may only leave once they reach the age of 22. A review in 2009 found that the army exceeded 2.3 million personnel.

The Chinese are often credited with the discovery of tea. Chinese legend dictates that Emperor Shennong came upon the discovery per chance, while enjoying a cup of boiling water in 2737 B.C. A tea-leaf allegedly fell into his cup, and he admired the flavour to such a degree that he ordered his servants to pick leaves on a daily basis, and infuse them with his boiling water. Tea Talk Magazine suggests that “bagged and packaged tea did not become a Chinese export until 1907″.

Chinese culture implements many beliefs and spiritual superstitions which manifest themselves in the daily lives of natives. From the dragon to the tortoise, animals play an important and interesting part in Chinese religion, with many having sacred status. Religion in China makes for interesting reading in its own right, and with so many interesting facts, will provide even more of an insight into the lifestyles, history and culture of the Chinese people.