Dec13 Written by:Fernan Cepero
12/13/2006
Interesting Facts About China
- China has the highest population in the world with 1.26 billion people, which is one fifth of the world’s total. This does not include Hong Kong, Taiwan and other special regions.
- Two-thirds of China is mountainous or desert.
- China’s capital is Beijing (11 million people). The largest city is Shanghai (13 million people).
- China’s official language is Mandarin. However, China has 56 ethnic groups. All have their own spoken and written languages, except for the Hui, Manchu and Han people who have the same.
- The top eight Chinese last names are Zhao, Zhou, Qian, Wu, Sun, Zheng, Li, and Wang. Many Western countries have a short list of popular first names but countless last names. The reverse is true in China, where the last name list is short, and the number of first names seems unending.
- The mandatory retirement age in mainland China is age 55 for women and 60 for men. There are provisions for individuals in professional positions to petition for an extension for their retirement to age 60 and 65 respectively.
- The mandatory retirement age in Hong Kong is age 60 for women and 65 for men.
- There is no social security benefit or government program to provide for or care for the elderly. It is the responsibility of family members to care for elderly family members.
- Maternity leave is fully paid for women in China for one whole year.
- Men receive fully paid six weeks of family leave.
Chinese Milestones
Confucious Born
| 551 B.C. |
Great Wall Construction Begins
| 403 B.C. |
Tsingtao Brewery Founded
| 1903 |
Nixon Visits China
| 1972 |
Tsingtao Beer Launched in U.S.
| 1972 |
China Wins 2008 Olympic Bid
| 2001 |
| Tsingtao Brewery Celebrates 100th Anniversary | 2003 |
Things That I Will Miss About China
Tsingtao Beer, the National Beer of China
Four Star Government Rated Toilets
The Wheel of Food
For delegates who wish to recreate the spinning family style dining experience at home I found a website for you - http://www.lazysusans-r-us.com/
Interesting Foods (Tonight We Had Pigeon)
Creature Comforts From Home, However, Were Not a World Away
My blog is just one person’s experience visiting a very small part of China in a short period of time. I would encourage my blog readers to go to http://english.sina.com/index.html for the latest news in politics, business, and leisure of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. SINA Corporation is a leading online media company and value-added information service (VAS) provider for China and for Chinese communities worldwide.
Beyond keeping up with the latest news from China I would certainly encourage you to visit this fascinating country.
Xie Xie
Fernan
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