China Church

The People’s Republic of China (PRC), commonly known as China, is the most populous state in the world with over 1.3 billion people. China is seen variously as an ancient civilization extending over a large area in East Asia, a nation and/or a multinational entity. With nearly 4,000 years of continuous history, China is one of the world’s oldest civilizations.

China ranges from mostly plateaus and mountains in the west to lower lands in the east. The climate of China varies greatly. The northern zone (containing Beijing) has summer daytime temperatures of more than 30 degrees Celsius and winters of Arctic severity. The central zone (containing Shanghai) has a temperate continental climate with very hot summers and cold winters. The southern zone (containing Guangzhou) has a subtropical climate with very hot summers and mild winters.

Popular sports include martial arts, table tennis, badminton, and more recently, golf. Basketball is now popular among young people in urban centers.

Since the introduction of market-based economic reforms in 1978, China has become the world’s fastest growing major economy, the world’s largest exporter and second largest importer of goods. It is the world’s second largest economy by both nominal GDP and purchasing power parity. China is a recognized nuclear weapons state and has the world’s largest standing army with the second-largest defense budget.