China is located in Eastern Asia, on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean. With vast land area of about 9.6 million square kilometers, it is second only to Russia and Canada in overall land area. It is the third largest country in the world and the largest country in Asia.

The northernmost part of China is the central line in the main channel of the Heilongjiang River. The southernmost border is the Zengmu Shoal Islands in the South China Sea. The distance between the north and the south is about 5,500 kilometers. When the northeastern part of China enters the winter and the snow is heavy, the islands in the south are still beautiful and lush like summer. The easternmost part of China is at the intersection of the central lines of the main channels of the Heilongjiang River and the Wusuli River. The westernmost part is near the Pamir Plateau. The distance between the east and west is about 5,200 kilometers, spanning 5 time zones. When the sun rises on the east coast the people on the Pamirs in the west are still fast asleep.

China s border is about 22,800 kilometers long and China has 14 neighboring countries: the Democratic Peopled Republic of Korea, Russia. Mongolia. Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam.

China’s ocean area is wry broad, with a total coastline it 18,000 kilometers. From north to south, China's territorial waters 一 the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea — are connected and have abundant natural resources. There are more than 7,600 large and small islands in this vast sea area. Among them. Taiwan is China's largest island.

Cultural Notes

Zengmu Shoal

Zengmu Shoal is the southernmost part of the Chinese border, located in the South China Sea as part of the Nansha Islands. China has sovereignty over these islands.

Taiwan Island

It is China’s largest island, located on the south side of the continental shelf of the East China Sea. In the Three Kingdoms Period (about 230 AD), Taiwan, known as “Yizhou”, was garrisoned by soldiers. The Han people now account for 98% of Taiwan’s total population. The Gaoshan people are Taiwan’s local ethnic minority, accounting for about 2% of the total population.