China 🇨🇳

China lies in Eastern Asia, part of Asia. The long form of the name is People's Republic of China. Beijing is the capital.

Around 1.41 billion people live there, placing it 2nd of 250 by population — between India above it and the United States below. Within Eastern Asia alone it is the 1st largest of 8 and the 1st most populous.

By land area it covers 9,706,961 km², which ranks it 4th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Canada and just ahead of the United States. Put next to a country most people can picture, it is almost exactly the same size as Canada.

Location, borders and position

Its reference point sits at 35.0° north and 105.0° east, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 3,896 km from the equator, in what geographers would call temperate latitudes.

The Tropic of Cancer passes across it. Countries on the same parallel, far away in longitude, include Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Its land neighbours number 16: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, Nepal, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Vietnam. The largest of them by area is Russia, while the most populous is India. Together those neighbours hold about 2.16 billion people.

It has both a coastline and land borders, which is the most common arrangement of all.

People, population and language

Density comes out at around 145 people per square kilometre, which makes it more crowded than the typical entry on this list. The median across all 250 entries here is about 90 per square kilometre.

People from China are called Chinese.

Officially it is monolingual: Chinese. It shares that with Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Taiwan.

Inside Asia it places 2nd of 50 by population, and it accounts for 86% of everyone living in Eastern Asia.

Money, internet and phone codes

Money there is the Chinese yuan (¥, CNY). No other entry in this dataset uses it, so the currency is specific to China.

Websites there use the .cn domain. To phone it from abroad you dial +86. Its ISO codes are cn and CHN, which is what most databases and flag files use.

If a quiz asks for the capital of China, the answer is Beijing.

As a sovereign state it is among the 193 UN members listed here. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.

Neighbouring countries

China shares borders with 16 countries:

• 🇦🇫 Afghanistan
• 🇧🇹 Bhutan
• 🇲🇲 Myanmar
• 🇭🇰 Hong Kong
• 🇮🇳 India
• 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
• 🇳🇵 Nepal
• 🇰🇵 North Korea
• 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
• 🇱🇦 Laos
• 🇲🇴 Macau
• 🇲🇳 Mongolia
• 🇵🇰 Pakistan
• 🇷🇺 Russia
• 🇹🇯 Tajikistan
• 🇻🇳 Vietnam

Fun facts about China

• Ranked by land area, China is 4th out of the 250 countries and territories on this site.
• In land area it is almost exactly the same size as Canada.
• Population density works out at roughly 145 people per square kilometre.
• It shares land borders with 16 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, Nepal, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Vietnam.
• Its capital city is Beijing.
• It lies about 3,896 km from the equator, in temperate latitudes.
• The Tropic of Cancer runs across or very near it.
• The Chinese yuan is used here and nowhere else on this list.

China — frequently asked questions

What is the capital of China?

The capital of China is Beijing.

What is the population of China?

China has a population of about 1.41 billion, which makes it the 2nd most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. India sits just above it and the United States just below.

What currency does China use?

China uses the Chinese yuan, written ¥ (currency code CNY). No other entry in this dataset uses it.

What language is spoken in China?

The official language of China is Chinese. It is also official in 4 other entries on this list.

Where is China located?

China is in Eastern Asia, part of Asia. Its reference coordinates are 35.0° north and 105.0° east, roughly 3,896 km from the equator in temperate latitudes.

Which countries border China?

China borders 16 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, Nepal, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Vietnam. Russia is the largest of them by area.

How big is China?

China covers 9,706,961 km², ranking 4th of 250 by land area. That makes it almost exactly the same size as Canada.

Is China a country?

Yes. China is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.