China.China, which is only slightly larger than the U.S., has one fifth of the world's people. The Communist Party Communist party, in China Communist party, in China, ruling party of the world's most populous nation since 1949 and most important Communist party in the world since the disintegration of the USSR in 1991. took control of China in 1949, and still rules. But the government has reduced its control of the economy and allows privately owned businesses. Today, China is the world's seventh-largest economy. FACTS TO KNOW AREA: 3,696,100 square miles. POPULATION: 1.26 billion, the world's most populous country. GOVERNMENT: One-party Communist government, led by President Jiang Zemin Jiang Zemin (jyäng` zŭ`mĭn`), 1926–, Chinese government official, general secretary of the Chinese Communist party (1989–2002) and president of China (1993–2003), b. Jiangsu prov. . ECONOMY: World's seventh-largest economy. Although 60% of China's workers are farmers, industry accounts for almost half of the country's GDP GDP (guanosine diphosphate): see guanine. . Industries: iron and steel, textiles, machines, and weapons. Minerals: coal, oil, iron ore, tungsten, others. Major crops: cotton, rice, tea, and wheat. LITERACY RATE: Males, 91%; females, 75%. * PER CAPITA [Latin, By the heads or polls.] A term used in the Descent and Distribution of the estate of one who dies without a will. It means to share and share alike according to the number of individuals. GDP: $3,600. * The value of all products produced by the country in a year, divided by the population. (GDP stands for gross domestic product; per capita means per person). RELATED ARTICLE: Questions Study the map and Facts to Know to answer the following questions. 1. The capital of China is 2. The U.S. spy plane landed on the island of 3. Since 1949, anti-Communists have ruled the island of 4. Are most cities located in the northern, southern, eastern, or western half of China? 5. What is being built on the Yangtze River Yangtze River Chinese Chang Jiang or Ch'ang Chiang River, China. Rising in the Tanggula Mountains in west-central China, it flows southeast before turning northeast and then generally east across south-central and east-central China to the East China to provide more water for farming? 6. What city hopes to host the 2008 Olympic Games Olympic games, premier athletic meeting of ancient Greece, and, in modern times, series of international sports contests. The Olympics of Ancient Greece Although records cannot verify games earlier than 776 B.C. ? 7. What city is closest to 30[degrees]N, 90[degrees]E? 8. Xi'an is China's ancient capital. About how many miles is it from today's capital? 9. Three fifths of China's people work as 10. China regained control of what British colony in 1997? China map, p. 13 1. Beijing 2. Hainan 3. Taiwan 4. eastern 5. Three Gorges Dam Three Gorges Dam, 607 ft (185 m) high and 7,575 ft (2,309 m) long, on the Chang (Yangtze) River, central Hubei prov., China, 30 mi (48 km) W of Yichang. The largest concrete structure in the world, the dam was constructed from 1994 to 2006. 6. Beijing 7. Lhasa 8. 600 miles 9. farmers 10. Hong Kong |
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