2. This is China! With Beijing as the capital. We all know the 2008 Olympics are being held her, but what else is there to see in this interesting country. Population: 1,330,044,605 (July 2008 est.) Area: 9,596,960 sq km(slightly smaller than the US) Religions: Daoist, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, but officially atheist Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, + In simplified chinese China is written: 中 国
3. Attractions In China The Great Wall of China stretches over 6,400 km (4,000 miles.) Before the use of bricks the great wall was made of earth, stones and wood. Some sections of the wall are prone to graffiti and vandelism. The Beijing zoo grounds combine cultivated flower gardens with stretches of natural scenery, including dense groves of trees, stretches of grassland, a small stream, lotus pools and small hills dotted with pavilions and halls.
4. The forbidden city is located in the middle of Beijing. There are 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 rooms and covers 720,000 square metres. Since 1924, the Forbidden City has been under the charge of the Palace Museum, part of the museum's former collection is now located in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Both museums descend from the same institution, but were split after the Chinese Civil war. The terracotta Warriors are life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations and are the star features at the museum. They are replicas of what the imperial guard should look like in those days of pomp and vigor.
5. Chinese Festivals The Traditional Chinese holidays have been part of Chinese tradition for thousands of years; they are an essential part of Chinese culture. Many holidays are associated with Chinese mythology and folklore tales
6. Chinese New Year Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival