China Country Insight

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Key Facts

GDP (ppp) per CAPITA: $6,000 (2008 est.)
Inflation Rate: 5.9% (2008 est.)
Population: 1,338,612,968 (July 2009 est.)
Country Risk Ratings: A3
Ease of Doing Business: 83/181
Global Competitiveness: 30/134

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China : Introduction

For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, MAO's successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Capital City: Beijing (+8 GMT)

Currency: Yuan (CNY) (convert)

Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages

Calling Code: 86

Voltage: 220

Religions: Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%, note: officially atheist

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Online Course Module: Doing Business in China

quick links

China: Country Commercial Guide
China: World Bank Doing Business Indicators
China: Economist Country Briefing
China: BBC Country Profile
China: MSU Global Access

China: National Bureau of Statistics: The Chinese National Bureau of Statistics offers survey-indicators on the following: general survey, national accounts, population, employment and wages, investment and fixed assets, and production and consumption energy.

China: The People's Bank of China: The People's Bank of China has two main functions: regulation of the monetary policy and financial supervision. Under these guidelines, it approves, supervises and administers financial institutions and financial market industry. Available in English and Chinese.

China: China Business Weekly: A weekly print newspaper, Business Weekly provides insights into the current political and economic state of the country.

China: Sina English - Business: SINA English is an English-language resource for news and information on China. The business news page of Sina English Channel provides readers with Chinese finance and economy news.

Sources:
CIA World Factbook (September 2009)
U.S. Dept. of State Country Background Notes (January 2009)