China (Mainland) at a Glance

Country: People's Republic of China
Government:  Socialist
Population: 1.3 billion
Area:  3,705,386 miles² (9,596,960 km²); slightly smaller than the U.S.
Terrain: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east
Major language(s): Chinese Mandarin, and local dialects
Major religion(s): Officially atheist but traditional religion contains elements of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism
Capital & population: Beijing, 12 million (metro area)
Monetary unit: CNY (Chinese Yuan)