China Molly O’Brien 7-G

1. ChinaMolly O’Brien 7-G

2. Important Landforms and Bodies Of Water in China: ~The Himalayas- The Himalayan mountain range is home to some of the world’s highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. The Himalayas cross five countries: Bhutan, India, Nepal, China, and Pakistan. Many people visit the Himalayas to see the beautiful snow covered mountains and some even climb Mount Everest which takes a whole month! ~The Yangtze River- The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia and third longest in the world. The headwaters of the Yangtze are situated at an elevation of about 16,000 feet in the Kunlun Mountains in the southwestern section of Qinghai. It flows generally south through Sichuan into Yuanan then northeast and east across central China. ~The Gobi Desert-The Gobi Desert is a very large desert region in Asia. It covers parts of northern and northwestern China, and most of Southern Mongolia. The Gobi Desert’s climate is very cold with snow and frost almost all year long. Many dinosaur fossils were found in the Gobi Desert.

3. Language in China:~There are over 200 different languages spoken in China. ~Mandarin is the official language of China. ~Other languages spoken is China are Cantonese, Xians, Min, and Hakka. ~English is becoming a more popular language in China as well because of tourism.

4. Government in China:~The President of China is Hu Jintao. ~China is an Authoritarian state ruled by a powerful central government. ~China is a communist country. ~ Because of the growing economy, the government has permitted more freedoms but at a cost to the environment.

5. A National Holiday in China:~ China celebrates many holidays from America such as New Year, Labor Day, and even Halloween. ~One of the most interesting Chinese holidays is The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, which is celebrated once a year: ~The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival is a significant holiday celebrated in China, and the one with the longest history. The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated by boat races in the shape of dragons. Competing teams row their boats forward to a drumbeat racing to reach the finish end first.

6. Wildlife in China: ~China is a large country with lots of beautiful wild animals that live in the country: ~ Giant Panda- The Giant Panda roams the forests of mountains of South West China. They are an endangered species, and many reserves have been set up for the conservation of the Giant Panda. The are considered China’s “National Treasure.” ~Siberian Tiger- The Siberian Tiger is China’s top predator, also known as the Amur Tiger for its homeland region. They are a very endangered species due to poaching. ~Golden Monkey- The Golden Monkey is a tree dwelling animal that lives in forests is central Southwest China.

7. China’s Economy:~China is the World’s second largest economy by GDP and is gaining power on the United States of America each year. ~China is the World’s fastest growing economy with growth rates averaging 10% over the past 30 years. ~It is stated that China’s economy will overlook the United States by the year 2035. ~China is the largest exporter of goods and second largest importer. ~China makes almost all the goods such as plates, cloths, and toys that are sold in America.

8. China Today:~ Today, the country of China is very similar to many countries because of Western influence. ~Today, Chinese people live in smaller family groups. Many women work, and grandparents often watch the children during the day. ~ Chinese parents are still strict but much less than they were in the past. ~ Marriages are still sometimes arranged in rural areas in China, but many young people are allowed to choose who they marry. ~China has also been introduced to the music world as well as many other parts of Asia. (Ex: South Korea is home to pop star Psy.)

9. China’s Major Tourist Attractions The Great Wall of China:~ Traditionally known as the “Long Wall of Ten Thousand Li,”the history of the Great Wall goes back to 722 B.C. The long walls were built in honor of casualties that died in ancient Chinese battles. ~ The Great Wall of China took over 3,000 years of building before it was 100% finished. ~ Over one million people died while building the Wall. ~ Today, many people visit the Great Wall of China. ~ It is China’s #1 tourism hot spot because it is a very important part of China’s history and very beautiful.

10. The Terracotta Army: ~ The Terracotta Army or the “Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses” is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. ~ The figures were made in the 3rd century B.C. and were discovered in 1974 by local Chinese farmers. ~ The figures include warriors, chariots, and horses and are a major tourist attraction is China because of their amazing history.

11. 3. Hangzhou: ~ Also known as China’s “Paradise on Earth.” ~ Hangzhou is a gorgeous city centered around the famous West Lake. ~The city is full of gardens, temples, flowers, and many historic streets to venture through. ~The hills surrounding the city grow the famous Longjing Green Tea. ~Hangzhou is close to Shanghai but is a much more laid-back, cultural city. ~ Because of its beauty, Hangzhou is a major Chinese tourist attraction.

12. 4. The Forbidden City: ~ Also called Imperial Palace Museum, it is located in the heart of Beijing. ~ It was once the residence of emperors for 500 years- from the 15th century to the 20th century. ~ The Forbidden City was built in the Ming Dynasty between 1406 to 1420 A.D. ~ The Forbidden City covers over 2,000,000 square feet and has 9,999 rooms. ~ The Forbidden City is a sample of traditional Chinese palatial architecture. It has the largest collection of preserved ancient wood structures in the World. ~ It is a major tourist attraction and in 1987 it became a World Heritage Site.

13. 5. Mount Everest: ~ Mount Everest, which means “Goddess” in Tibetan, is the highest mountain on Earth. ~ Mount Everest is part of the Himalayan Mountains and is near the border of China and Tibet. ~ Mount Everest is snow covered all year at the top of the mountain. ~ Every year, mountain climbers come from all over the World to attempt to climb Mount Everest. ~ Climbing this mountain is very dangerous because of the cold (You may get frost bite) and the high altitude (You may have lots of trouble breathing.) ~ At the summit the temperature can be -100 degrees F.

14. Fun Facts:~ Ice Cream was invented in China around 2,000 B.C. ~ China is the 4rth largest country in the World. ~ The Chinese calendar is the oldest known calendar. ~ Each year is represented by an animal (Ex: The year 2000 is the year of the Dragon.) ~ Red is considered a lucky color in China. ~In the Chinese language, there are over 40,000 written Chinese characters. ~ 4rth graders must know at least 2,000 of these characters and by the time Chinese people leave college, they know about 5,000 characters. ~China is the most populated country in the World.

15. More Fun Facts: ~ The Great Wall of China can be seen from outer space! ~ The compass, paper, gun powder, and printing are all Chinese inventions. ~When you write your name in Chinese, you put your last name before your first name. (Ex: My name would be O’Brien Molly.) ~China has cultivated tea for 2,000 years. ~China has 1.3 BILLION people which is 20% of the World’s population! ~ The turtle and white crane are thought to bring a long life. ~The Disney movie MULAN was based on a real story set in China. ~The Chinese has their own “Bigfoot.”