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The People's Republic of China (PRC),commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population. China is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area, and the second largest by land area.

Tourism in China has greatly expanded over the last few decades. The emergence of a newly rich middle class and an easing of restrictions on movement by the Chinese authorities are both fueling this travel boom. China has become one of the world's most-watched and hottest outbound tourist markets. The world is on the cusp of a sustained Chinese outbound tourism boom. The most popular tourist attraction in China is the Great Wall of China. The Forbidden City in Beijing is also popular, which was the center of Chinese Imperial power.

Quick Facts

Capitol: Beijing
Government: Socialist State
Currency: Yuan
Area: 3,704,427 sq. miles
Lanuage: Mandarin (spoken), Chinese (written)
Religion: The state is officially atheist.
Calling Code: +86
Time Zone: China Standard Time

Public Holidays

• January 1 - New Year's Day
• 1st Day of 1st lunar month - Chinese New Year
• 1st Solar Term (April 4th or 5th) - Qing Ming Festival
• May 1 - Labor Day
• 5th Day of 5th Lunar Month - Dragon Boat Festival
• 15th Day of 8th Lunar Month - Mid Autumn Festival
• October 1 - National Day

Passports and Visas

A valid passport and visa are required to enter and exit China and must be obtained from Chinese Embassies and Consulates before traveling to China. Americans arriving without valid passports and the appropriate Chinese visa are not permitted to enter and will be subject to a fine and immediate deportation at the traveler's expense. 

Geography and Climate

Shanghai sits on the Yangtze River Delta on China's eastern coast, and is roughly equidistant from Beijing and Hong Kong. The vast majority of Shanghai's 2,401 sq mi land area is flat, apart from a few hills in the southwest corner, with an average elevation of 13 ft. The city's location on the flat alluvial plain has meant that new skyscrapers must be built with deep concrete piles to stop them sinking into the soft ground. The highest point is at the peak of Dajinshan Island at 340 ft. The city has many rivers, canals, streams and lakes. Shanghai has a humid subtropical climate and experiences four distinct seasons. The most pleasant seasons are Spring, although changeable, and Autumn, which is generally sunny and dry.

Beijing is situated at the northern tip of the roughly triangular North China Plain, which opens to the south and east of the city. Mountains to the north, northwest and west shield the city from the encroaching desert steppes. The northwestern part of the municipality, especially Yanqing County, is dominated by the Jundu Mountains, while the western part of the municipality is framed by the Xishan Mountains. The Great Wall of China, which stretches across the northern part of Beijing Municipality, made use of this rugged topography to defend against nomadic incursions from the steppes. The city's climate is a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate, characterised by hot, humid summers, and generally cold, windy, dry winters.

Travel and Tourism History

Between 1949 and 1974, the People's Republic was closed to all but selected foreign visitors. Beginning in the late 1970s, when the leadership decided to promote tourism vigorously as a means of earning foreign exchange, China quickly developed its own tourist industry. Major hotel construction programs greatly increased the number of hotels and guest houses, more historic and scenic spots were renovated and opened to tourists, and professional guides and other service personnel were trained.

The expansion of domestic and international airline traffic and other tourist transportation facilities made travel more convenient. Over 250 cities and counties were opened to foreign visitors by the mid-1980s. Travelers needed only valid visas or residence permits to visit 100 locations; the remaining locales required travel permits from public security departments. In 1985 approximately 1.4 million foreigners visited China, and nearly US$1.3 billion was earned from tourism. In 1985 there were 1.4 million tourists to visit China.

Shanghai is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people.

Originally a fishing and textiles town, Shanghai grew to importance in the 19th century due to its favorable port location. The city flourished as a center of commerce between east and west, and became a multinational hub of finance and business by the 1930s. However, Shanghai's prosperity was interrupted after the 1949 Communist takeover and the subsequent cessation of foreign investment. As a Result of Economic reforms in 1990, intense development and financing in Shanghai has resulted, and in 2005 Shanghai became the world's busiest cargo port.

The city is an emerging tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and Xintiandi, its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower, and its new reputation as a cosmopolitan center of culture and design.

Beijing also formerly known in English as Peking is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China. Beijing is China's second largest city, after Shanghai. Beijing is a major transportation hub, with dozens of railways, roads and motorways passing through the city. It is also the focal point of many international flights to China. Beijing is recognized as the political, educational, and cultural center of the People's Republic of China, while Shanghai and Hong Kong predominate in economic fields.

At the heart of Beijing's historical centre lies the Forbidden City, the enormous palace compound that was the home of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties; the Forbidden City also hosts the Palace Museum, which contains imperial collections of Chinese art.

Popular Sightseeing Destinations

Shanghai

• The Bund - is an area of Huangpu District in Shanghai. The area centres on a section of Zhongshan Road which runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River, facing Pudong.
• Nanjing Road - is the main shopping street of Shanghai, and is one of the world's busiest shopping streets.
• Yuyuan Garden - is considered one of the most lavish and finest Chinese gardens in the region.
• Jade Buddha Temple - a Buddhist temple founded in 1882 with two jade Buddha statues imported to Shanghai from Burma by sea.

Beijing

• Great Wall of China - series of stone and earthen walls in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from Xiongnu attacks during the rule of successive dynasties.
• The Forbidden City - was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It now houses the Palace Museum.
• Tiananmen Square - where a series of demonstrations, now referred to as the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 culminating in the Tiananmen Square Massacre took place.

Airports

Both Beijing and Shanghai, as well as numerous other Chinese cities, have International Airports. There are several non-stop flights between U.S. cities to Beijing and Shanghai daily.

Getting Around

Once in China, rail, which is the primary mode of transportation, has doubled in length since the mid-twentieth century, and an extensive network provides service to the entire nation. The larger cities also have efficient metro systems.

Eating

The combined cuisines of China have often been compared to French cuisine as having made the greatest contribution to the world of food. Chinese cooking styles have been divided into five main regions: Southeastern (Canton), East Coast (Fukien), Northeastern (Peking-Shantung), Central (Honan) and Western (Szechuan-Hunan).

Cantonese cuisine is famous for its meat roasting and grilling, fried rice, and bird's nest and shark's fin soup. The province of Fukien is noted for its multitudinous selection of soups and for its seafood dishes. The light, elegant Peking-Shantung style originated the famous peking duck, and is highly acclaimed for its subtle and artful use of seasonings. China's Honan province is the home of sweet-and-sour cooking, and the Szechuan-Hunan school is known for its hot, spicy dishes. Mandarin cooking and Shanghai cooking are not regional designations, but terms used to describe cooking styles. The word mandarin means "Chinese official," and mandarin cooking suggests an aristocratic cuisine that gleans the very finest elements from all the regions. Shanghai cooking refers to a cosmopolitan combination of many Chinese cooking styles.

In most dishes in Chinese cuisine, food is prepared in bite-sized pieces, ready for direct picking up and eating. Traditionally, Chinese culture use chopsticks at the table. However, many non-Chinese are uncomfortable with allowing a person's individual utensils (which might have traces of saliva) to touch the communal food dishes.

Safety and Disease

China has a low crime rate. Violence against foreigners, while rare, is on the increase. Over the past year, incidents of violence against foreigners, including sexual assaults, have taken place, usually in urban areas where bars and nightclubs are located.

Although yellow fever is not a disease risk in China, the government requires travelers arriving from countries where yellow fever is present to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. If you will be traveling to one of these countries where yellow fever is present before arriving in China, this requirement must be taken into consideration.  Be sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Check with your doctor to find out which vaccinations adults and children should get.

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