Specials DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS MAGAZINE Spring 2011 - Anniversary Commemorative Issue

Basic Social, Political & Economic Facts About China

Nationalities

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There are 56 ethnic nationalities in China. The Han ethnic nationality makes up the majority at about 91.59 per cent of the total population.

Languages

Most people in China (about 90%) speak the Han (Chinese) language which has a variety of dialects depending on the region. Most Chinese people speak one of the Mandarin dialects. The official language of China is a dialect of Mandarin called Putonghua, spoken by approximately 70 percent of the people. Other Chinese language dialects include: Wu, Yue or Cantonese and Kejia or Hakka dialect.

Religion

Traditionally, the Chinese have practiced Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. Islam and Christianity are also practiced. But the years of strict communist rule (1949 - 1978) saw a suppression of religious expressions. The 1978 constitution allowed the practice of formal religions in China. The constitution of 1982 allows freedom of religious belief. Since 1982 many temples, churches, and mosques have reopened in China.

Islam is followed by the Hui, Yugur, Kazak, Ozbek, Tajik, Kirgiz, Tatar, Dongxiang, Salar, and Bonan nationalities. The Tibetans, Mongolians, Dai, and Yugur practice Buddhism and Lamaism. The Miao, Yao and Yi are Christians, while the Orogen, Ewenki and Saur nationalities practice Shamanism.

Political/Administrative Divisions

China is divided into:

• 23 provinces
• 4 municipalities
• 5 autonomous regions
• 2 special administrative regions

All directly under the central government.

The 23 Provinces include:

1. Anhui ,
2. Fujian ,
3. Gansu ,
4. Guangdong ,
5. Guizhou ,
6. Hainan ,
7. Hebei. ,
8. Heilongjiang,
9. Henan,
10. Gubei ,
11. Hunan ,
12. Jiangsu,
13. Jiangxi ,
14. Jilin,
15. Liaoning,
16. Qingai,
17. Shaanxi,
18. Shandong,
19. Shanxi,
20. Sichuan,
21. Taiwan,
22. Zhejiang
23. Taiwan *China claims Taiwan as a province, but it is run by a separate government (See main China page).

The Autonomous Regions are:

1. Guangxi Zhuang,
2. Inner Mongolia,
3. Ningxia Hui,
4. Tibet
5. Xinjiang Uygur

The Four municipalities are:

1. Beijing
2. Chongqing
3. Shanghai
4. Tianjin

The two Special Administrative Regions are:

1. Hong Kong
2. Macao 

Economic Data