China is the fourth largest country in the world by total area, spanning 9,596,960 square kilometres (3,705,406 sq. mi) across East Asia. It features a diverse and varied landscape, with plains, hills and deltas in the east, and high plateaus, mountains and deserts in the west.
In total, China has 225 national parks, including the popular Wulingyuan, Jiuzhaigou, Guilin Li River, Lijiang Yulong Xueshan and Huangshan National Parks. There is infinite beauty to be found here.
Capital city: Beijing
Highest Point: Mount Everest (29,035ft / 8850m)
Lowest Point: Turpan Pendi (-505ft / -154m)
Land Area: 3,600,947 sq. mi (9,326,410 sq. km)
Water Area: 104,459 sq. mi (270,550 sq. km)
Total Area: 3,705,406 sq. mi (9,596,960 sq. km)
Coastline: 9010 miles (14,500 km)
Bordering countries (14) Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burma, India, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Vietnam
Huangguoshu Waterfall, situated in the province of Anshun in China, is the tallest waterfall in Asia at 255ft (77.8m) high and 331ft (101m) wide. It’s name, ‘Huangguoshu’, literally translates to ‘yellow fruit tree’. The falls and the surrounding area form ‘Huangguoshu Waterfall National Park’, which is rated by the Chinese Tourism board as AAAAA, the…
Situated close to the bustling city of Kunming in China’s Lunan Yi Autonomous province, Stone Forest National Park is a scenic area boasting an array of captivating limestone formations. Bewitching, dove grey stones, shaped like trees, animals and even fungi, rise up from the earth and point into the heavens, casting eerie shadows. Unsurprisingly, the…
Tibet is a remote and forbidding land sometimes referred to as “the roof of the world” due to its extreme altitude high in the Himalayas. Despite its inaccessibility and history of tumultuous political unrest, the area has, for thousands of years, attracted visitors who come not only to enjoy the incredible mountain scenery but also…
The Taklamakan Desert, also known as the “Place of Ruins” or the “Sea of Death”, is the largest desert in China, at over 620mi (1000km) long and 250mi (400km) wide. Lying between the Tien Shan and Kunlun mountain ranges, the Taklamakan Desert is a waterless death trap, experiencing an average annual rainfall of just 0.4in…
The Gobi Desert spans portions of both Northern China and Southern Mongolia, covering a total area of 0.5 million square miles (1.29 million sq. km). A cold desert; Gobi has one of the world’s most extreme climates, featuring rapid temperature changes, both seasonally and daily. Summer months bring temperatures of up to 122°F (50°C) whilst…
Reed Flute Cave is a natural limestone cave in the Guangxi province of China. Its name is derived from a variety of naturally abundant reed that grows throughout the area, which can be used to make flutes. The Reed Flute Cave boasts bodies of water, extraordinary stalagmite and stalactite formations, as well as a number…
Tiger Leaping Gorge, set to the backdrop of the majestic Jade Dragon and Haba Snow Mountains of China, is one of the deepest gorges in the world. The Jingsha River flows through its beautiful 10mi (16km) length, nestled between towering cliffs of up to 12,795ft (3900m). At its narrowest point near the mouth of the…