2.3 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Chinese (singular and plural); adjective - Chinese
Ethnic divisions:
Han Chinese 93.3%; Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol,
Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 6.7%
Religions:
officially atheist, but traditionally pragmatic and eclectic; most important
elements of religion are Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism; Muslim 2-3%,
Christian 1% (est.)
Languages:
Standard Chinese (Putonghua) or Mandarin (based on the Beijing dialect);
also Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, and minority languages (see
ethnic divisions)
Literacy:
73% (male 84%, female 62%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
567,400,000; agriculture and forestry 60%, industry and commerce 25%,
construction and mining 5%, social services 5%, other 5% (1990 est.)
Organized labor:
All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) follows the leadership of the
Chinese Communist Party; membership over 80 million or about 65% of the
urban work force (1985)

:China Government

Long-form name:
People's Republic of China; abbreviated PRC
Type:
Communist Party - led state
Capital:
Beijing
Administrative divisions:
23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions* (zizhiqu,
singular and plural), and 3 municipalities** (shi, singular and plural);
Anhui, Beijing Shi**, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan,
Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning,
Nei Mongol*, Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai Shi**, Shanxi,
Sichuan, Tianjin Shi**, Xinjiang*, Xizang*, Yunnan, Zhejiang; note - China
considers Taiwan its 23rd province
Independence:
unification under the Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty 221 BC, Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty
replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912, People's Republic established
1 October 1949
Constitution:
most recent promulgated 4 December 1982
Legal system:
a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law; rudimentary
civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes in effect since 1
January 1980; continuing efforts are being made to improve civil,
administrative, criminal, and commercial law
National holiday:
National Day, 1 October (1949)
Executive branc