China has 23 provinces, 4 territories and 5 protectorates. We travel most often to the country of Mongolia and three Chinese provinces, all of which have consistently produced fine Asian antique furniture for our clients. These areas are rich in culture, crafts and history. We are thankful for the help that the Chinese and Mongolian peoples have provided to us over many, many years.
For both China and Mongolia we have found some facts that will provide you an idea of these countries. We have rounded the numbers a bit. You can find exact data at The World Factbook.
(Data 2005 est. & rounded unless otherwise noted)
[Click on the map to learn a little about Mongolia or a Chinese province.]
The People's Republic of China (1949+)
Area: Slightly smaller than USA
Population: 1,300,000,000
Capital: Beijing
Ethnicity: Han Chinese 91.9%,
Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean & other 8.1%
Religions (PRC is officially atheist): Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%
Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages.
Literacy: total population: 90.9%
Labor force: 790,000,000
Jianxi Provice
Area: 166,600 square km
Population: 41,050,000
Capital: Nanchang
This province in southeastern China has a very long cultural history. It is known as the birthplace of Mao Tung, the leader of the revolution and People's Republic of China.
Shanxi Province
Area: 60,000 sq mi (156,000 square km)
Population: 34,000,000
Captial: Taiyuan
A section of the Great Wall forms the northern border of Shanxi. Much of the area is a high plateau region and has a somewhat arid climate with an annual precipitation of 13" to 28" (350-700mm). There is very little precipitation in Winter and Spring, which makes this part of China home of many well preserved, exceptional antiques.
Much of northern Han Chinese culture, architecture, and way of life were carried forward for centuries in Shanxi throughout the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Shanxi has important religious sites: Mount Wutai (Buddhist) and Mount Hengshan (Taoist). During the Cultural Revolution, Dazhai Village was a holy site, when it was set out to the entire nation as an example of the proletariat's hardiness (especially peasants).
People in most regions of Shanxi speak dialects of Jin, a subdivision of Chinese. People in the southwest speak dialects of Mandarin.
Gansu Province
Area: 141,000 sq mi (365,284 sq km)
Population: 26,000,000
Capital: Lanzhou
The size of California, Gansu is known for the Silk Road corridor to Turkistan, India, and Persia.
Gansu encompasses lands as varied as the Gobi Desert to the Yellow River, which flows through Lanzhou. Most of the province is 3000 feet (1KM) above sea level -- mountainous in the south and flat in the north.
Qilian Shan Mountain is the highest point at over 18,000ft (5,546m).
Most of Gansu's economy is based on mining and the extraction of minerals, especially rare earth elements. The province has significant oil fields as well.
Mongolia
Mongolia is a former province of China that gained its independence in 1921. Mongolia covers an area slightly smaller than Alaska between the Peoples Republic of China and the former Soviet Union, at an average elevation of over 5100 ft (1,554 m).
Area: 604,247 sq mi (1,565,000 sq km)
Population: 2,800,000
Capital: Ulaanbaatar
Ethnicity: Mongo (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1%
Religions: Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%
Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian
Literacy: 97.9%
Labor force: 1,488,000
