1. Everything you ever wanted to know about: China By Peter Baines

2. Background China is one of the world’s oldest and most advanced civilizations, with tools and pottery being found from as long ago as 19,000 BC. The earliest example of a comprehensive history of China begins from about 2800 BC, with the account of ‘Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ‘ and the formation of the Xia Dynasty in 2070 BC. In comparison, the first historical mention of England as an actual country comes from 600 BC, some 2200 years after China’s history begins.

3. Background Cont. Ancient China was also hugely advanced in comparison to the other countries of the world. The celebrated ‘Four Great Inventions of Ancient China’, the compass, gunpowder, papermaking and printing have had a massive impact on the world. The chinese also invented the abacus and the first flying machines, such as kites. The written Chinese language is the oldest language still in use today, dating back some 4000 years (though records indicate some characters were in use as long as 8000 years ago). The Chinese have always possessed incredibly advanced medical treatments, with acupuncture dating back the the first millennium BC.

4. Modern History By the early 20th century, mass civil disorder had begun in China, and calls for reform and revolution were heard across the country. The 38 year old Emperor Guangxu died under house arrest on November 14, 1908. With the throne empty, he was succeeded by his two year old nephew Puyi who became the Xuantong Emperor, the last Chinese emperor. Guangxu's consort, who became the Empress Dowager Longyu, signed the abdication decree as regent in 1912, ending two thousand years of imperial rule in China.

5. Modern History On January 1 st 1912, the Republic of China was established. Sun Yat-sen of the Kuomintang (KMT or Nationalist Party), was proclaimed provisional president of the republic. However, Yuan Shikai, a former revolutionary, soon usurped the presidency by forcing Sun to step aside. Yuan then attempted to have himself made emperor of a new dynasty, but died of natural causes before securing power over all of the Chinese empire. China was politically fragmented, with an internationally recognized, but virtually powerless, national government seated in Beijing. Warlords in various regions exercised actual control over their respective territories.

6. Modern History In the late 1920s, the Kuomintang, under Chiang Kai- shek, was able to reunify the country under its own control, moving the nation's capital to Nanjing (Nanking) and implementing "political tutelage", an intermediate stage of political development outlined in Sun Yat-sen's program for transforming China into a modern, democratic state. Effectively, political tutelage meant one-party rule by the Kuomintang. World War 2 left China financially drained and resulted in over 10 million civilian deaths, whilst building distrust between the Communists and Nationalists resulting in the Chinese Civil War.

7. Modern History Following their victory in the Civil War, the Communists, under the leadership of Mao Zedong controlled most of Mainland China, establishing ‘The People’s Republic of China’ on October 1 st 1949. The central Government of the Republic of China fled to Taiwan, and though armed hostilities ended, the two were still technically at war.

8. China Today Today the Republic of China still controls Taiwan, whilst the People’s Republic of China controls Mainland China. The ROC has not formally renounced its claim to all of China, or changed its official maps on which its territories include the mainland and Mongolia, but it has moved away from this identity and increasingly identifies itself as "Taiwan". Presently, the ROC does not pursue any of its claims. The PRC claims to have succeeded the ROC as the legitimate governing authority of all of China including Taiwan.

9. China Today Due to its vast population, its rapidly growing economy, its large research and development investments and military spending, its status as a declared nuclear weapons state, and other capabilities, the PRC is often considered by commentators as an emerging superpower. It is the world's fourth largest economy and second largest at purchasing power parity, and represents China as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

10. China Today Due to its vast population, its rapidly growing economy, its large research and development investments and military spending, its status as a declared nuclear weapons state, and other capabilities, the PRC is often considered by commentators as an emerging superpower. It is the world's fourth largest economy and second largest at purchasing power parity, and represents China as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

11. China Today Market-based economic reforms since 1978 have helped lift 400 million people out of poverty, bringing the poverty rate down from 53% of population in 1981 to 8% by 2001. However, the PRC is now faced with a number of other economic problems, including a rapidly aging population and an increasing rural-urban income gap.