China is located in the eastern part of the Eurasian continent. The area of China is 9.6 million square meters. km. It is the largest country in Asia. Among countries around the world, China is second only to Russia and Canada in area.
From east to west China's territory extends to 5500 km. The westernmost point (73º40′ E) lies in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region(XUAR). The extreme eastern point (135º5′ E) is located at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri. The northern tip of the country (53º31′ N) is also located on the Amur near the city of Mohe. South point(4º15′ N) – Cape Zengmuansha at the southern tip of the Nansha Archipelago. Distance between the southern and northern points - 5200 km. The length of the country's land border is 22.8 thousand km.
China shares land borders with 14 countries: with Korea in the northeast, with Russia and Mongolia in the north, with Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and India in the southwest, with Burma, Laos and Vietnam in the south. In the east and southeast, China has maritime borders with Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.
The country's topography is extremely diverse. Mountainous regions make up 2/3 of China's entire territory. The PRC is located within the fragmented Chinese Precambrian Platform and younger areas. The eastern part is mostly lowland, and the western part is elevated and mountainous. The territory of China resembles a four-step staircase descending from west to east. In the West are Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau(the highest average altitude in the world is about 4500 m). In North-west- high plains and mountains Eastern Tien Shan, the central part is Loess plateau, Further to the East lowlands stretched out Great Chinese Plain. Low chains stretch across northeast China Manchu-Korean Mountains and Khingan, A on South- mountains Nanling and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Rocky Taklamakan and Gobi deserts occupy vast areas in the north and west of the country, and subtropical forests occupy southeast China.
The coast of mainland China in the east and south is washed by the waters of the Bohai, Yellow, East China and South China Seas, which belong to the Pacific Ocean. Total length coastline China is 32 thousand km, including the length of the continental coastline is 18 thousand km. China has many bays and convenient harbors, although for the most part and shallow water. In China there are 6961 islands, of which 433 are inhabited. Of these, the largest are Taiwan and Hainan. China's easternmost islands are Diaoyu and Chiweiyu, located northeast of Taiwan. To the south are the Spartly Islands.
Geographical position China is quite profitable. The coastal location contributes to the development of its economy and foreign economic relations. The country has access to the sea from the remote interior via the Yangtze River. Sea vessels rise upstream of the Yangtze for more than 1000 km. The water resources of the PRC are large; the eastern, more populated and highly developed part of the country is most endowed with them. River waters are widely used for irrigation. China ranks first in the world in terms of potential hydropower resources, but their use is still very small.
China is in three climatic zones. Northern and western China are located in the temperate continental climate zone. The average temperature in winter is -7°C, in summer +22°C. Winter and autumn are characterized by strong drying winds. Central China lies in the subtropical climate zone. Temperatures in winter are from 0 to -5°C, in summer +20°C. South China and the islands are located in a tropical monsoon climate. Temperatures in winter are from +6 to +15°C, in summer +25°C. This part of the country is characterized by powerful typhoons.
More about the geographical location of China
Physico-geographical location of China
China is located in East Asia. From the east, China is washed by the waters of the western seas Pacific Ocean. The area of China is 9.6 million km². China is the largest country in Asia and the third largest country in the world by area, behind only Russia and Canada. Time is 4 hours ahead of Moscow in summer and 5 hours in winter.
The total length of China's land borders is 22,117 km with 14 countries. The coast of China stretches from the border with North Korea in the north to Vietnam in the south and has a length of 14,500 km. China is bordered by the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea and South China Sea. The island of Taiwan is separated from the mainland by the Taiwan Strait.
Rivers and lakes
There are many rivers in China, total length which is 220,000 km. Over 5,000 of them carry water collected from an area of more than 100 square meters. km each. China's rivers form internal and external systems. The external rivers are the Yangtze, Yellow River, Heilongjiang, Zhujiang, Lancang, Nujiang and Yalutsangpo, with access to the Pacific, Indian and Northern Arctic Oceans, their total drainage area covers about 64% of the country's territory. Inland rivers, the number of which is small, are significantly distant from each other and have become shallow in most areas. They flow into the lakes of the interior or are lost in deserts or salt marshes; their drainage area covers about 36% of the country's territory.
There are many lakes in China, the total area they occupy is approximately 80,000 square meters. km. There are also thousands of artificial lakes - reservoirs. Lakes in China can also be divided into external and internal. The external ones include mainly freshwater lakes rich in aquatic products, such as Poyanghu, Dongtinghu and Taihu. Inland lakes include salt lakes, the largest of which is Lake Qinghai. Among the lakes in the interior, many are dry, such as Lob Nor and Juyan.
Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China
The People's Republic of China exercises administrative control over 22 provinces (省); At the same time, the Chinese government considers Taiwan its 23rd province. In addition, the PRC also includes 5 autonomous regions (自治区), where China's national minorities live; 4 municipalities(直辖市), corresponding to the central cities, and 2 special administrative regions (特别行政区).
The Constitution of the People's Republic of China de jure provides for a three-stage Administrative division: provinces (autonomous regions, cities of central subordination), counties and volosts. However, de facto there are five levels of local government in mainland China:
Provincial level: 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 centrally administered cities and 2 special administrative regions.
District level: 17 counties (prefectures), 283 urban districts, 30 autonomous okrugs, 3 aimags
County level: 1464 counties, 374 city counties, 117 autonomous counties, 49 khoshuns, 855 districts, 3 autonomous khoshuns.
Volost level: 19522 villages, 14677 volosts, 1092 national volosts, 181 soum, 1 national soum, 6152 street committees and 11 district subordination districts
Village level: villages and local communities, or neighborhoods (in cities).
Demographic curve. Population of China
China is home to about 55 different peoples - each with its own customs, national costumes and, in many cases, its own language. But for all their diversity and richness of cultural traditions, these peoples make up only about 7% of the country’s population, the main part of which is formed by the Chinese, who call themselves “Han”. Modernization of society and interethnic marriages inevitably lead to the blurring of differences between ethnic groups, and, nevertheless, many of them are proud of their heritage and remain faithful to customs and beliefs. Beautiful rituals and holidays attract foreign guests.
In November 2000, China conducted its fifth national census. As statistics have shown, the total population in the continental part of the country is 1 billion 265 million 830 thousand people and is the largest in the world. To slow down population growth, China switched to a policy of planned childbearing more than 20 years ago. Although China's natural population growth has already dropped to an average level, it is still growing much year after year due to the huge base figure. Between 1990 and 2000, the population increased by an average of almost 12 million annually. According to the 5th National Population Census (2000), there were 1,137,386,112 Chinese in China (91.6% of the total population). The annual population growth in 2005 was 0.58%.
With a population of over 1.3 billion, the CCP is very concerned about population growth in the PRC and is trying to implement strict family planning policies. Its results are quite contradictory.
The government's target is one child per family, with exceptions for ethnic minorities. A flexible policy is also carried out in rural areas, where a family can have a second child if the first is a girl or has physical disabilities. The government's goal is to stabilize population growth at the beginning of the 21st century.
State-led policies are resisted, especially in rural areas, due to labor needs and traditional preference for boys (who may eventually become heirs). Families who violate the policy often lie on the census. Official government policy opposes sterilization or abortion, but in practice local authorities practice this form of population control because they face heavy fines if they fail to curb population growth.
At the end of 2000, there were 88 million 110 thousand people aged 65 years and older in China. This is 6.96 percent of its total population.
The Chinese population gender ratio is 106.74:100. This is slightly higher than the world average of 101.44:100. The sex ratio of the population from age zero to 4 years is quite high and reaches approximately 119:100. In general, the life expectancy of the female population is longer than that of the male population. Currently, the expected average life expectancy among the Chinese population is 71 years.
36.22 percent of the Chinese population is urban and 63.78 percent rural. The level of urbanization is still quite low, and there is quite a lot of surplus labor in the countryside. In the 1990s, the urban population in China grew by an average of 0.91 percent annually. It is expected that these rates will continue at the beginning of the 21st century. According to UN forecasts, the population of Chinese cities will increase to 884 million by 2030.
The capital of China is Beijing (北京)
Beijing (Chinese: 北京 Běijīng, literally " northern capital") is the capital and one of the central cities of the People's Republic of China. Beijing is surrounded on three sides by Hebei Province and borders Tianjin in the southeast. The city is located at the northwestern tip of the North China Plain and is framed by a chain of mountains in the west and north, which then turns into a plain that slopes down to the Bohai Sea in the southwest.
The status of the city is a city of central subordination. Internal division: 18 administrative units at the county level, 273 administrative units at the volost level. Area 831 km² Population 17,817,968 people (2009). Density 21440 people/km². National composition Han - 96%, Manchus - 2%, Dungans - 2%, Mongols - 0.3%.
Beijing is the third largest city in China after Chongqing and Shanghai. It is the largest railway and road junction and one of the main air hubs in the country. In addition, Beijing is a political, educational and cultural center China, while the main economic centers are Shanghai and Hong Kong. At the same time, Beijing has recently taken on more and more the role of a locomotive of entrepreneurial activity and the main field for creating innovative enterprises.
Literature:
1. Malyavin M.A. Chinese civilization [Text] / M.A. Malyavin. M.: Astel Publishing House, 2000. - 614c.
M. P. Popova,
scientific supervisor: assistant of the German language department O.N. Yurkina
Neuschwanstein Castle
From a distance, Neuschwanstein Castle looks like a toy. It seems that the towers of this magical castle are colored Ivory soaring against the backdrop of dark green spruce trees. Up close, it is fabulously beautiful and still a little unreal among the romantic alpine slopes.
Neuschwanstein Castle (German: Neuschwanstein, literally “New Swan Stone”) is located in Germany, near the town of Fussen. Neuschwanstein Castle stands on the site of two fortresses, front and back Schwangau. King Ludwig II ordered to lower the plateau by approximately 8 m at this place by exploding the rock and thereby create a place for the construction of a fairy-tale palace. After the construction of the road and the laying of the pipeline, on September 5, 1869, the first stone was laid for the construction of a huge castle. It was entrusted to the court architect Eduard Riedel. And the Munich master Christian Jank embodied his plans.
Construction of the castle began in 1869 and continued until 1886. Neuschwanstein Castle, dedicated to the knight Lohengrin, was originally conceived as a three-story Gothic fortress. Gradually, the project underwent changes until the palace turned into a five-story structure in a romantic style, which, according to Ludwig, most closely corresponded to the legend. Ludwig spared no expense in bringing his fantasies to life, so the best craftsmen, painters, sculptors and woodcarvers were hired to work in Neuschwanstein and other places. His construction projects drained the state treasury and interfered with the performance of his royal duties.
The gates were built in 1869-1873. The king's personal chambers on the 3rd floor, as well as comfortable rooms on the 2nd floor, contributed to the convenience of the entire building. Beginning in 1873, construction work was carried out at a very intense pace. In 1883, the construction of the palace was completed, the decoration of the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th floors was also completed. In the spring of 1884, the king could already live in his chambers on the 4th floor, where Ludwig II spent a quarter of his time in the last two years before his death.
The castle is very beautiful and is a place of pilgrimage for tourists from all over the world and belongs to the category of “must see” castles. This is not so much a castle in the usual sense of the word among people of the 10th-13th centuries - it is a palace, the “dream palace” of its creator, which he never managed to see in its full splendor.
Ludwig II of Bavaria, the castle's founder, spent his childhood at Hoeschwangau Castle, built in 1832 by his father, Maximillian II of Bavaria. The walls of Hoeschwangau were decorated with scenes from medieval legends, including the tale of the swan knight Lohengrin. Maximillian II made the swan the leitmotif of the entire Hohenschwangau Castle. As for Ludwig, as a child he often imagined himself in the place of fairy-tale characters; Lohengrin especially excited his imagination.
Ludwig begins to build his own fictional world around himself, in which he can feel like a real king. Including the construction of Neuschwanstein Castle. Ludwig devotes all his energy to construction. To escape from reality, he gradually changes his routine and prefers to sleep during the day and stay awake at night.
The construction of Neuschwanstein Castle was completed only in 1891. The shy king built the castle to escape from people - today, a huge number of them come to look at his personal refuge. The castle was never completed, so only the fourth and fifth floors can be seen.
At the same time, the castle has a very impressive size, and it took seventeen years to build. The interior of the castle is a mixture of various architectural and artistic styles, a combination of Moorish, Gothic and Baroque elements: there are stalactite columns, a throne room in a decadent Byzantine spirit, and a singing hall with exquisite lighting, intended for the production of Wagner's operas. Moreover, the entire building was equipped with the most advanced heating system for that time; the kitchen had a running water supply with cold and hot water. The castle contains more than 360 halls.
On the fourth floor there is a vaulted vestibule in the shape of a trapezoid; on the floor there is a mosaic made of two million stones, depicting an animal and vegetable world. The main halls are real kitsch. The dining room frescoes illustrate the legend of Tannhäuser, the bedroom murals sing the hymn to Tristan and Isolde. The abundance of gold, jewelry and swans creates a heavy and pompous atmosphere. The large salon is dedicated to Lohengrin, the knight with the swan. You can see the study, an ode to Tannhäuser, and the throne room dedicated to Parsifal. The hall is decorated with delicate marble, the floor is tiled. The hall of singers is good, in which no one has ever sung - only a few years ago wonderful concerts began to be held here. On the same floor there is something similar to a boudoir, a grotto with artificial stalactites. It looks like an opera set. Here are also the royal kitchens, gigantic rooms where, it seems, numerous servants and cooks are still scurrying around.
The bedroom of Ludwig II is stunning, with a huge Gothic-style bed topped with intricate and delicate wood carvings. Fourteen carvers worked on their production for four and a half years. Here the performance of Louis' life ended, here work stopped against the will of the villagers.
The idea of the Wartburg halls, the Festive and Song halls, was embodied by Ludwig II in the singers' hall. The king definitely wanted to build this hall, so Neuschwanstein Castle itself was built around this hall. Numerous wall paintings illustrate motifs from the legend of Parzival, which inspired Wagner to create his stage work. During the king's life, the singers' hall was not used in any way. Only in 1933, on the 50th anniversary of the death of composer Richard Wagner, and until the outbreak of war in 1939, were festive concerts held in the castle. In 1969, it was decided to resume concerts, which can still be attended today.
Since 1933, classical music concerts have been held in Neuschwanstein as part of the Wagner Festival. Today they are held only in September, and tickets are sold out long before the festival starts.
According to rumors, during the years of Nazism, one of the “ideological” divisions of the Third Reich was located in the castle, which was in charge of the occult, the Nibelungs, runes and the German spirit. But even the Nazis admitted that the romanticism of King Ludwig was higher than all his vices.
The castle was the inspiration for the construction of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris. However, it is incorrect to assume that it was taken as the basis for Cinderella's castles in other Disneylands. For them, the French Chateau Dusset was used;
Neuschwanstein is also featured in the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a castle in the fictional land of Vulgaria. Tchaikovsky was fascinated by the sight of Neuschwanstein - and it was here, as historians believe, that he conceived the idea for the ballet Swan Lake;
The story of Ludwig II and Neuschwanstein Castle is very interestingly depicted in the film by Luchino Visconti;
Both castles are open: in summer from 9.00 to 18.00; from October to March from 10.00 to 16.00. The entrance ticket costs 9 €.
M.A. Sviridova,
scientific supervisor: assistant of the German language department N.N. Grankova
(Biysk Pedagogical State University named after V.M. Shukshina)
Wedding traditions in Germany
Each nation has its own age-old traditions and customs, which are not only fundamental features that determine the entire way of thinking, lifestyle and the very future of a particular people, but also the main connecting bridge between many generations.
How many countries and peoples there are, so many different rituals and customs that differ in ideological orientation, a kind of philosophy, semantic and emotional content. The German people have many unique traditions that go back hundreds of years.
In medieval Germany, the age of marriage was low. Typically, peasant girls were allowed to marry at 14, and boys were allowed to marry at 18. TO 19th century The average age of girls and boys getting married was 20 and 25 years, respectively.
There were various ways to meet young people: winter gatherings, holidays, the custom of “selling” girls at auction, etc. Having won a girl at an auction that was widespread in Germany, the guy had to protect her honor and take care of her. And although premarital relations in Germany of the 19th century were quite free, nevertheless, public opinion strictly monitored the morality of the girl. Young people chose a girl for themselves, and, before sending matchmakers, sought to find out from her whether she agreed to marry him.
Wedding traditions in Germany began with the ceremony of matchmaking and engagement. The bride was usually matched by the groom's father or one of his relatives. Then came the engagement, after which preparations for the wedding began. On the morning of the wedding, or a few days before it, a procession with a dowry left the bride's house. Of course, the purpose of this was to demonstrate to the neighbors the wealth of the family and the skill of the bride as a needlewoman, who sewed most of the dowry herself.
Then came the engagement, after which preparations for the wedding began. Guests were invited one or two weeks before. If someone was not invited to a wedding, it was considered an insult, and they could even get revenge for it. There was a belief that during the period between engagement and wedding, the groom and especially the bride were in danger. Therefore, she wore a headscarf, tried not to go out in the evenings, carried “magic protective” herbs with her, and took a cleansing bath one day before the wedding. On the eve of the wedding, a polterabend, a noisy hen party and a bachelor party were held. In some places these evenings took place together, and in others separately. At these evenings, the dowry was put on display for everyone to see; the bride’s friends came to the door of her house and smashed dishes and plates on the threshold. The shards were believed to bring good luck to the bride. After this, traditionally the bride invited the “congratulators” for a glass of wine and something tasty to thank them. The next day, during the ceremony itself, the bride was supposed to have bread and salt in her pocket, which foreshadows material wealth for the future family. The groom brought grain - this meant wealth and good luck. Guests covered the path with fresh spruce branches that the bride and groom would walk at the end of the ceremony so that the path of the newlyweds would be paved with hope, luck and wealth.
Until the 19th century, the bride's dowry was transported on a cart. There were rituals associated with this action. In Bavaria, for example, the dowry was carried by four or six horses, and the cart was painted in a bright color. A spinning wheel was placed in the center of the cart, next to it was a crucifix, a double wooden bed, and a cradle for a child. The bride herself rode on the bed, but sometimes she followed the cow that her father gave her as a dowry. In some areas of Germany, a dowry cart sometimes carried a rooster tied to a broom and given vodka to crow. The rooster and broom are symbols that are supposed to scare away evil spirits. The people usually greeted the passing cart with jubilation and merriment. The bride threw cookies to the children, distributed noodles, and small coins. Everywhere the cart was blocked and ransom was demanded. The very name of the wedding German literally means "high time" and indicates that this event was seen as the climax of a person's life. On the wedding day, guests came to the house where the wedding party would gather for “morning soup,” or, as it is also called, “bride’s soup.” We walked to church. First the men, followed by the women and the bride. The wedding usually took place before noon - it was believed that this would contribute to the happiness of the newlyweds. As the wedding procession approached the church, the bells stopped ringing.
The Germans had a large number of signs and superstitions associated with this day. If it rains on your wedding day, it means bad luck in your marriage; if it rains, it means a stormy life. The bride was not allowed to look back on the way to church - this could lead to a second marriage. The bride's wedding attire in the 19th-20th centuries underwent various changes. Peasants usually got married in festive folk clothes, the daughters of burghers got married in a black dress made of velvet and heavy silk. In rural Germany, the bride's white wedding dress became established only recently - after the Second World War. Girls usually dressed up in dresses corresponding to a particular era, without any unnecessary accessories, which was also evidence of a thoughtful and thrifty attitude towards everything.
In the 19th century, the bride's head was usually covered with various green crowns. By the beginning of the 20th century, they were replaced by the myrtle wreath. At the end of the last century, the bride was covered with a veil. According to popular beliefs, it protected the bride from evil spirits. The white veil, an indispensable attribute of wedding attire since the 19th century, served the same purpose. During weddings, symbolism was widely used to emphasize the chastity of the bride. In the 19th century, brides who lost their virginity were married without a wreath. In the 20th century, they were married in a black suit, in contrast to virgins, who were married in a white dress. In some areas of Germany, when the newlyweds left the church after the wedding, competitions between guys were organized, called the “bride's run” or “run for the key.” The one of the young people who won the running competition received a wooden gilded key, the last one to run - a hat decorated with pig tails. When young people returned from church to home, many beliefs and superstitions were taken into account. On the porch of the house, the bride and groom were offered a glass of wine. Having tasted it, the groom passed the glass to the bride, and she, having finished the wine, threw the glass behind her back. A broken glass predicted happy marriage. Sometimes the bride poured the remaining wine around the groom in order to “tie him more tightly to her.” Of course, a lot depended on the financial and social situation of a particular family, which left its mark on the overall conduct of the wedding celebration. A striking example the wedding “feast” itself can serve this purpose.
The number of dishes served on the table directly depended on the wealth of the family. It should be noted that it was practically impossible to see strong alcoholic drinks on the table. And this not only indicates that the Germans prefer the well-known German beer and various types of wine, but also about sincere concern for the future generation and the health of the newlyweds. The wedding meal was, first of all, satisfying, but in its very essence excluding any excesses. Each family decided for itself what dish to serve on the table and in what quantity, and in general, at weddings the festive table was usually famous for its abundance. Guests were offered at least 20 dishes. As a rule, guests ate only those dishes served that were difficult to take away with them. They wrapped a piece of meat and pies in a napkin or put them in a pot they brought with them and took them home. The wedding hosts often thoughtfully brought and placed on the table raw beef (in pieces of approximately 500-600 grams), which the guests took home from the wedding. The wedding celebration was repeatedly interrupted by dances, songs, and games. The ritual of stealing the bride or at least some of her clothing was traditional. The bride's kidnapper had the right to dance with her for three rounds. After cabbage, which was considered a healing and honorable dish by the Germans, was served, the first “honorary dance” was announced. It was opened by the bride with her father and girlfriend seated.
At the end of the wedding celebration, the newlyweds were presented with gifts. The table at which they sat was covered with a carpet, and a plate covered with a napkin was placed on it. The guests came up one by one and handed over a gift and money. The bride and groom shook hands with the donors. At the same time, it was remembered who gives what and how much he gives, so that later he can give equally. At this time, donations were made to the poor and sick.
Then the guests accompanied the newlyweds to the bedroom. The marriage bed had to be made by a girl or young woman - this was a good omen. In this regard, the wedding ritual in Germany, which existed among the German people in the old days, today evokes only nostalgic memories and suggests that the youth of Germany views the issue of marriage differently, or rather, they have their own approach to this important event, associated with deeply urbanized relations within society.
Literature:
1. Wedding in Germany. [Electronic resource] /from/DE/6.html
2. Wedding in Germany. [Electronic resource]
3.Wedding traditions in Germany. [Electronic resource] /articles_793.htm
4. German wedding. [Electronic resource] /article/trad/germany.html
K.N. Strebkova,
scientific supervisor: department assistant in English A.S. Litvina
(Biysk Pedagogical State University named after V.M. Shukshin)
English Humor vs. American Humor – Is There a Difference?
No one can deny that everyone likes to smile. It makes our life more pleasant and longer. Regardless of the widespread opinion, humor is not only a pleasant addition to our everyday life. It also has a great plenty of variants. In skillful “hands” humor may be a powerful tool of self-expression and influence on people. One can offend and humble somebody by some rude joke or peppery words. A bad mood can be quickly improved by means of a good joke. In general, humor is very different in its usage.
Humor is a phenomenon which is influenced by culture. It can be difficult to determine what aspects define a certain sense of humor. A nation’s wit is linked to the historical development of the country. How funny somebody finds a certain incident depends on many factors including, age, personal experience, level of education and geographical location. Therefore humor is something which is not always transferable in another country. What somebody from one area may find hilarious it may not be amusing at all to somebody from another location. Whether or not someone gets a joke is determined by their interpretation, filtered by the cultural context.
What about when both countries speak the same mother tongue? Does that mean that they will share the same sense of humor? Or can differences still occur? Let's take the example of Britain and America. Time and time again, people say that Brit’s and Americans don’t ‘get’ each other’s sense of humour. To what extent is this true, if at all?
It’s often discussed that one of the most common differences between the British and American sense of humor, is that Americans don’t understand irony.
One of the major differences seems to be how often both nations use irony. Brit's use irony on a daily basis, whereas it is not the foundation of American humour. I think American’s understand British irony (most of the time anyway!), what they don’t understand is the need to use it so frequently. When Americans use irony they tend to state that they were “only kidding”. They feel the need to make a joke more obvious than Brit’s do, maybe this stems from a fear of offending people.
The American sense of humor is generally more slapstick than that in Britain. I think this arises from a cultural difference between the two. Their jokes are more obvious and forward, a bit like Americans themselves. British jokes on the other hand tend to be more subtle but with a dark or sarcastic undertone. There is usually a hidden meaning. This may stem from the fact that British culture is more reserved than American culture. Certain American comedies have gained huge success in Britain and vice versa. Therefore, although there are differences between both comic styles, there is still an appreciation and understanding of the other sense of humor. Both the British and America versions of the comedy The Office are hugely successful on both sides of the Atlantic. Both shows have their own cultural differences; they portray a lifestyle which both Americans and Brits alike can relate to.
Although both nations have subtle differences in their wit, they can both appreciate the other’s sense of humor.
English humor
The English appear to be a deeply serious people, which, by and large, they are. This gives an added piquancy to the English sense of humour. For it comes as a surprise to foreigners to find that it exists at all. English humour, like the will-o"-the-wisp, refuses to be caught and examined and just when you think you have cracked it, you realize that you have been duped once again.
For example: Two men in a club are reading their newspapers when one says: "It says here there"s a fellow in Devon who plays his cello to the seals." "Oh really", says the other. "Yes", says the first, "Of course, they don"t take a blind bit of notice."
Englishman plays upon words, he uses puns. So it makes him more conversable, more interesting and outstanding person. The wry smile that greets the well-judged understatement is a characteristic English expression. They love irony and expect others to appreciate it too. In this, they are all too often disappointed as foreigners take umbrage at what appears to them to be unbearable rudeness. This, of course, merely confirms what the English have always secretly suspected - that foreigners cannot take a joke.
The English humor seems something strange, unfunny and hard to understand to foreigners, especially to the Russian. Nevertheless, the English manner of joking is the long existing parlance which is absolutely natural for Englishmen.
Sometimes impossible to translate the pun with preservation of meaning and play on words:
To be, or not to be, - that is the fate...
Too beer, or not too beer - question of the time...
Two bees, or not two bees – don’t drink so much!
The distinguishing feature of English anecdote is the imperturbability in the improbable situation and astonishment at little and usual details against a background of general absurdity.
American humor
Americans have a strong taste for slapstick in various forms, and substitute riposte and banter for irony or whimsy, which they tend not to understand.
Because everyone has ancestors, family and friends of every possible race, colour, creed and national origin, and because sensitivity to such differences has reached unprecedented tenderness in recent years, it is considered rude to tell a joke that perpetuates an ethnic, social, religious , sexual, or racial stereotype.
The only group to be detested enough to be a suitable butt for barbed humor is lawyers. Lawyers are unpopular because they"re only consulted in times of distress, such as during divorce, negligence suits, and second-degree murder defenses. Any lawyer joke is sure to draw a laugh. Some lawyer jokes are specific:
Q: Why don't sharks bite lawyers? A: Professional courtesy. Q: Why does Arizona have lots of vultures and Washington, D.C. have lots of lawyers? A: Arizona got first choice.
Perhaps the most characteristic expression of American humor is the snappy retort. A classic example comes from comedian Jack Benny, famous for his parsimony.
A criminal pointed a gun at Benny and said, "Your money or your life." Benny hesitated a few moments and answered, "I"m thinking, I"m thinking."
K.S. Syrenko,
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Huge, occupying a favorable geographical location - China. It is located in East Asia. Its relief is very diverse. China has mountains, hills, plains, highlands, river valleys, and deserts. This But vast areas of China are deserted. After all, most of the population is concentrated on the plains.
Geographical position
On the world map, China occupies a position on the western coast of the Pacific Ocean. Its area is almost equal to the area of all of Europe. China covers an area of 9.6 million square kilometers. This country is surpassed in area only by Russia and Canada.
The territory of China stretches for 5.2 thousand kilometers from east to west and 5.5 thousand kilometers from south to north. The easternmost point of the country is located at the confluence of the Ussuri and Amur rivers, the westernmost - in the southernmost - among the northernmost - on the Amur River in Mohe County.
On the world map, China is washed from the east by several seas that are part of the Pacific Ocean. The country's coastline stretches for 18,000 km. The sea in China creates a border with five countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Brunei and the Philippines.
There is a land border from the south, north and west. Its length is 22117 km. By land, China has borders with Russia, North Korea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, India, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
China's geographical position is quite favorable for its economic development.
Relief
The country's topography is very diverse. China, whose geography is wide, has a stepped landscape. It consists of three levels, descending from west to east.
The Himalayas are also located in the southwest of the state. They are the highest level in the landscape of a country like China. The geography and topography mostly consists of uplands, plateaus and mountains. The lowest level, consisting of plains, is located near the coast.
Southwest China
Part of the world's highest mountain system is located in the southwest of the country. In addition to China, the Himalayas are spread across the territories of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan. On the border of the state in question there are 9 of the 14 highest mountains on the globe - Everest, Chogori, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Shishabangma, Chogori, several peaks from the Gasherbrum massif.
The Tibetan Plateau is located north of the Himalayas. It is the largest in area and the highest plateau in the world. It is surrounded by ridges on all sides. In addition to the Himalayas, the neighbors of the Tibetan Plateau are the Kunlun, Qilianshan, Karakorum, and Sino-Tibetan mountains. The latter of them and the adjacent Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau are a difficult-to-reach area. It is cut by the deep Salween and Mekong.
Thus, the characteristics of the geographical location of China in the southwest are distinguished by the presence of mountainous regions.
Northwestern China
In the north-west of the country near the Tibetan Plateau are the Tarim Basin, the Taklamakan Desert and the Turpan Basin. The latter facility is the deepest in East Asia. Even further north is the Dzungarian Plain.
East of the Tarim Basin the geographic contrast is even greater. China in these places is changing the landscape to steppes and deserts. This is the territory of the autonomous region. It is located on a high plateau. Most of it is occupied by the Gobi and Alashan deserts. The Loess Plateau adjoins them from the south. very fertile and rich in forests.
Northeast China
The northeastern part of the country is quite flat. There are no high mountain ranges here. The Songliao Plain is located in this part of China. It is surrounded by small mountain ranges - the Greater and Lesser Khingans, Changbai Shan.
Northern China
The main agricultural zones are concentrated in northern China. This part of the country consists of vast plains. They are well fed by rivers and are very fertile. These are plains such as the Liaohes and North China.
Southeast China
The southeastern part of the country stretches from the Huaiyanshan Range to the Qinling Mountains. It also includes the island of Taiwan. The local landscape consists mainly of mountains interspersed with river valleys.
South China
In the south of the country there are areas of Guangxi, Guangdong, and partly Yunnan. This also includes the year-round resort, Hainan Island. The local terrain consists of hills and small mountains.
Climate and weather
The country's climate is not uniform. It is influenced by geographic location. China is located in three climate zones. Therefore the weather in different parts countries are different.
Northern and western China are located in the temperate continental climate zone. The average temperature here in winter is -7°C, although sometimes it drops to -20°C. In summer the temperature is +22°C. Winter and autumn are characterized by strong drying winds.
Central China lies in a subtropical climate zone. In winter, the air temperature ranges from 0 to -5°C. In summer it stays at +20°C.
Southern China and the islands have a tropical monsoon climate. There, the thermometer in winter ranges from +6 to +15°C, and in summer it rises above +25°C. This part of the country is characterized by powerful typhoons. They occur in winter and autumn.
Annual precipitation decreases from the south and east to the north and west - from approximately 2000 mm to 50 mm.
Population
According to 2014 data, the state has a population of 1.36 billion people. The large country of China is home to 20% of the world's inhabitants.
The state is on the verge of a demographic resettlement crisis. Therefore, the government is struggling with the high birth rate. His goal is one child per family. But demographic policy is being pursued flexibly. Thus, ethnic minorities, as well as families living in rural areas, are allowed to have a second child if the first child is a girl or has physical disabilities.
Part of the population opposes such a policy. They are especially unhappy with it in rural areas. After all, there is a higher need for birth large number boys as the future workforce.
But population growth is projected to rise despite this. According to calculations, in 2030 China will have a population of one and a half billion people.
Population density
The population is distributed very unevenly throughout the country. This is due to differences in geographical conditions. The average population density is 138 people per square kilometer. This figure looks quite acceptable. He's not talking about overpopulation. After all, the same figure is typical for some European countries.
But the statistical average does not reflect the real situation. There are areas in the country where almost no one lives, but Macau has a population of 21,000 people per square kilometer.
Half of the country is practically uninhabited. The Chinese live in river basins, on fertile plains. And in the highlands of Tibet, in the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts there are almost no settlements.
National composition and language of the population
Different nationalities live in the country. Most of the population considers themselves Han Chinese. But besides them, there are 55 nationalities in China. The largest nations are the Zhuangs, Manchus, Tibetans, the smallest are the Loba.
Dialects in different parts of the country are also different. The difference between them is so great that a resident of the south of China will not understand a resident of the north. But the country has a national language, Putongha. Chinese residents moving from region to region are required to own it to avoid communication problems.
The Mandarin, or Beijing, dialect is also widespread in the country. It can be considered an alternative to putunkha. After all, 70% of the population speaks Mandarin.
Religion and beliefs of the population
Since the mid-20th century, China, as a communist state, has discouraged adherence to religious beliefs and convictions. Atheism was the official ideology.
But since 1982 there has been a change in this matter. The right to freedom of religion was included in the constitution. The most common religions here are Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. But Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are also popular.
Largest cities
There are not many big cities in China. The population of this country is not urbanized. But where the construction of a city begins, it grows to the size of a huge metropolis, uniting a large number of residential, business, commercial, industrial and agricultural areas. For example, Chongqing. It is the largest representative of such megacities. According to information for 2014, 29 million people live in it. Its area is almost equal to the area of Austria and is 82,400 square kilometers.
Other major cities in the country are Shanghai, Tianjin, Harbin, Guangzhou and, of course, Beijing, the capital of China.
Beijing
The Chinese call Beijing Beijing. This translated means Northern Capital. The urban layout is characterized by strict geometry. The streets are oriented according to parts of the world.
Beijing is the capital of China and one of the most interesting cities in the country. Its heart is Tiananmen Square. Translated, this word means “gate of heavenly peace.” The main building on the square is the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.
An important landmark of the city is the Forbidden City. They call him Gugun. It is a beautiful and ancient palace ensemble.
No less interesting are Yiheyuan and Yuanmingyuan. These are garden-palace complexes. They surprisingly combine miniature rivers, graceful bridges, waterfalls, and residential buildings. There is wonderful harmony and a feeling of unity between man and nature.
The capital has many temples of such religious movements as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. One of them is the most interesting. This is the Tian Tan Temple of Heaven. It is the only round-shaped religious building in the city. It has a unique wall. If you say a word near it, even in the quietest whisper, it will spread along its entire length.
The Yonghegong Temple of Eternal Peace is also noteworthy. This is a Lamaist religious building. It contains a Buddha statue carved from a single sandalwood trunk. Its length is 23 meters.
There are many museums in Beijing. Particularly notable is the National Art Gallery. It houses a large collection of Chinese paintings. No less interesting is the Museum of National History, where you can trace the entire path of development of China.
The attraction is Wangfujing Street. This is a favorite place for walking, both among tourists and the local population. The history of the street began more than 700 years ago. Now it has been reconstructed. The street is located in the shopping center area. It harmoniously combines ancient and modern cultures.
The Great Wall of China begins not far from Beijing. Most people associate the country with it. This is a grandiose building. It stretches for 67,000 km. The construction of the wall took more than 2000 years.
China is located from west to east from 73° east longitude west of Wujia County in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the Pamir Plateau to 135° east longitude at the confluence of the Amur (Heilongjiang) and Ussuri (Wusulijang) rivers; from north to south from 53° north latitude from the median line of the Amur River (Heilongjiang) near Mohe, to 4° southern tip of the Nanypaquundao archipelago at Cape Zengmuansha.
The coast of the country is washed in the east and southeast by the waters of the Bohai Gulf, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin.
There are 5,400 islands in the vast sea area owned by China. The largest of them are Taiwan - 36 thousand sq. km and Hainan - 34 thousand sq. km. The length of the continent's coastline is 18 thousand km. In its northern part it forms the Liaodong Peninsula (Liaoning Province) and the Shandong Peninsula (Shandong Province), and in the southern part opposite Hainan Island - the Leizhou Peninsula (Guangdong Province). There are many natural harbors on which the country's most important seaports operate - Dalian, Qinghuangdao, Tianjin, Yantai, Qingdao, Lianyungang, Nantong, Shanghai, Ningbo, Wen-zhou, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Zhanjiang and Beihai.
The length of the land border is 22,800 km. China borders on the northeast with the DPRK (1416 km); in the northeast and north with the Russian Federation (3605 km and 40 km), in the north with Mongolia (4673 km); in the northwest with Kazakhstan (1533 km) and Kyrgyzstan (858 km); in the west with Tajikistan (414 km), Afghanistan (76 km), Pakistan (523 km); in the southwest and south with India (3380 km); in the south with Nepal (1236 km), Bhutan (470 km), Myanmar (2185 km), Laos (423 km) and Vietnam (1281 km). In the east and southeast, China shares maritime borders with the Republic of Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The plains of Northeast China consist of the Sanjiang Lowland, located along the lower reaches of the Songhua River between the Amur and Ussuri, and another vast lowland, located in its northern part along the middle reaches of the Songhua and in its southern part along the course of another large river of the northeast - the Liaohe. They are connected to each other by the narrow valley of the Songhua River and together form the Songliao Plain. This plain extends to the Liaodong Gulf and is connected there with the country's largest Great Plain of China. The Great Plain of China stretches from the Great Wall of China in the north to the Yangtze River in the south.
The territory of the People's Republic of China, stretching from the Pamirs to the shores of the Pacific Ocean and from the Amur to the South China Sea, is characterized by a wide variety of natural conditions, a variety of landscapes, and the richness of the earth's interior.
The diversity and contrast of nature are due to the complexity of the relief and the special position of the country in the zone of the most pronounced struggle between oceanic and continental influences, at the junction of different climatic regions.
In physical-geographical terms, China is divided into eastern and western parts, which are very unequal in area, with the subsequent division of each of them into smaller regions. This division is due to the fact that individual parts and regions of China belong to different physical-geographical regions of Asia and according to their natural conditions differ significantly.
The eastern regions of the country belong to Eastern and partially, in the extreme south, to Southeast Asia, the northwestern part to Central Asia, and the southwestern part to the Tibetan Plateau.
China's topography is very diverse, with high mountains, plateaus, depressions, deserts and vast plains. Three major orographic regions are usually distinguished:
The Tibetan Plateau, with an altitude of more than 2000 m above sea level, is located in the southwest of the country
The belt of mountains and high plains has heights of 200-2000 m, located in the northern part
Low accumulative plains below 200 m in height and low mountains in the northeast, east and south of the country, where most of China's population lives.
The Great Plain of China, the Yellow River Valley and the Yangtze Delta unite near the sea coast, stretching from Beijing in the north to Shanghai in the south. The basin of the Pearl River (and its main tributary, the Xijiang) is located in southern China and is separated from the Yangtze River basin by the Nanling Mountains and the Wuyi Range (which is a World Heritage Site in China).
In the direction from west to east, the Chinese relief forms three steps. The first of them is the Tibetan Plateau, where altitudes of more than 4000 meters above sea level prevail. The next step is formed by the mountains of Sichuan and Central China, the height of which is from 1500 to 3000 m. Here the vegetation changes sharply, at relatively short distances there is a change natural areas from high mountain cold deserts to subtropical forest. The last step is the fertile plains, occupying altitudes below 1500 m above sea level.
China's climate is very diverse - from subtropical in the south to temperate in the north. On the coast, the weather is determined by the monsoons, which occur due to the different absorption properties of the land and ocean. Seasonal air movements and accompanying winds contain large amounts of moisture in the summer and are quite dry in the winter. The arrival and departure of the monsoons largely determine the amount and distribution of rainfall across the country. Huge differences in latitude, longitude and altitude in China give rise to big variety temperature and meteorological regimes, despite the fact that most of the country lies in a temperate climate.
More than 2/3 of the country is occupied by mountain ranges, highlands and plateaus, deserts and semi-deserts. Approximately 90% of the population lives in coastal areas and floodplains of large rivers such as the Yangtze, Yellow River and Pearl. These areas are in dire ecological condition as a result of long and intensive agricultural cultivation and pollution. environment.
The northernmost province of China, Heilongjiang, has a temperate climate similar to that of Vladivostok and Khabarovsk, while the southern island of Hainan is in the tropics. The temperature difference between these regions is large during the winter months, but the difference decreases in summer. In the northern part of Heilongjiang, temperatures in January can drop to −30 °C, with average temperatures around 0 °C. The average July temperature in this area is 20 °C. In the southern parts of Guangdong, the average temperature ranges from 10 °C in January to 28 °C in July.
Precipitation changes even more than temperature. On the southern slopes of the Qinling Mountains, numerous rains fall, the maximum of which occurs during the summer monsoons. As you move north and west of the mountains, the likelihood of rain decreases. The northwestern regions of the country are the driest; in the deserts located there (Taklamakan, Gobi, Ordos) there is practically no precipitation.
The southern and eastern regions of China often (about 5 times a year) suffer from destructive typhoons, as well as floods, monsoons, tsunamis and droughts. Every spring, the northern regions of China are covered by yellow dust storms, which originate in the northern deserts and are carried by winds towards Korea and Japan.
In many ways, the climatic and topographic features of the country have determined the wide variety of soils in China. The western part is characterized by desert-steppe complexes. The “extra-Tibetan” part is dominated by chestnut and brown soils of dry steppes, as well as dry-brown deserts, with significant areas of rocky or saline areas. Characteristic feature This part of China is dominated by gray soils, mountain chestnut and mountain meadow soils. On the Tibetan Plateau, high-mountain desert soils are more common.
For the eastern part of China, soils associated with forest associations are typical, and the most common in this territory are: soddy-podzolic, brown forest - in the mountains and dark-colored meadow - on the plains of the Northeast. Yellow soils, red soils and laterites, mainly in mountain varieties, are common in the south of the country.
In many ways, the peculiarities of the formation of China's soil resources were influenced by the centuries-old cultivation of the country's oldest agricultural crop - rice, which led to changes in soils and the formation of essentially special varieties, such as "swampy rice" - in the South
Forest resources
The forest area in China is 158 million 940 thousand hectares. They occupy 16.55% of the country's total territory, which is significantly lower than the world average of 30.8%. Forest areas are mainly concentrated in Northeast and Southwest China. The eastern plains, which have a dense population and developed economy, as well as the vast northwestern regions suffer from a severe shortage of forests.
There are many species of tree species in China, including more than 2,800 species of tall trees. Valuable specific Chinese species include: ginkgo, Chinese fir, etc. In recent years, large-scale afforestation has been carried out in China to protect the environment and meet economic needs. Currently, China is the country with the largest area of artificial forests in the world. Their area is 33 million 790 thousand hectares.
Major forested areas of China: The largest northeastern forested area covers the Greater and Lesser Khingan and the Changbai Mountains. The southwestern forest region, the second largest, covers the Hengduan Mountains, extending into the region at the junction of Sichuan, Yunnan and Tibet, and also covers the southern slopes of the Himalayas in the southeastern part of Tibet, in the bend of the Yalong Zangpo River. The southeast forest region, the most important area of artificial forestation, covers a vast area in the south of the Qiling Mountains and the Huaihe River, in the east of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. In addition, there is a huge area of forest shelterbelt in China. For example, the length of the forest protection belt covering the northeastern, northern and northwestern parts of the country is more than 7,000 km. The total area of the forest belt is approximately 260 million hectares. or a quarter of the Chinese mainland. These shelterbelt areas are called the Largest Ecological Site in the World＞＞.
Water resources
On the territory of China there are more than one and a half thousand rivers, the total length of which exceeds 1000 square meters. km. China has external and internal rivers.
The basins of external rivers flowing into the seas and oceans account for 64% of the total continental area of the country. These include the Yangtze, Yellow River, Heilongjiang, Zhujiang, Liaohe, Haihe, Huaihe and other rivers flowing from west to east and flowing into the Pacific Ocean.
The sources of the Tsangpo River are located in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region. This river flows into the Indian Ocean. In the middle reaches of the Tsangpo River there is the largest unique canyon in the world with a depth of 6009 meters; its length is 504.6 kilometers; The source of the Irtysh River is located in Xinjiang. This river flows north and flows into the Arctic Ocean outside China.
Inland rivers flow into lakes or dissolve in salt marshes and deserts. The total area of their basins occupies 36% of the total continental area of the country.
The largest river in China is the Yangtze, it ranks third in length in the world after the Amazon in South America and the Nile in Africa. Its length is 6300 km. The upper reaches of the Yangtze pass through high mountain ranges and deep gorges. Flowing in a west-east direction, the Yangtze is the main and most convenient highway for navigation in the country; it is not without reason that it is called the “golden highway.” The areas in the middle and lower Yangtze basin have a warm and humid climate, abundant rainfall and fertile soils, creating ideal conditions for agricultural development. The second largest river in China is the Yellow River, its total length is 5464 km. The areas in the Yellow River basin are rich in fertile fields, lush pastures, in the depths of which huge deposits of minerals are hidden. The Yellow River basin is considered the cradle of the Chinese nation.
Heilongjiang -- large river in northern China. Its total length is 4,350 km, 3,101 km of which passes through the territory of China. The Pearl River is located in southern China, its total length is 2214 km.
The Tarim River is located in the southern part of Xinjiang. This is the longest inland river China with a total length of 2179 km.
In addition to natural waterways, China also has a famous man-made canal, the Grand Canal, stretching from north to south. It was dug in the 5th century AD and leads from Beijing to the city of Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province, joining the channels of the Haihe, Yellow, Huaihe, Yangtze and Qiantangjiang rivers. The length of the canal is 1801 km, making it the oldest and longest artificial canal in the world.
There are a great many lakes in China. The area of all lakes is about 80 thousand square kilometers. They are mainly located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Many of them are freshwater, but only a few are saltwater.
Minerals
China is rich in mineral resources. To date, 171 types of minerals have been discovered, reserves have been confirmed for 158 types of them, including 10 types of energy minerals (oil, natural gas, coal, uranium), 54 types of metal minerals (iron, manganese, copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, etc.), 91 types of non-metallic ores (graphite, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium salt), 3 types of water and vapor minerals (groundwater, mineral water, etc.). Today in China, mineral resources provide more than 92% of primary energy sources, 80% of industrial raw materials and over 70% of agricultural inputs.
China has relatively rich underground energy resources, but their structure cannot be called ideal: coal deposits predominate, and oil and natural gas reserves are relatively small. Coal deposits are distinguished by a wealth of reserves and a variety of types of fuel, but among them there are lean varieties of coal, and there are few reserves of excellent coking or anthracite coal; coal is found in most regions of the country, but they differ greatly from each other in the amount of reserves; the western and northern regions are richer than the eastern and southern ones; the mined coal is mostly brown, and only a small part of the coal can be mined by opencast mining; Coal seams are often accompanied by syngenetic ores or satellites. Oil and natural gas deposits place China on the list of ten countries in the world, each of which has industrial oil reserves exceeding 15 billion tons; however, the reserves are poorly confirmed, geologically explored deposits on land account for only 1/5 of all resources, reserves near the coastal strip of the sea are even less well explored; oil fields are concentrated, reserves in 14 basins with an area of over 100 thousand sq. km. each account for 73% of the country's total, and natural gas deposits in the central and western regions exceed half of the entire country's reserves.
China is among the countries in the world with rich metal mineral resources. It presents almost all the minerals of this category discovered in the world. In particular, China ranks first in the world in proven reserves of metals such as tungsten, tin, antimony, tantalum, titanium and rare earth metals; The country ranks second in terms of the amount of ores of vanadium, molybdenum, niobium, beryllium and lithium; China ranks fourth in the world for the amount of zinc reserves, and fifth for iron, lead, gold, silver, etc. Deposits of metal minerals are distributed widely throughout the country, but are relatively concentrated in certain areas. Thus, iron ores are found mainly in the Anshan Benxi city belt, in the northern part of Hebei Province and in Shanxi Province; aluminum ores occur in the provinces of Shanxi, Henan, Guizhou and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; tungsten ore deposits are located in the provinces of Jiangxi, Hunan and Guangdong; and tin deposits in the provinces of Yunnan, Guangdong, Hunan and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Some metal minerals, such as tungsten, tin, molybdenum, antimony and rare earth metals, have abundant reserves and high quality and therefore have strong competitiveness in the global market. Other types of ores are poor and of low quality, they are difficult to enrich, these include iron, manganese, aluminum and copper ores. It should also be noted that the mineral deposits are mostly medium and small in area, there are few large and especially super-large ones.
China is one of the few countries in the world that has a fairly complete range of non-metallic minerals. Today in China there are more than 5,000 deposits of minerals of this category, the rich resources of which have already been proven. In particular, one of the leading places in the world is occupied by reserves of magnesite, graphite, fluorite, talc, asbestos, gypsum, barite, silica, alunite, bentonite, rock salt; after them come deposits of phosphorus, kaolin, iron sulfide, mirabilite, diatomite, zeolite, perlite and cement marl; Marble and granite are distinguished by excellent quality and rich reserves. However, there are not enough deposits of potassium salt and boron.
In China, natural groundwater of 870 billion cubic meters per year has been explored, industrial reserves amount to 290 billion cubic meters per year, and brackish natural groundwater is estimated at 20 billion cubic meters per year. However, their geographical distribution is uneven: reserves are rich in the south and poor in the northwest. Different types of aquifers are located in different zones: pore water is mainly concentrated in the north, and karst water in the southwest.
As a result of a survey of the resources of the state territory and geological exploration, 169 new large and medium-sized mineral deposits were discovered, of which 40 energy ores, 58 metallic, 64 non-metallic, 7 water and gas deposits. Reserves of new deposits are available for 72 types of minerals, of which oil 943 million tons, natural gas 526.3 billion cubic meters. m, coal 69.8 billion tons.
CHINA
China developed state in East Asia, the largest country in the world by population (over 1.3 billion), ranks third in the world in terms of territory, behind Russia and Canada.
What it is washed with, what it borders on.From the east, China is washed by the waters of the western seas of the Pacific Ocean. The area of China is 9.6 million km². China is the largest country in Asia. The total length of China's land borders is 22,117 km with 14 countries. The Chinese coastline stretches from the border with North Korea in the north to Vietnam in the south and is 14,500 km long. China is bordered by the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea and South China Sea. The island of Taiwan is separated from the mainland by the Taiwan Strait.
Climate. China's climate is very diverse, ranging from subtropical in the south to temperate in the north. On the coast, the weather is determined by the monsoons, which occur due to the different absorption properties of the land and ocean. Seasonal air movements and accompanying winds contain large amounts of moisture in summer period and quite dry in winter. The arrival and departure of the monsoons largely determine the amount and distribution of rainfall across the country. More than 2/3 of the country is occupied by mountain ranges, highlands and plateaus, deserts and semi-deserts. Approximately 90% of the population lives in coastal areas and floodplains of large rivers such as the Yangtze, Yellow River and Pearl. These areas are in a difficult ecological condition as a result of long and intensive agricultural cultivation and environmental pollution.
The southern and eastern regions of China often (about 5 times a year) suffer from destructive typhoons, as well as floods, monsoons, tsunamis and droughts. The northern regions of China are covered every spring by yellow dust storms, which originate in the northern deserts and are carried by winds towards Korea and Japan
Water resources. China has many rivers, with a total length of 220,000 km. Over 5,000 of them carry water collected from an area of more than 100 square meters. km each. China's rivers form internal and external systems. External rivers are the Yangtze, Yellow River, Nujiang and others with access to the Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans; their total drainage area covers about 64% of the country's territory.
There are many lakes in China, the total area they occupy is approximately 80,000 square meters. km. There are also thousands of artificial lakes and reservoirs.
Relief. China's topography is very diverse, with high mountains, depressions, deserts and vast plains. There are usually three major geographical regions:
· The Tibetan Plateau, with an altitude of more than 2000 m above sea level, is located in the southwest of the country
· The belt of mountains and high plains has an altitude of 200 x 2000 m, located in the northern part
· Low accumulative plains below 200 m in height and low mountains in the northeast, east and south of the country, where most of China's population lives.
The Great Plain of China, the Yellow River Valley and the Yangtze Delta unite near the sea coast, stretching from Beijing in the north to Shanghai in the south. The basin of the Pearl River (and its main tributary, the Xijiang) is located in southern China and is separated from the Yangtze River basin by the Nanling Mountains and the Wuyi Range (which is a World Heritage Site in China).
Vegetation.There are about 500 species of bamboo in China, forming 3% of the forests. Bamboo thickets, found in 18 provinces, are not only a habitat for many animals, but also a source of valuable raw materials. Their woody culms (stems) are widely used in industry.
Minerals.China is rich in various types of fuel and raw mineral resources. Especially great importance have reserves of oil, coal, and metal ores. China has deposits of nearly 150 world-known minerals. The main source of energy in China is coal, its reserves in the country account for 1/3 of the world's reserves. Coal deposits, the reserves of which China is inferior to few countries, are concentrated mainly in Northern China. Another important source of energy resources is oil. In terms of oil reserves, China holds a prominent place among the countries of Central, East and Southeast Asia. Oil deposits have been found in various areas, but they are most significant in Northeast China, the coastal areas and shelf of Northern China, as well as in some inland areas
Population. China is home to about 55 different peoples, each with their own customs, national costumes and, in many cases, their own language. But for all their diversity and richness of cultural traditions, these peoples make up only about 7% of the country’s population, the main part of which is formed by the Chinese, who call themselves “Han”. Modernization of society and interethnic marriages inevitably lead to the blurring of differences between ethnic groups, and yet many of them are proud of their heritage and remain faithful to customs and beliefs. Although China's natural population growth has already dropped to an average level, it is still growing much year after year due to the huge base figure. Between 1990 and 2000 the population grew by almost 12 million annually on average. The government's target is one child per family, with exceptions for ethnic minorities. The government's goal is to stabilize population growth at the beginning of the 21st century.
Population distribution.Land suitable for agricultural use makes up only 10% of China's territory, and it is located mainly in coastal provinces. Approximately 90% of China's total population lives in an area that accounts for only 40% of the country's total area. The most densely populated areas are the lower Yangtze Delta and the North China Plain. China's vast peripheral territories are virtually deserted. The average population density of the country, according to 1998 data, was 131 people per 1 sq. km.
Language. The Chinese have their own spoken and written language Chinese, which is used both in the country and abroad. The total number of Chinese speakers exceeds 1 billion people.
Largest cities China
1. Shanghai - 15,017,783 people 2. Beijing - 7,602,069 people 3. Xi'an - 4,091,916 people 4. Harbin - 3,279,454 people 5. Guangzhou (Canton) - 3,158,125 people 6. Dalian - 2,076,179 people
In total, there are 40 cities in China with a population of more than 1 million people.
Main industries.Today, the country's industrial structure is represented by more than 360 industries. In addition to the traditional ones, new modern ones have been created, such as: electronics, petrochemistry, aircraft manufacturing, metallurgy of rare and trace metals. Fuel and energy industries are among the weak links in China's industrial complex. Despite the presence of rich natural resources The development of extractive industries in general lags behind manufacturing industries. Behind last years In China, the capacity of the coal mining industry has increased significantly, and the production volume of enterprises exceeded 920 million tons already in 1989. The oil industry accounts for 21% of the production of fuel and energy resources. In general, the country has more than 32 oil production enterprises, with total oil reserves amounting to 64 billion tons. Southern China and especially its Eastern zone are rich in natural gas reserves, which are estimated at 4 thousand billion tons. The largest center of gas production and processing is Senhua Province. Nevertheless, light industry sectors such as textiles and food are still leading in China, accounting for more than 21% of all industrial products produced. In terms of iron ore reserves, China ranks third (after Russia and Belgium). Ferrous metallurgy enterprises exceed 1.5 thousand and are located in almost all provinces and autonomous regions.
Agriculture.Since the 90s of the last century, China has ranked first in the world in the production of grains, meat, cotton, rapeseed, fruit, leaf tobacco, second in the production of tea and wool, and third or fourth in the production of soybeans, sugar cane and jute. China has a wide variety of land resources, but there are many mountainous areas and few plains. Plains make up 43% of the country's total land area. China has 127 million hectares of arable land, which is approximately 7% of all arable land in the world.