Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China, as well as the country's political, economic and cultural centre. China's surface slopes down from west to east in a four-step staircase. Most of China's rivers flow from west to east into the Pacific Ocean except a few in southwest China that flow to the south. Most of China is situated in the temperate zone. Some parts of south China are located in tropical and subtropical zones while the northern part is near the frigid zone.
China has more people than any other country.
China is a multi-national country with 56 ethnic groups. The Han people accounts for nearly 92 percent of the total population. It has its own spoken and written language, known as the Chinese language, which is commonly used throughout China and a working language of the United Nations. The Hui and Manchu nationalities also use the Chinese language. China's unit of currency is RMB yuan.