China Facts

Did you know that Ice cream was invented in China around 2000BC? Check out our random China facts and find out more about this country!

• China is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada, and the U.S.).

• China has the largest population in the world, with over 1.3 billion peopl.

• The whole of China comes under one single time zone.
  

  The Great Wall of China is the longest wall in the world and has a main-line length of 3460km. Construction of the wall began during the reign of Emperor Qinshihuang (221-210BC). It measures at least 7.6 meters in height and up to 9 meters in width.

• Chinese is spoken by 92% of China’s population.

• The capital city is Beijing, while the most populated city is Shanghai.

• The Grand Canal in China is 1,114 miles long, making it the longest canal in the World.

• The longest river in China is the 3,494-mile Yangtze (Changjian) River and the 2,903-mile-long Yellow (Huanghe) River.

• One in every five people in the world is Chinese.

• Ping-pong is one of the most popular games in China.

• The Chinese invented paper, the compass, gunpowder, and printing.

• The crossbow was invented and first used by the Chinese.

• The Chinese have made silk since at least 3,000 B.C.

• Paper currency first developed in Tang Dynasty China during the 7th century.

• Toilet paper was invented in China in the late 1300s. It was for emperors only.

• White, rather than black, is the Chinese color for mourning and funerals.

• During World War II, Japan bombed China with fleas infected with bubonic plague.

• The Chinese New Year is otherwise called the Lunar New Year.

• Rich people in China hire body doubles to serve their prison sentence.

• An estimated 10,000 cats are eaten per day in China’s Guangdong province.

• In 2010, China had a traffic jam that lasted 12 days and spanned 62 miles.

• Chinese dragon is a symbol of prosperity, wisdom and power.

• Tickling was a form of torture used in ancient China on nobility because it left no mark and recovery was quick.

• Wealthy people used to grow long nails on their little fingers customarily. It denoted the sign of their rank.

• The phoenix is the most important bird in Chinese legend and represents the feminine power of the empress.

Check out some China printable flags for kids!