Using the CIA’S Factbook online, China is divided into several subsections, including Geography, People and Society, Government, Economy, Energy, Communications, Transportation, Military and Security, and Transnational Issues. As you read each subsection, try to put the information into context, perhaps by comparing it with the United States and the rest of the world, which is easy to do by clicking on the underlined links (for example, under “GDP (purchasing power parity),” click on the “1” in “country comparison to the world: 1”, and you will see a list of all countries ordered by GDP. You can also click on topics, such as “Distribution of family income – Gini index,” for an explanation. Try to find facts that are of particular importance, for example:
Geography: What is the size of China? What is its climate? What areas of China are highly populated? Where does China rank in terms of the production of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels?
Population: What is the population of China? How fast is it growing? What is the average life expectancy? What are the rates of literacy? Obesity?
Government: What is its form of government? Who wields power in China? Who is China’s leader? Economy: How does the Chinese economy compare with the U.S. and the rest of the world in terms of GDP? (What is GDP?) What is their rate of growth? Per capita income? How does this compare with the U.S. and the rest of the world? What is their Gini index? (What does the Gini index represent?) How does China compare with the U.S. and the rest of the world? What are the sources of China’s GDP, and how does this compare with other countries? How do Chinese imports and exports compare with the rest of the world?