China

China refers to a number of states and cultures that have existed and are viewed as having succeeded one another in continental East Asia for the last 4000 years. Depending on one's point of view, modern China can be described as a single civilization or multiple civilizations, as a single state or multiple states, and as a single nation or multiple nations. As a result of such tumultuous times, its people today are often described to be of a single Ha n Chinese ethnicity, but, unlike Korea or Japan, are relatively racially heterogeneous. Under the Han Chinese ethnicity, many Chinese also strongly identify with local cultures and languages.During many dynasties, the southwestern border of China has been the high mountains and deep valleys of Yunnan, which separate modern China from Burma, Laos and Vietnam.

The climate of China varies greatly. The northern zone (within which lies Beijing) has a climate with winters of Arctic severity. The central zone (within which Shanghai is situated) has a generally temperate climate. The southern zone (within which lies Guangzhou) has a generally subtropical climate.