CHINA

China, officially the People's Republic of China, is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population of around 1.4 billion in 2019. Covering approximately 9.6 million square kilometers, it is the world's third or fourth-largest country by area.

Beijing

Located in the north of China, Beijing is the capital of the country and one of the most visited destinations in Asia due to its important socio-cultural background. It integrates impressive historical monuments, such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Temple of Heaven.

The world's fastest growing power, Beijing has a population of approximately 10 million and is considered the political, cultural and intellectual center of China.

Where to stay: Raffles Beijing

Where to eat: Restaurante Quanjude

What cannot be left out of your itinerary: HutongTour District

Gobi Desert
China's most famous desert is the Gobi Desert, but in fact, most of the Gobi isn't in China; it's in Mongolia. China's most significant desert is one you've probably never heard of – the Taklamakan Desert. The Taklamakan is the world's second largest sand desert (after the Sahara Desert in north Africa).

One hundred yuan, the equivalent of about 0.11£, goes much further here than most other cities in the world.The renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China, and translates to “people's money.” Its international symbol is CNY (or CNH in Hong Kong; but abbreviated RMB, with the symbol ¥)

Total employment by private enterprises in China's cities reached 145.67 million by December 1, 2019. But official government survey results suggest that the unemployment rate is significantly higher in 2020 due to COVID-19. The development of China's internet economy has also expanded the terrain of flexible employment. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the unemployment rate in June 2020 for those between 25 and 29 was 5.2 percent, 0.5 percentage points lower than the average unemployment rate

Today, China is an upper-middle-income country and the world's second largest economy. But its per capita income is still only about a quarter of that of high-income countries, and about 373 million Chinese are living below the upper-middle-income poverty line of US$5.50 a day.