LIVING IN CHINA

China is the third biggest country in the world by land mass and has the largest population at just over 1.33 billion people (23% of the world’s total population). Because of the large numbers of people living in the cities they are extremely busy and crowded places that are full of the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life.
China is a place that is rich with culture and history, both of which centre around their ancient civilization. Because it is such a vast country it is a fascinating place for expats to live in and explore, and there are many places to visit, from the ruins of the Neolithic settlements through to the ancient trade routes.
92% of the population in China consists of the Han people with the remaining 8% consisting of 55 other nationalities.
While China has been under communist rule since 1949, it is currently undergoing social and economic development and a great deal of money is being invested into the infrastructure of the country. Previously stringent trade barriers are being relaxed and the whole country is becoming a preferred place for international relocation.
Moving to China can be both exciting and frustrating. Having an opportunity to live side by side with people from this strong and vivid culture provides expats with a vibrant experience that is enriched with an opportunity to learn from people who have a very different perspective on the world. However, it is also a place of significant challenges that are impeded by language barriers and differences in cultural behaviors. There are, however, a large number of expatriate groups that can help foreigners to fit in and find new like-minded friends.

Language
Language: Several different Chinese languages are in existence throughout China; 70% of the population speaks Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect) whilst the remaining people speak Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese) and other minority languages. English is becoming increasingly important as a business language.

Climate
China has a varied climate because of its vast size. The north has short summers and can get extremely cold in the winter. The central area, along the Yangtze River valley, has a long and humid summer, which has very high temperatures. Here too the winters are cold and it is not uncommon for temperatures to fall below freezing. Southern China has hot summers and short winters.