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.