China

China is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia.

China has one of the world’s oldest people and continuous civilizations, consisting of states and cultures dating back more than six millennia. China has the world’s longest continuously used written language system, and is the source of many major inventions, such as paper, the compass, gunpowder, and printing.

Historically, China’s cultural sphere has extended across East Asia as a whole, with Chinese religion, customs, and writing systems being adopted to varying degrees by its neighbors Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

* the People’s Republic of China (PRC), commonly known as China, exercises effective control over mainland China, and has sovereignity over self-governing territories Hong Kong (since 1997) and Macau (since 1999).
* the Republic of China (ROC), commonly known as Taiwan, has effect control over the islands of Taiwan, Pescadores, Kinmen, and Matsu.