China is the worlds fifth most visited country by tourists, and modern tourist facilities are available in major cities. The People's Republic of China was established on 1st October 1949, with Beijing  as its capital city. With well over 1.3 billion citizens, China is the world's most populous country and the third largest country in the world in terms of territory. Two-thirds of the country is high plateaus and mountains with populations living at altitudes from 1,000 to 4,000 meters above sea level and high mountain areas reaching 7,000 to 8,000 meters. The climate varies from subartic to subtropical.

The Han majority is densely settled in the eastern half of the country, along the coastal areas on the great plains, in the river valleys and in the foothills. Most Han live in temperate zones, at elevations well below 1,000 meters. The minorities are more sparsely distributed over the remaining 55 percent of the country and most minorities lives at higher altitudes.