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more about china
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6 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Pink \Pink\, n. [Perh. akin to pick as if the edges of the petals were picked out Cf {Pink}, v. t.] 1. (Bot.) A name given to several plants of the caryophyllaceous genus {Dianthus}, and to their flowers, which are sometimes very fragrant and often double in cultivated varieties. The species are mostly perennial herbs, with opposite linear leaves, and handsome five-petaled flowers with a tubular calyx. 2. A color resulting from the combination of a pure vivid red with more or less white; -- so called from the common color of the flower. --Dryden. 3. Anything supremely excellent; the embodiment or perfection of something ``The very pink of courtesy.'' --Shak. 4. (Zo["o]l.) The European minnow; -- so called from the color of its abdomen in summer. [Prov. Eng.] {Bunch pink} is {Dianthus barbatus}. {China}, or {Indian}, {pink}. See under {China}. {Clove pink} is {Dianthus Caryophyllus}, the stock from which carnations are derived. {Garden pink}. See {Pheasant's eye}. {Meadow pink} is applied to {Dianthus deltoides}; also to the ragged robin. {Maiden pink}, {Dianthus deltoides}. {Moss pink}. See under {Moss}. {Pink needle}, the pin grass; -- so called from the long, tapering points of the carpels. See {Alfilaria}. {Sea pink}. See {Thrift}. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Porcelain \Por"ce*lain\ (277), n. [F. porcelaine, It porcellana orig., the porcelain shell, or Venus shell (Cypr[ae]a porcellana), from a dim. fr L. porcus pig, probably from the resemblance of the shell in shape to a pig's back Porcelain was called after this shell, either on account of its smoothness and whiteness, or because it was believed to be made from it See {Pork}.] A fine translucent or semitransculent kind of earthenware, made first in China and Japan, but now also in Europe and America; -- called also {China}, or {China ware}. Porcelain, by being pure, is apt to break. --Dryden. {Ivory porcelain}, porcelain with a surface like ivory, produced by depolishing. See {Depolishing}. {Porcelain clay}. See under {Clay}. {Porcelain crab} (Zo["o]l.), any crab of the genus {Porcellana} and allied genera (family {Porcellanid[ae]}). They have a smooth, polished carapace. {Porcelain jasper}. (Min.) See {Porcelanite}. {Porcelain printing}, the transferring of an impression of an engraving to porcelain. {Porcelain shell} (Zo["o]l.), a cowry. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: China \Chi"na\, n. 1. A country in Eastern Asia. 2. China ware, which is the modern popular term for porcelain. See {Porcelain}. {China aster} (Bot.), a well-known garden flower and plant. See {Aster}. {China bean}. See under {Bean}, 1. {China clay} See {Kaolin}. {China grass}, Same as {Ramie}. {China ink}. See {India ink}. {China pink} (Bot.), an anual or biennial species of {Dianthus} ({D. Chiensis}) having variously colored single or double flowers; Indian pink. {China root} (Med.), the rootstock of a species of {Smilax} ({S. China}, from the East Indies; -- formerly much esteemed for the purposes that sarsaparilla is now used for Also the galanga root (from {Alpinia Gallanga} and {Alpinia officinarum}). {China rose}. (Bot.) a A popular name for several free-blooming varieties of rose derived from the {Rosa Indica}, and perhaps other species. b A flowering hothouse plant ({Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis}) of the Mallow family, common in the gardens of China and the east Indies. {China shop}, a shop or store for the sale of China ware or of crockery. {China ware}, porcelain; -- so called in the 17th century because brought from the far East, and differing from the pottery made in Europe at that time; also loosely, crockery in general. {Pride of China}, {China tree}. (Bot.) See {Azedarach}. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: China n 1: a communist nation in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world [syn: {China}, {mainland China}, {Communist China}, {Red China}, {PRC}, {People's Republic of China}] 2: dishes, vases, or ornaments 3: a government on the island of Taiwan established in 1949 by Chiang Kaishek after the conquest of mainland China by communists led by Mao Zedong [syn: {Taiwan}, {China}, {Nationalist China}, {Republic of China}, {Formosa}] From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]: China, TX (city, FIPS 14704) Location: 30.05224 N, 94.33564 W Population (1990): 1144 (463 housing units) Area: 3.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) From The CIA World Factbook (1995) [world95]: China (also see separate Taiwan entry) China:Geography Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam Map references: Asia Area: total area: 9,596,960 sq km land area: 9,326,410 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than the US Land boundaries: total 22,143.34 km Afghanistan 76 km Bhutan 470 km Burma 2,185 km Hong Kong 30 km India 3,380 km Kazakhstan 1,533 km North Korea 1,416 km Kyrgyzstan 858 km Laos 423 km Macau 0.34 km Mongolia 4,673 km Nepal 1,236 km Pakistan 523 km Russia (northeast) 3,605 km Russia (northwest) 40 km Tajikistan 414 km Vietnam 1,281 km Coastline: 14,500 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: claim to shallow areas of East China Sea and Yellow Sea territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: boundary with India in dispute; disputed sections of the boundary with Russia remain to be settled; boundary with Tajikistan in dispute; a short section of the boundary with North Korea is indefinite; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary dispute with Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does Taiwan Climate: extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north Terrain: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east Natural resources: coal, iron ore, petroleum, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest) Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 31% forest and woodland: 14% other: 45% Irrigated land: 478,220 sq km (1991 - Chinese data) Environment: current issues: air pollution from the overwhelming use of high-sulfur coal as a fuel, produces acid rain which is damaging forests; water shortages experienced throughout the country, particularly in urban areas; future growth in water usage threatens to outpace supplies; water pollution from industrial effluents; much of the population does not have access to potable water; less than 10% of sewage receives treatment; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1957 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification trade in endangered species natural hazards: frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification Law of the Sea Note: world's third-largest country (after Russia and Canada) China:People Population: 1,203,097,268 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (female 151,266,866; male 167,234,782) 15-64 years: 67% (female 391,917,572; male 419,103,994) 65 years and over: 7% (female 39,591,692; male 33,982,362) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 1.04% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 17.78 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 7.36 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 52.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.08 years male: 67.09 years female: 69.18 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.84 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese Ethnic divisions: Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1% Religions: Daoism (Taoism), Buddhism, Muslim 2%-3%, Christian 1% (est.) note: officially atheist, but traditionally pragmatic and eclectic Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic divisions entry) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 78% male: 87% female: 68% Labor force: 583.6 million (1991) by occupation: agriculture and forestry 60%, industry and commerce 25%, construction and mining 5%, social services 5%, other 5% (1990 est.) China:Government Names: conventional long form: People's Republic of China conventional short form: China local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo local short form: Zhong Guo Abbreviation: PRC Digraph: CH Type: Communist state Capital: Beijing Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions* (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 3 municipalities** (shi, singular and plural); Anhui Beijing**, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong Guangxi*, Guizhou Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu Jiangxi Jilin, Liaoning Nei Mongol*, Ningxia*, Qinghai Shaanxi Shandong, Shanghai**, Shanxi Sichuan, Tianjin**, Xinjiang*, Xizang* (Tibet), Yunnan, Zhejiang note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province Independence: 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October 1949) National holiday: National Day 1 October (1949) Constitution: most recent promulgated 4 December 1982 Legal system: a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993); Vice President RONG Yiren (since 27 March 1993); election last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held 1998); results - JIANG Zemin was nominally elected by the Eighth National People's Congress head of government: Premier LI Peng (Acting Premier since 24 November 1987, Premier since 9 April 1988) Vice Premier ZHU Rongji (since 8 April 1991); Vice Premier ZOU Jiahua (since 8 April 1991); Vice Premier QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993); Vice Premier LI Lanqing (29 March 1993); Vice Premier WU Bangguo (since 17 March 1995); Vice Premier JIANG Chunyun (since 17 March 1995) cabinet: State Council; appointed by the National People's Congress (NPC) Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Congress: (Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui) elections last held March 1993 (next to be held March 1998); results - CCP is the only party but there are also independents; seats - (2,977 total) (elected at county or xian level) Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court Political parties and leaders: Chinese Communist Party (CCP), JIANG Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee (since 24 June 1989); eight registered small parties controlled by CCP Other political or pressure groups: such meaningful opposition as exists consists of loose coalitions, usually within the party and government organization, that vary by issue Member of: AfDB APEC, AsDB CCC, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO NAM (observer), PCA, UN UN Security Council, UNCTAD UNESCO, UNHCR UNIDO UNIKOM UNITAR, UNOMIL UNOMOZ UNTSO UNU, UPU, WHO WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador LI Daoyu chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500 through 2502 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador J. Stapleton ROY embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, Beijing; FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (1) 5323831 FAX: [86] (1) 5323178 consulate(s) general: Chengdu Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang Flag: red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner Economy Overview: Beginning in late 1978 the Chinese leadership has been trying to move the economy from the sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more productive and flexible economy with market elements, but still within the framework of monolithic Communist control. To this end the authorities switched to a system of household responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprise in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a strong surge in production, particularly in agriculture in the early 1980s. Industry also has posted major gains, especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan, where foreign investment and modern production methods have helped spur production of both domestic and export goods. Aggregate output has more than doubled since 1978. On the darker side the leadership has often experienced in its hybrid system the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy, lassitude, corruption) and of capitalism (windfall gains and stepped-up inflation). Beijing thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. In 1992-94 annual growth of GDP accelerated, particularly in the coastal areas - to more than 10% annually according to official claims. In late 1993 China's leadership approved additional long-term reforms aimed at giving more play to market-oriented institutions and at strengthening the center's control over the financial system. In 1994 strong growth continued in the widening market-oriented areas of the economy. At the same time, the government struggled to a collect revenues due from provinces, businesses, and individuals; b keep inflation within bounds; c reduce extortion and other economic crimes; and d keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises, most of which had not participated in the vigorous expansion of the economy. From 60 to 100 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many barely subsisting through part-time low-pay jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to the nation's long-term economic viability. One of the most dangerous long-term threats to continued rapid economic growth is the deterioration in the environment, notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.9788 trillion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992 by use of official Chinese growth statistics for 1993-94; because of the difficulties with official statistics in this time of rapid change, the result may overstate China's GDP by as much as 25%) National product real growth rate: 11.8% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $2,500 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25.5% (December 1994 over December 1993) Unemployment rate: 2.7% in urban areas (1994); substantial underemployment Budget: deficit $13.7 billion (1994) Exports: $121 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: textiles, garments, footwear, toys, machinery and equipment, weapon systems partners: Hong Kong, Japan, US Germany, South Korea, Russia (1993) Imports: $115.7 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: rolled steel, motor vehicles, textile machinery, oil products, aircraft partners: Japan, Taiwan, US Hong Kong, Germany, South Korea (1993) External debt: $100 billion (1994 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 17.5% (1994 est.) Electricity: capacity: 162,000,000 kW production: 746 billion kWh consumption per capita: 593 kWh (1993) Industries: iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, consumer durables, food processing, autos, consumer electronics, telecommunications Agriculture: accounts for almost 30% of GDP; among the world's largest producers of rice, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, and pork; commercial crops include cotton, other fibers, and oilseeds; produces variety of livestock products; basically self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 13.35 million metric tons (including fresh water and pond raised) (1991) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium; bulk of production is in Yunnan Province (which produced 25 metric tons in 1994); transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle Economic aid: donor: to less developed countries (1970-89) $7 billion recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $220.7 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $13.5 billion Currency: 1 yuan Y = 10 jiao Exchange rates: yuan Y per US$1 - 8.4413 (January 1995), 8.6187 (1994), 5.7620 (1993), 5.5146 (1992), 5.3234 (1991), 4.7832 (1990) note: beginning 1 January 1994, the People's Bank of China quotes the midpoint rate against the US dollar based on the previous day's prevailing rate in the interbank foreign exchange market Fiscal year: calendar year China:Transportation Railroads: total: 65,780 km standard gauge: 55,180 km 1.435-m gauge (7,174 km electrified; more than 11,000 km double track) narrow gauge: 600 km 1.000-m gauge; 10,000 km 0.762-m to 1.067-m gauge dedicated industrial lines Highways: total: 1.029 million km paved: 170,000 km unpaved: gravel/improved earth 648,000 km unimproved earth 211,000 km (1990) Inland waterways: 138,600 km about 109,800 km navigable Pipelines: crude oil 9,700 km petroleum products 1,100 km natural gas 6,200 km (1990) Ports: Aihui, Changsha Dalian, Fuzhou Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Huangpu Nanning, Ningbo Qingdao Qinhuangdao Shanghai, Shantou Tanggu Xiamen Xingang Zhanjiang Merchant marine: total: 1,628 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,013,532 GRT/24,027,766 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 298, cargo 849, chemical tanker 14, combination bulk 10, container 98, liquefied gas tanker 4, multifunction large load carrier 1, oil tanker 212, passenger 24, passenger-cargo 25, refrigerated cargo 21, roll-on/roll-off cargo 24, short-sea passenger 44, vehicle carrier 1 note: China beneficially owns an additional 250 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling approximately 8,831,462 DWT that operate under Panamanian, Hong Kong, Maltese, Liberian, Vanuatu, Cypriot, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Bahamian, and Singaporean registry Airports: total: 204 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 17 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 69 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 89 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 9 with paved runways under 914 m: 7 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 7 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 3 China:Communications Telephone system: 20,000,000 telephones (summer 1994); domestic and international services are increasingly available for private use unevenly distributed internal system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and most townships; expanding phone lines, interprovincial fiber optic links, satellite communications, cellullar/mobile communications, etc local: NA intercity: fiber optic trunk lines, 55 earth stations for domestic satellites international: 5 INTELSAT earth stations (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 INMARSAT earth station; several international fiber optic links to Japan and Hong Kong Radio: broadcast stations: AM 274, FM NA shortwave 0 radios: 215 million Television: broadcast stations: 202 (repeaters 2,050) televisions: 75 million China:Defense Forces Branches: People's Liberation Army (PLA), which includes the Ground Forces, Navy (includes Marines and Naval Aviation), Air Force, Second Artillery Corps (the strategic missile force), People's Armed Police (internal security troops, nominally subordinate to Ministry of Public Security, but included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered to be an adjunct to the PLA in war time) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 351,330,411; males fit for military service 194,286,619; males reach military age (18) annually 9,841,658 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: defense budget - 63.09 billion yuan, NA% of GDP (1995 est.); note - conversion of the defense budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
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