Objectiva

People & Culture

  • Population:
    China is the world's most populated country with more than 1.2 billion people and still growing. The Han people make up almost 92% of the Chinese population, and the remaining 8% are comprised of 55 different ethnic minorities.
  • Religion:
    China is home to a few diverse religions including from Buddhists (about 100 million followers), Muslims (about 18 million), Catholics (about 12 million), Protestants (about 10 million), Taoists and Atheists (no official estimates of followers).
  • Language:
    The major language spoken in China is standard Chinese or Mandarin (based on Beijing dialect). Other languages include Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects and some minority languages.
  • Education:
    China holds a high regard for education. China has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Of the total population, 86% of those over the age of 15 can both read and write. Its universities graduate more than 2 million per year.
  • Calendar:
    The Chinese Lunar New Year is the longest chronological record in history. It is fashioned after the zodiac cycle, and a complete cycle takes 60 years and is made up of five cycles of 12 years each. Each of the twelve years is named after an animal. The Chinese believe the animal ruling the year in which a person is born has a profound influence on personality, saying: "This is the animal that hides in your heart."

 Rat
1936
1948
1960
1972
1984
1996
2008
 Ox 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009
 Tiger 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010
 Rabbit 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011
 Dragon 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012
 Snake 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013
 Horse 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014
 Sheep 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015
 Monkey 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016
 Rooster 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017
 Dog 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018
 Boar 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019