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China

Weather overview

The climate for this Asian behemoth is understandably varied and ranges from bitterly cold to unbearably hot, and a whole lot in between. Your average winter day in the north might reach -8°C (17°F) if you're lucky and yet sit in the low thirties (high eighties) in summer around July. The central Yangzi River valley area also experiences extreme seasonal temperatures. In the far south, the hot and humid summer lasts from April to September and, as in north China, coincides with the wettest weather. Typhoons can hit the southeast coast between July and September. The northwest experiences dry, hot summers, with China's nominated hottest place - Turpan - receiving maximums of around 47°C (117°F). Winters here are as formidably cold as in the rest of northern China.

Regions

All regions

General information

Official name:
People's Republic of China

Capital city:
Beijing

Area:
9 596 960 sq km

Population:
1,286,975,468

Time Zone:
GMT/UTC + 8 ()

Currency:
Renminbi (Y)

Official language:
Cantonese, Mandarin

People:
Han Chinese (93%), plus 55 ethnic minorities

Religion:
Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism (no stats available); Islam (14 million), Christianity (7 million)