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The People’s Republic of
China is situated in the eastern part of the Asian continent on the western
coast of the
Pacific. It has a total land area of 9.6 million square km, next only
to Russia and Canada in size. The Chinese territory is 5,500 km from the
middle of the Heilongjiang River north of Mohe, Heilongjiang Province,
in the north to Zengmu Ansha of the Nansha Islands in the south, and 5,200
km from the confluence of the Heilongjiang River and Wusulijiang River
in the east to the Pamirs Plateau in the west. The land boundary lines
total 22,800 km. The Chinese mainland faces the Bohai Sea, the Yellow
Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea on the east and south.
With a total territorial sea area of 4.73 million square km, there are
5,400 islands. The coastline of China stretches 32,000 km, of which the
mainland coastline is 18,000 km and that of islands 14,000 km.
According to the Constitution, the administrative divisions
of China is as follows:
1)
The country is divided into provinces,
autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central
Government;
2)
Provinces and autonomous regions are divided
into prefectures, autonomous prefectures, counties, autonomous counties
and cities; and
3)
Counties, autonomous counties and cities are
divided into townships, ethnic townships, and towns.
All autonomous regions, autonomous prefectures and
autonomous counties are ethnic autonomous areas. The State establishes
special administrative regions as it sees necessary. At present, there are
four municipalities directly under the Central Government, 23 provinces,
five autonomous regions and two special administrative regions.
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