Editor's note:

    On Tuesday, Xinhua News Agency launched the first in its series of news items about the basic facts of the People's Republic of China ahead of the Beijing Olympics which opens on Friday.

    Our Beijing news desk will keep you informed on the basics of the country, including its history, culture, economy, education, politics technology and society, among others

    The facts and figures about Beijing, the host city of the summer Games, will be given exclusively.

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    BEIJING, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's capital Beijing is hosting the 2008 Olympic Games from Aug. 8 to 24 and the Paralympic Games from Sept. 6 to 17.

    Some basic facts about China:

    GEOGRAPHY: China is situated in eastern Asia, bounded by the Pacific Ocean in the east.

    AREA: The country has a land territory of 9.6 million square km. Its land border stretches over 22,000 km, with a coastline extending well over 18,000 km. It is washed by the waters of the Bohai, Huanghai, East China and South China seas. The Bohai is China's inland sea.

    In addition, there are 7,600 islands, the largest being Taiwan with a total area of 35,798 square km.

    POPULATION: China is the world's most populous nation with 1.32 billion people through 2007.

    CAPITAL: Beijing

    OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Putonghua -- also known as Mandarin

    CURRENCY: Renminbi (RMB)/yuan

    ETHNIC GROUPS: There are 56 ethnic groups identified and recognized by the central government. The Han people are the majority group. The total population of the other 55 ethnic minority groups accounted for 8.41 percent of the population of China.

    HEAD OF STATE: President Hu Jintao.

    HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Premier Wen Jiabao.

    LEGISLATIVE BRANCH: The National People's Congress (NPC) is the highest organ of the state power. The standing committee of the NPC is its permanent organ. The term of office of the NPC and its Standing Committee is five years.