CHINA, or the CHINESE REPUBLIC, a vast territory in Asia, comprehending seven great divisions, viz.: Manchuria, Mongolia, Hsinchiang, Fengtien, Kirin, Heilungchiang, Tibet, China proper, or the Eighteen Provinces (Shill - pa Shang), formerly including the island of Formosa. As a consequence of the Chino-Japanese War, Formosa was ceded to Japan by treaty. China proper occupies the E. slope of the tablelands under the same government, ruled by the same laws, speaking the same language, studying the same literature, possessing a greater homogeneity, a history extend ing over a longer period, and a more en during national existence than any other people, whether of ancient or modern times. When we consider its high an tiquity, its peculiar civilization, its elab orate administrative machinery, its won drous language, its philosophy and classic literature, its manufacturing in dustry and natural productions, China is perhaps the most remarkable country in the world. Following are the areas and population of the divisions in 1919: Sq. M. Pop.
China (proper) 1,532,420 302,110,000 Manchuria 363,610 2,000.000 Mongolia 1,367,600 1,800,000 Tibet 463,200 2,000,000 Hsinchiang 550,340 2,000,000 Other dependencies are Fengtien, Ki rin, and Heilungchiang. These have a population of about 13,000,000.
Principal Cities. — These are Peking (cap.), with 1,000,000 or more popula tion; Canton, Tien-Tsin, Hankow, Nan king, Shanghai, Ning - po, Foochow, Amoy, Swatow, and 30 or 40 more with a population from 800,000 to 1,500,000. No census figures based upon official re turns are obtainable, but estimates in 1900 give the following as the popula tion of the leading ports of entry: Canton 2,500,000 Tien-Tsin 950,000 Hang-Chau 700,000 Hankau • 800,000 Fu-Chau 650,000 Su-Chau 500,000 These are all treaty ports, accessible and open to commerce.
Physical Features.—A world-famous structure is the Great Wall, called Wan li-chang-Cheng (myriad-mile-wall) by the Chinese, which was built by the first emperor of the Tsin dynasty about 220 B. c., as a protection against the Tartar tribes. It traverses the N. boundary of
China, extending from E. to 15° W. of Peking and is carried over the highest hills, through the deepest valleys; across rivers and every other natural obstacle. The length of this great barrier is, ac cording to McCulloch, 1,250 miles. The magnificent river-system of China is represented by the twin streams, the Hoang-ho, or Yellow river, and the Yang-tze-kiang, which, springing from the water-shed, the mountains of Tibet, are widely separated in their mid-course, but enter the sea within 2° of each other. The former is a "mighty, impracticable, furious stream" for the most part, and little adapted for navigation. But the river most beloved by the Chinese is the Yang-tze-kiang, or "son of the ocean," more correctly translated "the son that spreads," which name is only applied to it by the natives below the beginning of the delta; for above that it is called simply Ta-kiang, or Great river. The basin drained by it is estimated at 750,000 square miles. Of the other rivers that water the country, the Peiho, in the N. and the Choo-kiang in the S. are the most noteworthy. The principal lakes of China are the Tung-ting-hu, the Poyang-hu, the Hung-tseu-hu, in Kiang su; the Tsau-hu, between Nganking-fu and Nanking; and the Tai-hu. There are four great mountain ranges and six or eight of lesser elevation; the Hima layas, Tian-Shan, Kuen-Lun and .Altai. The Kin-gan in the N., and the Peh ling in north China, and Nan-king in south China, are prolongations of the Altai and Himalayas. The Grand Canal has very greatly facilitated the internal navigation of the country. Until lately the great annual grain-fleet, with its 430,000 tons of rice for the use of the capital, passed from the S. to the neigh borhood of Peking by this great water way, thus avoiding the storms and pi rates of the coast. It connects Tien-Tsin in Chili with Hang-chow in Che-kiang, though the canal proper begins in Shan tung, and its total length is about 650 miles.