<P> China , officially the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) , is a unitary one - party sovereign state in East Asia and the world 's most populous country , with a population of around 1.404 billion . Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers ( 3,700,000 sq mi ) , it is the third - or fourth - largest country by total area , depending on the source consulted . China also has the most neighbor countries in the world . Governed by the Communist Party of China , it exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces , five autonomous regions , four direct - controlled municipalities ( Beijing , Tianjin , Shanghai , and Chongqing ) , and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau . </P>
<P> China , officially the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) , is a unitary one - party sovereign state in East Asia and the world 's most populous country , with a population of around 1.404 billion . Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers ( 3,700,000 sq mi ) , it is the third - or fourth - largest country by total area , depending on the source consulted . China also has the most neighbor countries in the world . Governed by the Communist Party of China , it exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces , five autonomous regions , four direct - controlled municipalities ( Beijing , Tianjin , Shanghai , and Chongqing ) , and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau . </P>
where was the people 's republic of china located
where was the people 's republic of china located
in East Asia
in East Asia