1. How long is the reservoir created by the Sanxia Daba (Three Gorges Dam) along the Yangzi River?
400 miles [644 kms]
60 miles [97 kms]
200 miles [322 kms]
The flooding of the Yangzi valley displaced at least one million people. The dam has the largest lock and is the largest hydro-electric system in the world.
2. Which country administered the island of Macau until 1999?
Britain
Portugal
U.S.
Macau was governed by Portugal for nearly 450 years. Macau stands on a rocky peninsular on the mouth of the Zhu (Pearl) River estuary connected by bridges to Taipa and Coloane Islands .
3. The Changbai mountains are on the border of China with which other country?
Laos
North Korea
Mongolia
Changbai means ‘forever white’ as the mountains have permanent snow cover. The border with North Korea runs directly through the middle of volcanic Lake Tian.
4. The Star Ferry runs between which two places?
Wuhan and Chongqing
Kowloon and Hong Kong Island
Macau and mainland China
The Star Ferry is a passenger ferry in Hong Kong that is mainly now a tourist attraction. It was established in 1888 when there were no bridges to the island of Hong Kong.
5. The Hunza Valley is a historic land route into China, which country does it lead to?
Myanmar
India
Pakistan
Hunza is in the disputed area of Kashmir but is usually considered part of Pakistan. The Karakoram Highway passes through the valley at the Kunjerab Pass.
6. What is the name of the Chinese currency?
miao
renminbi
won
The distinction between the name of the currency ( 人民币 rén mín bì) and the units (元 yuán) is like the difference between the British term sterling for the currency and pound as the unit.
7. The city of Guangzhou stands on which major river?
Jiang river
Pearl river
Li river
Guangzhou, on the Pearl (Yu) river estuary, has been a major port for many centuries. Hong Kong and Macau stand on either side of the large outflow into the South China Sea.
The province of Sichuan was split into two parts in 1997, which had by far the largest population. The eastern section of Chongqing is governed by the city of Chongqing and follows the Yangzi river valley.
12. Sanjiangyuan Three Rivers National Park is the source of which major rivers?
Mekong; Yellow and Yangzi
Indus; Ganges and Yangzi
Pearl; Yellow and Yangzi
Sanjiangyuan is a large area in south-eastern Qinghai province with the Mekong eventually heading south, the Yangzi east and the Huang he (Yellow) river north.
14. Which province is the most northerly in China?
Heilongjiang
Inner Mongolia
Gansu
Heilongjiang stretches marginally further north than Inner Mongolia. It shares its harsh, cold winters with its Russian neighbor.
15. By what name do the people call their own country of China?
Hanguo
Zhongguo
Cathay
The Chinese people themselves have several names for their own country. 中国 zhōng guó is the official name. It means literally 'middle or central' 'country; kingdom or region' and was based on the traditional view that China is the center of the civilized world.
19. What is the average height of the Tibetan plateau?
14,500 feet [4,420 meters]
10,000 feet [3,048 meters]
9,500 feet [2,896 meters]
The high altitude of Tibet makes breathing difficult. Winters are harsh and summers cool and short.
Qinghai-Tibet railway near mountains at Golmud, Qinghai
20. The Yu (or Yuyuan) gardens are a famous spot in which city?
Hangzhou
Shanghai
Guangzhou
Shanghai's Old Chinese City has the narrow alleys, temples and markets typical of an old Chinese town. It has the famous traditional ‘Yu Gardens’ which were originally built in 1537.