China country information - Travel & foreign exchange

China country information

China at a glance

Area

9,596,960 sq km

Population

1,286,975,486

Country dialling code

Electricity

220V, 50Hz

Local currency
The currency of Mainland China is the renminbi (RMB), also known as the "yuan" and colloquially as "kuai". The People's Bank of China (PBOC) issues RMB bills and coins in denominations of one, two, five, 10, 20, 50 and 100. Counterfeit notes are a problem in China. Very few Chinese will accept a 50 or 100 note without first checking to see whether or not it's fake.

Languages
China's language is officially Mandarin, as spoken in Beijing. About 70% of the population speak Mandarin, but that's just the tip of the linguistic iceberg. The country is awash with dialects, and dialects within dialects, and few of them are mutually intelligible. Of the seven major strains, Cantonese is the one most likely to be spoken in your local Chinese takeaway. It's the lingua franca of Guangdong, southern Guangxi, Hong Kong and (to an extent) Macau.

Languages

China's language is officially Mandarin, as spoken in Beijing. About 70% of the population speak Mandarin, but that's just the tip of the linguistic iceberg. The country is awash with dialects, and dialects within dialects, and few of them are mutually intelligible. Of the seven major strains, Cantonese is the one most likely to be spoken in your local Chinese takeaway. It's the lingua franca of Guangdong, southern Guangxi, Hong Kong and (to an extent) Macau.

Time zone information - GMT +8

City	Time
Beijing	9.00 am	12 noon	5.00 pm
Melbourne	11.00 am	2.00 pm	7.00 pm
London	1.00 am	4.00 am	9.00 am
New York	8.00 pm*	11.00 pm*	4.00 am
Tokyo	10.00 am	1.00 pm	6.00 pm
Wellington	1.00 pm	4.00 pm	9.00 pm
Los Angeles	5.00 pm*	8.00 pm*	1.00 am

*Previous day
Note: China does not use daylight savings time

Everyday living

Did you know that if you want to drive in China you will need a residency permit and you will need to apply for a Chinese driving license? Once you've settled in, the best way to get around is to rent a bike and join the pedalling throng.

There is plenty of local Chinese housing depending on your budget, with renovated lane and courtyard houses popular to rent. A growing number of expats opt to buy property in the major cities. Just remember, everything's negotiable, from the price to the contents of your lease agreement.

If you require schooling for children, it is important to contact international schools as far in advance as possible because the demand for places is extremely high.

The ANZ Guide to China provides a wealth of information on day-to-day living, including valuable resources to help you get settled. Information includes shopping, banking and business hours, transport information, help with finding accommodation and schooling, details of the Chinese health system plus some great tips on leisure, food, wine, etiquette and much more.

ANZ are the experts in expat banking. To find out more about how we can support you in China, call 1800 EXPATS (1800 397 287) and ask for a full copy of the 'ANZ Guide to China'.

All travel and tourism related content about the destination has been provided by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. ANZ has not checked the accuracy or reliability of such content and makes no representations or warranties in relation thereto.