How old is China?

Recorded Chinese history dates as far back as 4,000 years. It is considered one of the great ancient civilizations of the world and the only one that still thrives.

Although Chinese civilization can be traced back four millennia, fossils dating back more than a million years have been found in what is now modern day China. Evidence of early civilizations dates back as far as 8,000 years. Today, with more than 1 billion people, China has the largest population in the world. Several of the country's cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, have populations in excess of 10 million people.