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THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA is the third largest country in the world in terms of area. It is situated in eastern Asia on the western shore of the Pacific Ocean, with an area of 5.9 million square miles. China’s continental coastline extends for about 11,185 miles, and its vast sea surface is studded with more than 5,000 islands, of which Taiwan and Hainan are the largest. China has shared borders for centuries with Korea, parts of the former Soviet Union (now Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan) Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Burma, Laos and Vietnam.