Beijing · Asia
China (中国; Zhōngguó) is one of the world's oldest civilizations. Its long and rich history is present in people's thinking and values, and in the art, architecture, and feats of engineering that remain from dynasties past. In addition to its bustling and futuristic cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen, China boasts an incredible array of breathtaking natural wonders like the karst landscapes of Guilin and granite peaks of Huangshan that have inspired painters and poets for generations. After a tumultuous 19th and 20th centuries, China has dramatically re-emerged as an economic and technological powerhouse. Its rapid development has been paralleled by an ascent onto the international stage. Of course there are growing pains when high-rises and factories surge up to dwarf centuries-old pagodas, but there's also a strong sense of enthusiasm and optimism about what the future holds. If you visit now, you can see the relics of millennia of history and experience the signs of further transformations in progress.
Afghanistan is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. The country shares borders with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Pakistan, China, and the disputed Kashmir territory. Once the centre of many powerful empires, the country has been in chaos and turmoil since the 1970s. Political unrest is rampant, and the country suffers from many social problems, such as
"AM" redirects here. For the Brazilian state, see Amazonas. Armenia (Armenian: Հայաստան Hayastan) is a landlocked country in the Caucasus. Once the centre of an empire, this former Soviet republic straddles the line between Europe and Asia. Armenia has a rich, ancient history, and it is most famously known for being the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as the state religion.