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Front: Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), revolutionary leader and President of China 1912-1913

Sun Yat-sen, trained as a physician, is known as the "father of modern China". He led the revolution that eventually overthrew the Qing Dynasty in 1911. He was the first provisional president when the Republic of China was founded in 1912. He later co-founded the Kuomintang, the Nationalist Party, where he served as its first leader. In 1924 he adopted the "Three Principles of the People" (nationalism, democracy and social reform). He also established the Whampoa Military Academy with Chiang Kai-Shek as Commandant. He died of cancer in 1925.

Back: Central Bank of China building

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China, located in eastern Asia, has one of the world's longest uninterrupted civilizations, dating back more than six millennia. For centuries, China was the world's most advanced civilization, and the cultural center of East Asia, with an impact lasting to the present day.

China is the source of many great inventions including Paper, the compass, gunpowder, and printing. China was also the first country to use paper money.

In 1911, the Nationalist Party under Dr. Sun Yat-sen overthrew the Ch'ing Dynasty and established the republic. However, the Chinese Civil War following WWII resulted in two Chinese states in 1949: People's Republic of China on the mainland, and the Republic of China in Taiwan.

For a more detailed country profile, see CIA World Factbook on China.