China is situated in eastern Asia on the western shore of the Pacific Ocean. It has an area of 9.6 million sq.kms. China's continental coastline extends for about 18,000 kms, and its vast sea surface is studded with more than 5,000 islands, of which Taiwan and Hainan are the largest. China has beautiful scenery, with mountains and ranges, highlands, plains, basins, and hills. The highlands and hill regions account for 65 percent of the country's total land mass, and there are more than 2,000 lakes.