'''China''' (), officially the '''People's Republic of China''' ('''PRC'''; ),  is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population of more than 1.4 billion. China spans five geographical time zones and borders 14 different countries, the second most of any country in the world after Russia. Covering an area of approximately 9.6 million square kilometres (3.7 million mi2), it is the world's third or fourth largest country. The country consists of 23 provinces, four municipalities, five autonomous regions, and two Special Administrative Regions (Hong Kong and Macau). The national capital is Beijing, and its financial centre is Shanghai, with Shenzhen widely considered a centre for technological innovation.