The world's most populous country is China, with a population of over 1.4 billion people. It is the world's second-largest country by land area and the third-largest by total area. China has a long history, with its civilization dating back to the 15th century BC. It is a major economic power, with the world's second-largest economy by nominal GDP and the largest by purchasing power parity. China is also a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.