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New
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Year 7

Evaluating China's status as a global superpower

I can describe ways in which China is changing and explain why the country is called a global superpower.

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New
New
Year 7

Evaluating China's status as a global superpower

I can describe ways in which China is changing and explain why the country is called a global superpower.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. China has the second largest economy in the world; it was worth US$17.8 trillion in 2023.
  2. Global superpower is used to describe a country that has a lot of power or influence over other countries in the world.
  3. Different indicators can be used to measure how China has changed over time.
  4. China’s political system affects some of the rights and freedom that Chinese people have.

Keywords

  • Economy - the way money in a particular area is made and spent

  • Income - money received for work, either informal or on a regular basis, or from investments

  • Poverty - not having enough money to afford basic human needs such as food, clothing or somewhere to live

  • Inequality - when something is not shared evenly between everyone

Common misconception

A country is called a global superpower if it has a lot of money.

A global superpower is used to describe a country that has a lot of power or influence over other countries and places in the world. Different factors make a global superpower powerful such as economic, cultural, population and resources.


To help you plan your year 7 geography lesson on: Evaluating China's status as a global superpower, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Learners could collaborate in groups for Task A. The activity could be made less challenging by using a selection of the questions instead of the full set.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the capital city of China?
Shanghai
Correct answer: Beijing
Guangzhou
Hong Kong
Q2.
Which desert is located in the northern part of China?
Sahara
Kalahari
Correct answer: Gobi Desert
Atacama
Q3.
Which of these is an important industry in China?
Car manufacturing
Textile production
Technology and electronics
Correct answer: All of the above
Q4.
What is a challenge caused by China’s ageing population?
Too many young workers
Correct answer: Fewer young people to support older generations
Rising birth rates
Not enough people moving to cities
Q5.
What was the One-Child Policy?
A law encouraging large families
A policy for education
A rule about owning pets
Correct answer: A rule limiting most families to one child
Q6.
What is the approximate population of China?
800 million
500 million
2.1 billion
Correct answer: 1.4 billion

4 Questions

Q1.
What is an economy?
A system of government.
The study of geography.
Correct answer: The system by which goods and services are produced, sold, and bought.
A type of business.
Q2.
What is extreme poverty?
A lack of access to clean water.
Correct answer: Living on less than $1.90 a day.
A lack of access to education.
Having no access to technology.
Q3.
Which sector has China been rapidly investing in to strengthen its global influence?
Correct answer: Technology and innovation
Agriculture
Oil and gas extraction
Shipping
Q4.
What does it mean for a country to be considered a global superpower?
It has a lot of money.
It has a large population.
Correct answer: It has significant influence economically, politically, and militarily.
It has a high standard of living.