5 Chinatowns of the World

As we all know, China is the largest country in the world in terms of population. It's no surprise then that they also have a large number of Chinese people living in countries around the world. According to the latest figures from Wikipedia, there are 39,379,000 Chinese people living in countries other than China.

"The Street of the Tang People", is a rough translation of the word "Chinatown". Tang refers to the Tang Dynasty. This Dynasty is regarded by historians and people who study cultures as one of the greatest in the Chinese civilization.

The beginnings of the Chinatowns around the world were not started by the Chinese people because they wanted this arrangement. They were started because the country in which they lived forced them to live in small, isolated communities because of racial segregation. To lessen the effects of discrimination, the Chinese people created their own area that was much like their homeland. This gave them a sense of community to all of them who were away from their native land.

You would be hard pressed not to find a Chinatown in every large city in the world. They vary in size from a few streets to a bustling city within a city.

Go to any Chinatown in the world and you are treated to a visit to a foreign country: China. You see shimmering silks, exotic spices, and culinary delights to sample that you won't experience anywhere else. As you wander along the streets of any Chinatown, you'll see many samples of Chinese culture: dragons, paper lanterns, pagoda-style arches, and beautiful temples.

Here's a list of 5 of the best Chinatowns in the world.

San Francisco, California: This is the largest Chinatown on the West Coast and a big tourist attraction. The history of this famous Chinatown dates back to the gold rush days of the mid 1800s. The Chinese immigrants built laundries and restaurants for the growing city during those boom years. Today the area is about eight blocks long and lined with small exotic shops and narrow streets.

New York City, New York: This is the granddaddy of all Chinatowns in America. It takes up two square miles in lower Manhattan. Chinese sailors and traders founded this community in the mid 18th century. During the California gold rush, large numbers of Chinese immigrants arrived in the U.S. and the population of the New York Chinatown grew rapidly. You'll find numerous restaurants and open air markets and shops selling all kinds of Chinese favorites from silks to herbal products.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Not far from New York is another Chinatown. The first semblance of a Chinatown started with an opening of a laundry at Tenth and Race Street in 1870. It has since grown to a thriving city within a city. The Pennsylvania Convention Center is basically within Chinatown. One of the famous landmarks of this Chinatown is the "Friendship Arch". This is an ornate paifang, a Chinese architectural form like an arch. While there are many paifangs in other Chinatowns, the one here is more elaborately decorated than the others. Chinese sights and sounds await all who visit here.

Melbourne, Australia: Like so many Chinatowns, this also dates back to the gold rush days of the mid 19th century. It's more a combination of Chinese and Japanese with some Korean and Thai thrown in for good measure. Nighttime is especially dazzling as the decorative streetlights and lanterns are all lit with glowing beauty.

Toronto, Canada: In 1870's another Chinese laundry stated this Chinatown. There are actually six Chinatowns in the metro area of Toronto. There are countless restaurants and shops galore offering you the latest in electronic gadgets and the more typical Chinese products of jade necklaces and glazed porcelain tea sets.

During the Chinese New Year, typically in mid February, is an excellent time to visit the Chinatown of your choice. The spirit of the Chinese people comes to life during this most joyous holiday.