Han Dynasty China

The Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) established the cultural and political foundations of Chinese civilisation. Its population peaked at 60 million, and it introduced the civil service exam, paper manufacturing, and the Silk Road—a trade network spanning 6,400 km. Today, 92% of China's population identifies as Han Chinese, a direct link to this era. Han innovations in governance persisted until 1912, 2,000 years later.