Provinces of China

*formally*
Provincial level divisions
formally; Provincial level divisions
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	省级行政区
Traditional Chinese	省級行政區
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Shěng Jí Xíngzhèngqū
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese	省
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Shěng
Tibetan name
Tibetan	ཞིང་ཆེན།
Zhuang name
Zhuang	Swngj
Mongolian name
Mongolian script	ᠮᠤᠶᠶ
Uyghur name
Uyghur	ئۆلكە‎

A province (sheng), formally provincial level division, is the highest-level Chinese administrative division. There are 33 such divisions, classified as 22 provinces, four municipalities, five autonomous regions, and two special administrative regions.^[1]

Additionally, the PRC claims sovereignty over the territory administered by the Republic of China (ROC), claiming most of it as its Taiwan Province. The ROC also administers some offshore islands which form Fujian Province, ROC. These were part of an originally unified Fujian province, which since the stalemate of the Chinese Civil War in 1949 has been divided between the PRC and ROC.

Every province has a Communist Party of China provincial committee, headed by a secretary beside the two special administrative regions. The committee secretary is in charge of the province, rather than the governor of the provincial government.^{[citation needed]}

Types of province

Municipality

Municipality (直辖市; zhíxiáshì): A higher level of city which is directly under the Chinese government, with status equal to that of the provinces. In practice, their political status are higher than common provinces.

Province

Province (省; shěng): A standard provincial government is nominally led by a provincial committee, headed by a secretary. The committee secretary is first-in-charge of the province, come in second is the governor of the provincial government.

The People's Republic of China claims the island of Taiwan and its surrounding islets, including Penghu, as "Taiwan Province". (Kinmen and the Matsu Islands are claimed by the PRC as part of its Fujian Province. Pratas and Itu Aba are claimed by the PRC as part of Guangdong and Hainan provinces respectively.) The territory is controlled by the Republic of China (ROC, commonly called "Taiwan").

Autonomous region

Autonomous region (自治区; zìzhìqū): A minority subject which has a higher population of a particular minority ethnic group along with its own local government, but an autonomous region theoretically has more legislative rights than in actual practice. The governor of the Autonomous Regions is usually appointed from the respective minority ethnic group.

Special administrative region (SAR)

Special administrative region (SAR) (特別行政區; tèbiéxíngzhèngqū): A highly autonomous and self-governing subnational subject of the People's Republic of China that is directly under the Central People's Government. Each SAR has a provincial level^[2]^[3]^[4] chief executive as head of the region and head of government. The region's government is not fully independent, as foreign policy and military defence are the responsibility of the central government, according to the basic laws.

List of provincial-level divisions

GB^[5]	ISO №^[6]	Province	Chinese Name	Capital	Population¹	Density²	Area³	Abbreviation/Symbol
Jīng	11	Beijing Municipality	北京市 Běijīng Shì	Beijing	19,612,368	1,167.40	16,800	BJ	京
Jīn	12	Tianjin Municipality	天津市 Tiānjīn Shì	Tianjin	12,938,224	1,144.46	11,305	TJ	津
Jì	13	Hebei Province	河北省 Héběi Shěng	Shijiazhuang	71,854,202	382.81	187,700	HE	冀
Jìn	14	Shanxi Province	山西省 Shānxī Shěng	Taiyuan	35,712,111	228.48	156,300	SX	晋
Měng (Nèi Měnggǔ)	15	Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Nei Mongol Autonomous Region	內蒙古自治区 Nèi Měnggǔ Zìzhìqū	Hohhot	24,706,321	20.88	1,183,000	NM	蒙(內蒙古)
Liáo	21	Liaoning Province	辽宁省 Liáoníng Shěng	Shenyang	43,746,323	299.83	145,900	LN	辽
Jí	22	Jilin Province	吉林省 Jílín Shěng	Changchun	27,462,297	146.54	187,400	JL	吉
Hēi	23	Heilongjiang Province	黑龙江省 Hēilóngjiāng	Harbin	38,312,224	84.38	454,000	HL	黑
Hù	31	Shanghai Municipality	上海市 Shànghǎi Shì	Shanghai	23,019,148	3,630.20	6,341	SH	沪
Sū	32	Jiangsu Province	江苏省 Jiāngsū Shěng	Nanjing	78,659,903	766.66	102,600	JS	苏
Zhè	33	Zhejiang Province	浙江省 Zhèjiāng Shěng	Hangzhou	54,426,891	533.59	102,000	ZJ	浙
Wǎn	34	Anhui Province	安徽省 Ānhuī Shěng	Hefei	59,500,510	425.91	139,700	AH	皖
Mǐn	35	Fujian Province	福建省 Fújiàn Shěng	Fuzhou	36,894,216	304.15	121,300	FJ	闽
Gàn	36	Jiangxi Province	江西省 Jiāngxī Shěng	Nanchang	44,567,475	266.87	167,000	JX	赣
Lǔ (Qí)	37	Shandong Province	山东省 Shāndōng Shěng	Jinan	95,793,065	622.84	153,800	SD	鲁(齐)
Yù	41	Henan Province	河南省 Hénán Shěng	Zhengzhou	94,023,567	563.01	167,000	HA	豫
È	42	Hubei Province	湖北省 Húběi Shěng	Wuhan	57,237,740	307.89	185,900	HB	鄂
Xiāng	43	Hunan Province	湖南省 Húnán Shěng	Changsha	65,683,722	312.77	210,000	HN	湘
Yuè	44	Guangdong Province	广东省 Guǎngdōng Shěng	Guangzhou	104,303,132	579.46	180,000	GD	粤
Guì	45	Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region	广西壮族自治区 Guǎngxī Zhuàngzú Zìzhìqū	Nanning	46,026,629	195.02	236,000	GX	桂
Qióng	46	Hainan Province	海南省 Hǎinán Shěng	Haikou	8,671,518	255.04	34,000	HI	琼
Yú	50	Chongqing Municipality	重庆市 Chóngqìng Shì	Chongqing	28,846,170	350.50	82,300	CQ	渝
Chuān (Shǔ)	51	Sichuan Province	四川省 Sìchuān Shěng	Chengdu	80,418,200	165.81	485,000	SC	川(蜀)
Guì (Qián)	52	Guizhou Province	贵州省 Gùizhōu Shěng	Guiyang	34,746,468	197.42	176,000	GZ	贵(黔)
Yún (Diān)	53	Yunnan Province	云南省 Yúnnán Shěng	Kunming	45,966,239	116.66	394,000	YN	云(滇)
Zàng	54	Tibet Autonomous Region Xizang Autonomous Region	西藏自治区 Xīzàng Zìzhìqū	Lhasa	3,002,166	2.44	1,228,400	XZ	藏
Shǎn (Qín)	61	Shaanxi Province	陕西省 Shǎnxī Shěng	Xi'an	37,327,378	181.55	205,600	SN	陕(秦)
Gān (Lǒng)	62	Gansu Province	甘肃省 Gānsù Shěng	Lanzhou	25,575,254	56.29	454,300	GS	甘(陇)
Qīng	63	Qinghai Province	青海省 Qīnghǎi Shěng	Xining	5,626,722	7.80	721,200	QH	青
Níng	64	Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region	宁夏回族自治区 Níngxià Huízú Zìzhìqū	Yinchuan	6,301,350	94.89	66,400	NX	宁
Xīn	65	Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region	新疆维吾尔自治区 Xīnjiāng Wéiwú'ěr Zìzhìqū	Ürümqi	21,813,334	13.13	1,660,400	XJ	新
Gǎng	91	Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Xianggang Special Administrative Region	香港特别行政区 Xiānggǎng Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū	Hong Kong	7,061,200	6,396.01	1,104	HK	港
Ào	92	Macau Special Administrative Region Aomen Special Administrative Region	澳门特别行政区 Àomén Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū	Macau	552,300	19,044.82	29	MC	澳
Tái	71	Taiwan Province †	台湾省 Táiwān Shěng	Taibei	23,140,000	650.34	35,581	TW	台

Notes:

¹: as of 2010

²: per km²

³: km²

†: Since its founding in 1949, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has considered Taiwan to be its 23rd province. However, the PRC has never controlled Taiwan. The Republic of China (ROC, "Taiwan") currently administers Taiwan Area, consisting of the island of Taiwan, Penghu, as well as Kinmen and Matsu located off the coast of mainland Fujian Province, Republic of China.

Map

History

The rulers of China first set up provinces—initially 10 in number—during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). By the time of the establishment of the Qing Dynasty in 1644 there were 18 provinces, all of them in China proper. These were:

Each province had a xunfu (巡撫; translated as "governor"), a political overseer on behalf of the emperor, and a tidu (提督; translated as "Captain General"), a military governor. In addition, there was a zongdu (總督), a general military inspector or governor general, for every two to three provinces.

Outer regions of China (those beyond China proper) were not divided into provinces. Military leaders or generals (將軍) oversaw Manchuria (consisting of Fengtian (now Liaoning), Jilin, Heilongjiang), Xinjiang, and Mongolia, while vice-dutong (副都統) and civilian leaders headed the leagues (盟長), a subdivision of Mongolia. The ambans (驻藏大臣) supervised the administration of Tibet.

In 1884 Xinjiang became a province; in 1907 Fengtian, Jilin, and Heilongjiang were made provinces as well. Taiwan became a province in 1885, but China ceded Taiwan to Japan in 1895. As a result, there were 22 provinces in China (Outer China and China proper) near the end of the Qing Dynasty.

The Republic of China, established in 1912, set up four more provinces in Inner Mongolia and two provinces in historic Tibet, bringing the total to 28. But China lost four provinces with the establishment of the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo in Manchuria. After the defeat of Japan in World War II in 1945, China re-incorporated Manchuria as 10 provinces, and assumed control of Taiwan as a province. As a result, the Republic of China in 1946 had 35 provinces. Although the Republic of China now only controls one province (Taiwan), and some islands of a second province (Fujian), it continues to formally claim all 35 provinces.

List of former provinces

List of former province-level subdivisions

Division	Chinese	abbreviation	Capital	Administration period	belongs today to
Andong Province	安东 Āndōng	安 Ān	Tonghua 通化	1934–1939, 1945–1949	today part of Liaoning and Jilin In 1949 it became Liaodong
Anshan Municipality	鞍山 Ānshān	鞍 Ān	none	1949–1954	today part of Liaoning
Benxi Municipality	本溪 Běnxī	本 Běn	none	1949–1954	today part of Liaoning
Chahar Province	察哈爾 Cháhāěr	察 Chá	Zhangyuan 张垣	1928–1936, 1945–1952	today part of Inner Mongolia
Changchun Municipality	长春 Chángchūn	春 Chūn	none	1953–1954	today part of Jilin
Changdu Territory (Qamdo Territory)	昌都 Chāngdū	昌 Chāng	Changdu Town 昌都镇	1949–1965	today part of Tibet
Chuanbei Administrative Territory	川北 Chuānběi	充 Chōng	Nanchong 南充	1950–1952	today part of Sichuan
Chuandong Administrative Territory	川东 Chuāndōng	渝 Yú	Chongqing 重庆	1950–1952	today part of Sichuan
Chuannan Administrative Territory	川南 Chuānnán	泸 Lú	Luzhou 泸州	1950–1952	today part of Sichuan
Chuanxi Administrative Territory	川西 Chuānxī	蓉 Róng	Chengdu 成都	1950–1952	today part of Sichuan
Dalian Municipality	大连 Dàlián	连 Lián	none	1927–1949, 1950–1954	today part of Liaoning
Fengtian Province	奉天 Fèngtiān	奉 Fèng	Shengjing 盛京	1911–1929	today part of Liaoning. The former name of Liaoning province from 1907 to 1929. Under the Manchukuo regime, the name was revived, but was again abolished in 1945.
Fushun Municipality	抚顺 Fǔshùn	抚 Fǔ	none	1949–1954	today part of Liaoning
Guangzhou Municipality	广州 Guǎngzhōu	穗 Suì	none	1927–195	today part of Guangdong
Hankou Municipality	汉口 Hànkǒu	汉 Hàn	none	1927–1949	today part of Hubei In 1949 it merged with Hanyang and Wuchang to form Wuhan
Harbin Municipality	哈尔滨 Hāěrbīn	哈 Hā	none	1927–1949, 1953–1954	today part of Heilongjiang
Hejiang Province	合江 Héjiāng	合 Hé	Jiamusi 佳木斯	1945–1948	today part of Heilongjiang In 1948 it became part of Songjiang
Liaobei Province	遼北 Liáoběi	洮 Tāo	Liaoyuan 辽源	1947–1949	today part of Inner Mongolia
Liaodong Province	辽东 Liáoodōng	关 Guān	Andong 安东	1949–1954	today part of eastern Liaoning
Liaoxi Province	辽西 Liáoxī	辽 Liáo	Jinzhou 锦州	1949–1954	today part of western Liaoning and Jilin
Nenjiang Province	嫩江 Nènjiāng	嫩 Nèn	Qiqihar 齐齐哈尔	1947–1950	today part of Heilongjiang In 1949 it merged with Xing'an In 1950 it merged with Heilongjiang
Mudanjiang Province	牡丹江 Mǔdānjiāng	丹 Dān	Mudanjiang 牡丹江	1946–1948	today mostly part of Heilongjiang In 1948 it became Songjiang
Nanjing Municipality	南京 Nánjīng	京(1927) / 宁(1949) Jīng / Níng	none	1927–1952	today part of Jiangsu
Mongolia Area (Outer)	蒙古 Měnggǔ	蒙 Měng	Kulun 库伦	1911–1921	today part of the country of Mongolia
Pingyuan Province	平原 Píngyuán	平 Píng	Xinxiang 新乡	1949–1952	today part of Hebei and Henan
Qingdao Municipality	青岛 Qīngdǎo	青 Qīng	none	1927–1949	today part of Shandong
Rehe Province	熱河 Rèhé	熱 Rè	Chengde 承德	1928–1955	today mostly part of Hebei
Shenyang Municipality	沈阳 Shěnyáng	沈 Shěn	none	1929–1954	today part of Liaoning
Songjiang Province	松江 Sōngjiāng	松 Sōng	Mudanjiang 牡丹江	1948–1950	today part of Heilongjiang In 1948 it merged with Hejiang In 1950 it became Heilongjiang
Subei Administrative Territory	苏北 Sūběi	扬 Yáng	Yangzhou 扬州	1950–1952	today part of Jiangsu
Suiyuan Province	绥宁 Suīyuǎn	綏 Suī	Guisui 归绥	1946–1947	today part of Inner Mongolia
Sunan Administrative Territory	苏南 Sūnán	锡 Xī	Wuxi 无锡	1950–1952	today part of Jiangsu
Wanbei Administrative Territory	皖北 Wǎnběi	合 or 庐 Hé or Lú	Hefei 合肥	1950–1952	today part of Anhui
Wannan Administrative Territory	皖南 Wǎnnán	芜	Wuhu 芜湖	1950–1952	today part of Anhui
Wuhan Municipality	武汉 Wǔhàn	汉 Hàn	none	1927–1949	today part of Hubei
Xi'an Municipality	西安 Xī'ān	鎬 Hào	none	1927–1954	today part of Shaanxi
Xikang Province	西康 Xīkāng	康 Kāng	Kangding 康定	1939–1955	Its western part today belongs to Tibet, its eastern part to Sichuan.
Xing'an Province	兴安 Xīng'ān	兴 Xīng	Hailar 海拉尔	1947–1949	today part of Heilongjiang and Liaoning In 1949 it became part of Nenjiang
Zhili Province	直隶 Zhílì	直 Zhí	Tianjin 天津	1911–1928	today part of Hebei, Liaoning and the Inner Mongolia

The People's Republic of China abolished many of the provinces in the 1950s and converted a number of them into autonomous regions. Hainan became a separate province in 1988, bringing the total number of provinces under PRC control to 22.

Economies

The provinces in south coastal area of China—such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Fujian and (mainly) Guangdong—tend to be more industrialized, with regions in the hinterland less developed.

References

^ Administrative divisions of China
^ Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国行政区划; Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Xíngzhèng Qūhuà), 15 June, retrieved 5 June 2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
^ Chapter II : Relationship between the Central Authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Article 12, retrieved 5 June 2010
^ Chapter II Relationship between the Central Authorities and the Macao Special Administrative Region, Article 12, retrieved 5 June 2010
^ GB/T 2260 codes for the provinces of China
^ ISO 3166-2:CN (ISO 3166-2 codes for the provinces of China)

External links

Interactive WebMap with economic indicators over all provinces

[1] Administrative divisions of China

[2] Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国行政区划; Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Xíngzhèng Qūhuà), 15 June, retrieved 5 June 2010 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)

[3] Chapter II : Relationship between the Central Authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Article 12, retrieved 5 June 2010

[4] Chapter II Relationship between the Central Authorities and the Macao Special Administrative Region, Article 12, retrieved 5 June 2010

[5] GB/T 2260 codes for the provinces of China

[6] ISO 3166-2:CN (ISO 3166-2 codes for the provinces of China)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e Provincial-level divisions of China
Provinces	Anhui Fujian Gansu Guangdong Guizhou Hainan Hebei Heilongjiang Henan Hubei Hunan Jiangsu Jiangxi Jilin Liaoning Qinghai Shaanxi Shandong Shanxi Sichuan Yunnan Zhejiang
Autonomous regions	Guangxi Inner Mongolia Ningxia Tibet Xinjiang
Direct-administered municipalities	Beijing Chongqing Shanghai Tianjin
Special administrative regions	Hong Kong Macau
Disputed province	Taiwan¹
¹ Taiwan is claimed by the People's Republic of China but administered by the Republic of China (see political status of Taiwan).

v t e Articles on first-level administrative divisions of Asian countries
Sovereign states	Afghanistan Armenia² Azerbaijan¹ Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia China Cyprus² East Timor Egypt¹ Georgia¹ India Indonesia¹ Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan¹ North Korea province special city South Korea province provincial-level city Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russia¹ Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Thailand Turkey¹ Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen¹
States with limited recognition	Abkhazia² Northern Cyprus² Palestine South Ossetia² Taiwan
Table of administrative divisions by country ¹ Spans the conventional boundary between Asia and another continent. ² Considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons but is geographically in Western Asia.