Provinces of the People's Republic of China

Submitted by editor on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 22:47

Provinces of the People's Republic of China

formally
Provincial level divisions

省级行政区

省級行政區

Transcriptions
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin	Shěng Jí Xíngzhèngqū

first alternative Chinese name

Chinese

省

Transcriptions
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin	Shěng

This article is part of the series:
Administrative divisions of the
People's Republic of China

Provincial level

Provinces
(省; shěng)

Autonomous regions
(自治区; zìzhìqū)

Municipalities
(直辖市; zhíxiáshì)

Special administrative regions
(特别行政区; tèbié xíngzhèngqū)

Prefectural level

Prefectures
(地区; dìqū)

Autonomous prefectures
(自治州; zīzhìzhōu)
Sub-provincial autonomous prefectures

Prefecture-level cities
(地级市; dìjíshì)
Sub-provincial cities
Sub-provincial new areas

Leagues
(盟; méng)

County level

Counties
(县; xiàn)

Autonomous counties
(自治县; zìzhìxiàn)

County-level cities
(县级市; xiànjíshì)
Sub-prefecture-level cities

City districts
(市辖区; shìxiáqū)
Ethnic districts

Banners
(旗; qí)

Autonomous banners
(自治旗; zìzhìqí)

Forestry areas
(林区; línqū)

Special districts
(特区; tèqū)

Township level

Townships
(乡; xiāng)

Ethnic townships
(民族乡; mínzúxiāng)

Towns
(镇; zhèn)

Subdistricts
(街道办事处; jiēdào bànshìchù)

Sumus
(苏木; sūmù)

Ethnic sumus
(民族苏木; mínzúsūmù)

District public offices (abolishing)
(区公所; qū gōngsuǒ)

Village level

Village Committees
(村民委员会; cūnmín-wěiyuánhùi)

Neighborhood Committees
(居民委员会; jūmín-wěiyuánhùi)

History of the political divisions of China

A province, in the context of Chinese government, is a translation of sheng formally provincial level divisions, which is an administrative division. Together with municipalities, autonomous regions, and the special administrative regions, provinces make up the provincial level (first level) of administrative division of People's Republic of China (PRC or commonly "China" for short). The PRC claims Taiwan (Republic of China) as a first-level province, though Taiwan is actually a self-governing democracy that has never recognised the claim. A "first-level province" is considered to be a province that was administered by the Republic of China between 1912 and 1949 that is not today administered by the PRC.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) currently administers 22 provinces, 4 municipalities, 5 autonomous regions and 2 special administrative regions. The PRC also asserts herself as the sole legitimate representative of all of China, but does not administer, Taiwan as a 23rd province. The Republic of China (ROC) administers Taiwan, as well as some offshore islands including Kinmen and Matsu, which form Fujian Province, Republic of China and was part of an originally unified Fujian province, but since 1949 divided between PRC and ROC after the Chinese Civil War.

In the People's Republic of China, every province has a Communist Party of China provincial committee, headed by a secretary. The committee secretary is in charge of the province, rather than the governor of the provincial government.

1 Types of provincial level divisions
2 Map and list of provincial level divisions
3 History
- 3.1 List of former Provincial level divisions
4 Economy
6 See also

Types of provincial level divisions

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").

Municipality

Main article: Direct-controlled municipality of the People's Republic of China

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 practise, their political status are higher than common provinces.

Autonomous region

Main article: Autonomous regions of the People's Republic of China

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

Main article: Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China

Special administrative region (SAR) (特别行政区; tèbiéxíngzhèngqū)— A highly autonomous and self-governing subnational subject of the People's Republic of China. Each SAR has a provincial level 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.

Map and list of provincial level divisions

**Provincial level divisions of the People's Republic of China**
ISO	Division name	S. Hanzi	Provincial seat	Population¹	Density²	Area³	Type	Abbr.	Pinyin
CN-11	Beijing	北京市	Dongcheng District	19,612,368	1,167.40	16,800	Municipality	京 jīng	Běijīng
CN-12	Tianjin	天津市	Heping District	12,938,224	1,144.46	11,305	Municipality	津 jīn	Tiānjīn
CN-13	Hebei	河北省	Shijiazhuang	71,854,202	382.81	187,700	Province	冀 jì	Héběi
CN-14	Shanxi	山西省	Taiyuan	35,712,111	228.48	156,300	Province	晋 jìn	Shānxī
CN-15	Inner Mongolia (Nei Mongol)	內蒙古自治区	Hohhot	24,706,321	20.88	1,183,000	Autonomous region	蒙 měng	Nèiměnggǔ
CN-21	Liaoning	辽宁省	Shenyang	43,746,323	299.83	145,900	Province	辽 liáo	Liáoníng
CN-22	Jilin	吉林省	Changchun	27,462,297	146.54	187,400	Province	吉 jí	Jílín
CN-23	Heilongjiang	黑龙江省	Harbin	38,312,224	84.38	454,000	Province	黑 hēi	Hēilóngjiāng
CN-31	Shanghai	上海市	Huangpu District	23,019,148	3,630.20	6,341	Municipality	沪 hù	Shànghǎi
CN-32	Jiangsu	江苏省	Nanjing	78,659,903	766.66	102,600	Province	苏 sū	Jiāngsū
CN-33	Zhejiang	浙江省	Hangzhou	54,426,891	533.59	102,000	Province	浙 zhè	Zhèjiāng
CN-34	Anhui	安徽省	Hefei	59,500,510	425.91	139,700	Province	皖 wǎn	Ānhuī
CN-35	Fujian	福建省	Fuzhou	36,894,216	304.15	121,300	Province	闽 mǐn	Fújiàn
CN-36	Jiangxi	江西省	Nanchang	44,567,475	266.87	167,000	Province	赣 gàn	Jiāngxī
CN-37	Shandong	山东省	Jinan	95,793,065	622.84	153,800	Province	鲁 lǔ	Shāndōng
CN-41	Henan	河南省	Zhengzhou	94,023,567	563.01	167,000	Province	豫 yù	Hénán
CN-42	Hubei	湖北省	Wuhan	57,237,740	307.89	185,900	Province	鄂 è	Húběi
CN-43	Hunan	湖南省	Changsha	65,683,722	312.77	210,000	Province	湘 xiāng	Húnán
CN-44	Guangdong	广东省	Guangzhou	104,303,132	579.46	180,000	Province	粤 yuè	Guǎngdōng
CN-45	Guangxi	广西壮族自治区	Nanning	46,026,629	195.02	236,000	Autonomous region	桂 guì	Guǎngxī
CN-46	Hainan	海南省	Haikou	8,671,518	255.04	34,000	Province	琼 qióng	Hǎinán
CN-50	Chongqing	重庆市	Yuzhong District	28,846,170	350.50	82,300	Municipality	渝 yú	Chóngqìng
CN-51	Sichuan	四川省	Chengdu	80,418,200	165.81	485,000	Province	川 chuān	Sìchuān
CN-52	Guizhou	贵州省	Guiyang	34,746,468	197.42	176,000	Province	黔 qián	Gùizhōu
CN-53	Yunnan	云南省	Kunming	45,966,239	116.66	394,000	Province	滇 diān	Yúnnán
CN-54	Tibet (Xizang)	西藏自治区	Lhasa	3,002,166	2.44	1,228,400	Autonomous region	藏 zàng	Xīzàng
CN-61	Shaanxi	陕西省	Xi'an	37,327,378	181.55	205,600	Province	陕 shǎn	Shǎnxī
CN-62	Gansu	甘肃省	Lanzhou	25,575,254	56.29	454,300	Province	甘 gān	Gānsù
CN-63	Qinghai	青海省	Xining	5,626,722	7.80	721,200	Province	青 qīng	Qīnghǎi
CN-64	Ningxia	宁夏回族自治区	Yinchuan	6,301,350	94.89	66,400	Autonomous region	宁 níng	Níngxià
CN-65	Xinjiang	新疆维吾尔自治区	Ürümqi	21,813,334	13.13	1,660,400	Autonomous region	新 xīn	Xīnjiāng
CN-91	Hong Kong (Xianggang)	香港特别行政区	none	7,061,200	6,396.01	1,104	SAR	港 gǎng	Xiānggǎng
CN-92	Macau (Aomen)	澳门特别行政区	none	552,300	19,044.82	29	SAR	澳 ào	Àomén
CN-71	Taiwan †	台湾省	Taibei	23,140,000	650.34	35,581	Province	台 tái	Táiwān

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 which it governs as part of Taiwan Area, consisting of Taiwan island, Penghu, as well as Kinmen and Matsu locate off the coast of mainland Fujian Province, Republic of China.

History

See also: History of the political divisions of China

Administrative divisions of the Republic of China. Note: this map depicts the theoretical administrative divisions of the Republic of China, which are not synchronized with the actual administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China. The ROC controls Taiwan and nearby islands while the PRC controls Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

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:

Anhui
Fujian
Gansu
Guangdong
Guangxi
Guizhou
Henan
Hubei
Hunan

Jiangsu
Jiangxi
Shaanxi
Shandong
Shanxi
Sichuan
Yunnan
Zhejiang
Zhili

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 4 more provinces in Inner Mongolia and 2 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 Provincial level divisions

List of former province-level subdivisions

Division	Chinese	abbreviation	Capital	Administration period	Type	belongs today to
Andong	安东 Āndōng	安 Ān	Tonghua 通化	1934–1939, 1945–1949	Province	today part of Liaoning and Jilin In 1949 it became Liaodong
Anshan	鞍山 Ānshān	鞍 Ān	Tiedong District 铁东区	1949–1954	Municipality	today part of Liaoning
Benxi	本溪 Běnxī	本 Běn	Pingshan District 平山区	1949–1954	Municipality	today part of Liaoning
Chahar	察哈爾 Cháhāěr	察 Chá	Zhangyuan 张垣	1928–1936, 1945–1952	Province	today part of Inner Mongolia
Changchun	长春 Chángchūn	春 Chūn	Nanguan District 南关区	1953–1954	Municipality	today part of Jilin
Changdu (Qamdo)	昌都 Chāngdū	昌 Chāng	Changdu Town 昌都镇	1949–1965	Territory	today part of Tibet
Chuanbei	川北 Chuānběi	充 Chōng	Nanchong 南充	1950-1952	Administrative territory	today part of Sichuan
Chuandong	川东 Chuāndōng	渝 Yú	Chongqing 重庆	1950-1952	Administrative territory	today part of Sichuan
Chuannan	川南 Chuānnán	泸 Lú	Luzhou 泸州	1950-1952	Administrative territory	today part of Sichuan
Chuanxi	川西 Chuānxī	蓉 Róng	Chengdu 成都	1950-1952	Administrative territory	today part of Sichuan
Dalian	大连 Dàlián	连 Lián	Xigang District 西岗区	1927–1949, 1950–1954	Municipality	today part of Liaoning
Fengtian	奉天 Fèngtiān	奉 Fèng	Shengjing 盛京	1911–1929	Province	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	抚顺 Fǔshùn	抚 Fǔ	Shuncheng District 顺城区	1949–1954	Municipality	today part of Liaoning
Guangzhou	广州 Guǎngzhōu	穗 Suì	Yuexiu District 越秀区	1927–1954	Municipality	today part of Guangdong
Hankou	汉口 Hànkǒu	汉 Hàn	Jiang'an District 江岸区	1927–1949	Municipality	today part of Hubei In 1949 it merge with Hanyang and Wuchang to form Wuhan
Harbin	哈尔滨 Hāěrbīn	哈 Hā	Nangang District 南岗区	1927–1949, 1953–1954	Municipality	today part of Heilongjiang
Hejiang	合江 Héjiāng	合 Hé	Jiamusi 佳木斯	1945–1948	Province	today part of Heilongjiang In 1948 it became part of Songjiang
Liaobei	遼北 Liáoběi	洮 Tāo	Liaoyuan 辽源	1947–1949	Province	today part of Inner Mongolia
Liaodong	辽东 Liáoodōng	关 Guān	Andong 安东	1949–1954	Province	today part of eastern Liaoning
Liaoxi	辽西 Liáoxī	辽 Liáo	Jinzhou 锦州	1949–1954	Province	today part of western Liaoning and Jilin
Nenjiang	嫩江 Nènjiāng	嫩 Nèn	Qiqihar 齐齐哈尔	1947–1950	Province	today part of Heilongjiang In 1949 it merged with Xing'an In 1950 it merged with Heilongjiang
Mudanjiang	牡丹江 Mǔdānjiāng	丹 Dān	Mudanjiang 牡丹江	1946–1948	Province	today mostly part of Heilongjiang In 1948 it became Songjiang
Nanjing	南京 Nánjīng	京(1927) / 宁(1949) Jīng / Níng	Xuanwu District 玄武区	1927–1952	Municipality	today part of Jiangsu
Mongolia (Outer)	蒙古 Měnggǔ	蒙 Měng	Kulun 库伦	1911–1921	Area	today part of the country of Mongolia
Pingyuan	平原 Píngyuán	平 Píng	Xinxiang 新乡	1949–1952	Province	today part of Hebei and Henan
Qingdao	青岛 Qīngdǎo	青 Qīng	Shinan District 市南区	1927–1949	Municipality	today part of Shandong
Rehe	熱河 Rèhé	熱 Rè	Chengde 承德	1928–1955	Province	today mostly part of Hebei
Shenyang	沈阳 Shěnyáng	沈 Shěn	Shenhe District 沈河区	1929–1954	Municipality	today part of Liaoning
Songjiang	松江 Sōngjiāng	松 Sōng	Mudanjiang 牡丹江	1948–1950	Province	today part of Heilongjiang In 1948 it merge with Hejiang In 1950 it became Heilongjiang
Subei	苏北 Sūběi	扬 Yáng	Yangzhou 扬州	1950–1952	Administrative territory	today part of Jiangsu
Suiyuan	绥宁 Suīyuǎn	綏 Suī	Guisui 归绥	1946–1947	Province	today part of Inner Mongolia
Sunan	苏南 Sūnán	锡 Xī	Wuxi 无锡	1950–1952	Administrative territory	today part of Jiangsu
Wanbei	皖北 Wǎnběi	合 or 庐 Hé or Lú	Hefei 合肥	1950–1952	Administrative territory	today part of Anhui
Wannan	皖南 Wǎnnán	芜	Wuhu 芜湖	1950–1952	Administrative territory	today part of Anhui
Wuhan	武汉 Wǔhàn	汉 Hàn	Jiang'an District 江岸区	1927–1949	Municipality	today part of Hubei
Xi'an	西安 Xī'ān	鎬 Hào	Weiyang District 未央区	1927–1954	Municipality	today part of Shaanxi
Xikang	西康 Xīkāng	康 Kāng	Kangding 康定	1939–1955	Province	Its western part today belongs to Tibet, its eastern part to Sichuan.
Xing'an	兴安 Xīng'ān	兴 Xīng	Hailar 海拉尔	1947–1949	Province	today part of Heilongjiang and Liaoning In 1949 it became part of Nenjiang
Zhili	直隶 Zhílì	直 Zhí	Tianjin 天津	1911–1928	Province	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.

Economy

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

^ 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, http://www.gov.cn/test/2005-06/15/content_18253.htm, retrieved 5 June 2010
^ Chapter II : Relationship between the Central Authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Article 12, http://www.basiclaw.gov.hk/en/basiclawtext/chapter_2.html, retrieved 5 June 2010
^ Chapter II Relationship between the Central Authorities and the Macao Special Administrative Region, Article 12, http://bo.io.gov.mo/bo/i/1999/leibasica/index_uk.asp#c2, retrieved 5 June 2010
^ References and details on data provided in the table can be found within the individual provincial articles.
^ ISO 3166-2:CN (ISO 3166-2 codes for the provinces of China)

Provincial level divisions of the People's Republic 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 (Nei Mongol) • Ningxia • Tibet (Xizang) • Xinjiang

Municipalities	Beijing • Chongqing • Shanghai • Tianjin

Special Administrative Regions	Hong Kong • Macau

Territorial disputes	Paracel, Spratly, Zhongsha Islands (see Paracels, Spratlys, & Zhongsha Iss. Authority) • Pratas Islands • Senkaku Islands • South Tibet • Taiwan, Kinmen & Matsu (see Legal status of Taiwan)

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