Provinces of China

Provincial division 省份 Shěngfèn
Category	Unitary State
Location	People's Republic of China
Number	33 (& 1 claimed)
Populations	552,300 (Macau) – 104,303,132 (Guangdong)
Areas	31 km2 (12 sq mi) (Macau) – 730,000 km2 (280,000 sq mi) (Qinghai)
Government	Dual-Party Government SARs: 1 country, 2 systems
Subdivisions	Sub-provincial city, Prefecture

Province-level administrative divisions
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	省级行政区
Traditional Chinese	省級行政區
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shěng Jí Xíngzhèngqū
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese	省
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shěng
Tibetan name
Tibetan	ཞིང་ཆེན།
Transcriptions Wylie zhing chen
Zhuang name
Zhuang	Swngj
Mongolian name
Mongolian script	ᠮᠤᠵᠢ
Transcriptions SASM/GNC Moji
Uyghur name
Uyghur	ئۆلكە
Transcriptions Latin Yëziqi Ölke Yengi Yeziⱪ Ɵlkə SASM/GNC Öleä

This article is part of a series on
Administrative divisions of China
Provincial level (1st) Municipalities Provinces Autonomous regions Special administrative regions
Sub-provincial level Sub-provincial cities Sub-provincial autonomous prefectures Sub-provincial city districts
Prefectural level (2nd) Prefectural cities Autonomous prefectures Leagues Prefectures (abolishing)
Sub-prefectural-level Sub-prefectural cities Provincial-controlled cities Provincial-controlled counties Provincial-controlled districts
County level (3rd) Counties Autonomous counties County-level cities Districts Ethnic districts Banners Autonomous banners Shennongjia Forestry District Liuzhi Special District Wolong Special Administrative Region Workers and peasants districts (obsolete)
Analogous county level units Management areas Management committee
Township level (4th) Townships Ethnic townships Towns Subdistricts Subdistrict bureaux Sums Ethnic sums County-controlled districts County-controlled district bureaux (obsolete) Management committees Town-level city (pilot)
Analogous township level units Management areas Management committee Areas Farms area, Prison area, University towns etc.
Village level (5th) informal (Grassroots Autonomous Organizations) Villages · Gaqas Village Committees Residential communities Residential Committees
Other Regions Capital cities New areas Autonomous administrative divisions National Central Cities Special Economic Zones
History: before 1912, 1912–49, 1949–present Administrative division codes

Provinces (Chinese: 省; pinyin: Shěng), formally provincial-level administrative divisions (Chinese: 省级行政区; pinyin: Shěng Jí Xíngzhèngqū) or first-level administrative divisions (Chinese: 一级行政区; pinyin: Yī Jí Xíngzhèngqū), are the highest-level Chinese administrative divisions. There are 34 such divisions, classified as 23 provinces (including Taiwan Province, which is claimed but not actually controlled by the People's Republic of China), four municipalities, five autonomous regions, and two Special Administrative Regions.

The People's Republic of China (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.

Note that every province (except Hong Kong and Macau, the two special administrative regions) has a Communist Party of China provincial committee (Chinese: 省委; pinyin: shěng wěi), headed by a secretary (Chinese: 书记; pinyin: shūjì). The committee secretary is in effective charge of the province, rather than the nominal governor of the provincial government.

Province

The government of each standard province (Chinese: 省; pinyin: shěng) is nominally led by a provincial committee, headed by a secretary. The committee secretary is first-in-charge of the province; second-in-command 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").

Other types of province-level divisions

Municipality

Main article: Direct-controlled municipalities of China

A municipality (Chinese: 直辖市; pinyin: zhíxiáshì) or direct-controlled municipality is 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 is higher than that of common provinces.

Autonomous region

Main article: Autonomous regions of China

An autonomous region (simplified Chinese: 自治区; traditional Chinese: 自治區; pinyin: zìzhìqū) is 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 each autonomous region is usually appointed from the respective minority ethnic group.

Special administrative region (SAR)

Main article: Special administrative region

A special administrative region (SAR) (simplified Chinese: 特别行政区; traditional Chinese: 特別行政區; pinyin: tèbié xíngzhèngqū) is 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 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 province-level divisions

GB	ISO	Province	Chinese Hanyu Pinyin	Capital	Population1	Density2	Area3	Abbreviation4
BJ	CN-11	Beijing Municipality	北京市 Běijīng Shì	Beijing	19,612,368	1,167.40	16,800	京 Jīng
TJ	CN-12	Tianjin Municipality	天津市 Tiānjīn Shì	Tianjin	12,938,224	1,144.46	11,305	津 Jīn
HE	CN-13	Hebei Province	河北省 Héběi Shěng	Shijiazhuang	71,854,202	382.81	187,700	冀 Jì
SX	CN-14	Shanxi Province	山西省 Shānxī Shěng	Taiyuan	35,712,111	228.48	156,300	晋 Jìn
NM	CN-15	Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region	內蒙古自治区 Nèi Měnggǔ Zìzhìqū	Hohhot	24,706,321	20.88	1,183,000	內蒙古(蒙) Nèi Měnggǔ (Měng)
LN	CN-21	Liaoning Province	辽宁省 Liáoníng Shěng	Shenyang	43,746,323	299.83	145,900	辽 Liáo
JL	CN-22	Jilin Province	吉林省 Jílín Shěng	Changchun	27,462,297	146.54	187,400	吉 Jí
HL	CN-23	Heilongjiang Province	黑龙江省 Hēilóngjiāng Shěng	Harbin	38,312,224	84.38	454,000	黑 Hēi
SH	CN-31	Shanghai Municipality	上海市 Shànghǎi Shì	Shanghai	23,019,148	3,630.20	6,341	沪 Hù
JS	CN-32	Jiangsu Province	江苏省 Jiāngsū Shěng	Nanjing	78,659,903	766.66	102,600	苏 Sū
ZJ	CN-33	Zhejiang Province	浙江省 Zhèjiāng Shěng	Hangzhou	54,426,891	533.59	102,000	浙 Zhè
AH	CN-34	Anhui Province	安徽省 Ānhuī Shěng	Hefei	59,500,510	425.91	139,700	皖 Wǎn
FJ	CN-35	Fujian Province	福建省 Fújiàn Shěng	Fuzhou	36,894,216	304.15	121,300	闽 Mǐn
JX	CN-36	Jiangxi Province	江西省 Jiāngxī Shěng	Nanchang	44,567,475	266.87	167,000	赣 Gàn
SD	CN-37	Shandong Province	山东省 Shāndōng Shěng	Jinan	95,793,065	622.84	153,800	鲁 Lǔ
HA	CN-41	Henan Province	河南省 Hénán Shěng	Zhengzhou	94,023,567	563.01	167,000	豫 Yù
HB	CN-42	Hubei Province	湖北省 Húběi Shěng	Wuhan	57,237,740	307.89	185,900	鄂 È
HN	CN-43	Hunan Province	湖南省 Húnán Shěng	Changsha	65,683,722	312.77	210,000	湘 Xiāng
GD	CN-44	Guangdong Province	广东省 Guǎngdōng Shěng	Guangzhou	104,303,132	579.46	180,000	粤 Yuè
GX	CN-45	Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region	广西壮族自治区 Guǎngxī Zhuàngzú Zìzhìqū	Nanning	46,026,629	195.02	236,000	桂 Guì
HI	CN-46	Hainan Province	海南省 Hǎinán Shěng	Haikou	8,671,518	255.04	34,000	琼 Qióng
CQ	CN-50	Chongqing Municipality	重庆市 Chóngqìng Shì	Chongqing	28,846,170	350.50	82,300	渝 Yú
SC	CN-51	Sichuan Province	四川省 Sìchuān Shěng	Chengdu	80,418,200	165.81	485,000	川(蜀) Chuān (Shǔ)
GZ	CN-52	Guizhou Province	贵州省 Guìzhōu Shěng	Guiyang	34,746,468	197.42	176,000	贵(黔) Guì (Qián)
YN	CN-53	Yunnan Province	云南省 Yúnnán Shěng	Kunming	45,966,239	116.66	394,000	云(滇) Yún (Diān)
XZ	CN-54	Tibet Autonomous Region	西藏自治区 Xīzàng Zìzhìqū	Lhasa	3,002,166	2.44	1,228,400	藏 Zàng
SN	CN-61	Shaanxi Province	陕西省 Shǎnxī Shěng	Xi'an	37,327,378	181.55	205,600	陕(秦) Shǎn (Qín)
GS	CN-62	Gansu Province	甘肃省 Gānsù Shěng	Lanzhou	25,575,254	56.29	454,300	甘(陇) Gān (Lǒng)
QH	CN-63	Qinghai Province	青海省 Qīnghǎi Shěng	Xining	5,626,722	7.80	721,200	青 Qīng
NX	CN-64	Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region	宁夏回族自治区 Níngxià Huízú Zìzhìqū	Yinchuan	6,301,350	94.89	66,400	宁 Níng
XJ	CN-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	新 Xīn
HK	CN-916	Hong Kong Special Administrative Region	香港特别行政区 Xiānggǎng Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū	Hong Kong	7,061,200	6,396.01	1,104	港 Gǎng
MC	CN-927	Macau Special Administrative Region	澳门特别行政区 Àomén Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū	Macau	552,300	19,044.82	29	澳 Ào
TW	CN-71	Taiwan Province5	台湾省 Táiwān Shěng	Taipei	—	—	—	台 Tái

Notes:

¹: as of 2010

²: per km²

³: km²

⁴: Abbreviation in the parentheses is informal

⁵: Since 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. Taiwan (officially the Republic of China) currently administers Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. The subject of whether or not Taiwan is part of "China" is often debated, with no clear conclusion.

⁶: Has separate ISO 3166-2 code: HK

⁷: Has separate ISO 3166-2 code: MO

History

See also: History of the political divisions of China

Map of the PRC in 1949.

Map comparing administrative divisions as drawn by the PRC and ROC.

Administrative divisions of the Republic of China (1912–49). 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.

Yuan provinces

The rulers of China first set up provinces—initially 10 in number—during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) with the addition of the Central Region ruled by the Zhongshu Sheng (中書省) and the Tibetan Plateau ruled by the Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs (宣政院).

• Gansu (甘肅行省)
• Huguang (湖廣行省)
• Henanjiangbei (河南江北行省)
• Jiangxi (江西行省)
• Jiangzhe (江浙行省)
• Jiaozhi/Annan (交趾行省/安南行省) special province
• Jinghuzhancheng (荊湖占城行省) special province
• Liaoyang (遼陽行省)
• Lingbei (嶺北行省)
• Shaanxi (陝西行省)
• Sichuan (四川行省)
• Yunnan (雲南行省)
• Zhengdong (征東行省) special province
• Zhengmian (徵緬行省) special province

Ming provinces

The Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) kept the province system set up by the Yuan Dynasty, however, it divided the original 10 provinces into 16 provinces.

• Annan (安南省) 1407–1428
• Fujian (福建省)
• Guangdong (廣東省)
• Guangxi (廣西省)
• Guizhou (貴州省)
• Henan (河南省)
• Huguang (湖廣省)
• Jiangxi (江西省)
• Shaanxi (陝西省)
• Shandong (山東省)
• Shanxi (山西省)
• Sichuan (四川省)
• Yunnan (雲南省)
• Zhejiang (浙江省)
• Northern Zhili (北直隸省)
• Southern Zhili (南直隸省)

Qing provinces

By the time of the establishment of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) in 1644 there were 18 provinces, all of them in China proper.

• Anhui (安徽省)
• Fujian (福建省)
• Gansu (甘肅省)
• Guangdong (廣東省)
• Guangxi (廣西省)
• Guizhou (貴州省)
• Henan (河南省)
• Hubei (湖北省)
• Hunan (湖南省)
• Jiangsu (江蘇省)
• Jiangxi (江西省)
• Shaanxi (陝西省)
• Shandong (山東省)
• Shanxi (山西省)
• Sichuan (四川省)
• Yunnan (雲南省)
• Zhejiang (浙江省)
• Zhili (直隸省)

New provinces

• Xinjiang (新疆省) 1884–1912
• Fengtian (奉天省) 1907–1912
• Jilin (吉林省) 1907–1912
• Heilongjiang (黑龍江省) 1907–1912
• Taiwan (台灣省) 1885–1895

Each province had a xunfu (巡撫; xúnfǔ; translated as "governor"), a political overseer on behalf of the emperor, and a tidu (提督; tídū; translated as "captain general"), a military governor. In addition, there was a zongdu (總督; zǒngdū), 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; jiāngjūn) oversaw Manchuria (consisting of Fengtian (now Liaoning), Jilin, Heilongjiang), Xinjiang, and Mongolia, while vice-dutong (副都統; fù dūtǒng) and civilian leaders headed the leagues (盟長; méng zhǎng), a subdivision of Mongolia. The ambans (駐藏大臣; zhù cáng dàchén) 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.

ROC provinces (1912–1949)

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. In 1931, Ma Zhongying established Hexi in the northern parts of Gansu but the ROC never acknowledged the province. 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 (including those that no longer form part of the area of the People's Republic of China).

• Andong (安東省) 1947–1949
• Anhui (安徽省)
• Fujian (福建省)
• Gansu (甘肅省)
• Guangdong (廣東省)
• Guangxi (廣西省)
• Guizhou (貴州省)
• Heilongjiang (黑龍江省)
• Zhili (直隸省) renamed Hebei (河北省)
• Hejiang (合江省) 1947–1949
• Henan (河南省)
• Hexi (河西省) 1931, not acknowledged by ROC
• Hubei (湖北省)
• Hunan (湖南省)
• Jiangsu (江蘇省)
• Jiangxi (江西省)
• Jilin (吉林省)
• Liaobei (遼北省) 1947–1949
• Fengtian (奉天省) renamed Liaoning (遼寧省)
• Nenjiang (嫩江省) 1947–1949
• Ningxia (寧夏省) 1928–1949
• Qahar (察哈爾省) 1928–1949
• Qinghai (青海省) 1928–1949
• Rehe (熱河省) 1928–1949
• Shaanxi (陝西省)
• Shandong (山東省)
• Shanxi (山西省)
• Sichuan (四川省)
• Songjiang (松江省) 1947–1949
• Suiyuan (綏遠省) 1928–1949
• Taiwan (台灣省) 1945–1949
• Xing'an (興安省) 1947–1949
• Xikang (西康省) 1928–1949
• Xinjiang (新疆省)
• Yunnan (雲南省)
• Zhejiang (浙江省)

Other province-level divisions

• Chuanbian Special Administrative Region (川邊特別行政區) 1914–1935
• Dongsheng Special Region (東省特別行政區) 1923–1932
• Hainan Special Administrative Region (海南特別行政區) 1944–1949
• Qahar Special Administrative Region (察哈爾特別行政區) 1914–1928
• Rehe Special Administrative Region (熱河特別行政區) 1914–1928
• Suiyuan Special Administrative Region (綏遠特別行政區) 1914–1928
• Weihai Special Administrative Region (威海衛特別行政區) 1930–1945
• Mongolia Area (蒙古地方) 1928–1946
• Tibet Area (西藏地方) 1928–1949
• Beiping Yuan-controlled Municipality (北平市) 1928–1949
• Chongqing Yuan-controlled Municipality (重慶市) 1939–1949
• Dalian Yuan-controlled Municipality (大連市) 1945–1949
• Guangzhou Yuan-controlled Municipality (廣州市) 1930, 1947–1949
• Hankou Yuan-controlled Municipality (漢口市) 1927–1949
• Harbin Yuan-controlled Municipality (哈爾濱市) 1946–1949
• Nanjing Yuan-controlled Municipality (南京市) 1927–1949
• Qingdao Yuan-controlled Municipality (青島市) 1929–1949
• Shanghai Yuan-controlled Municipality (上海市) 1927–1949
• Shenyang Yuan-controlled Municipality (瀋陽市) 1947–1949
• Tianjin Yuan-controlled Municipality (天津市) 1928–1949
• Xi'an Yuan-controlled Municipality (西安市) 1948–1949

List of PRC province-level divisions

  abolished   claimed

Greater administrative areas

Name	Hanzi	Pinyin	Translation	Capital	Hanzi	Notes
Huabei	华北	Huáběi	"North China"	Beijing	北京	1949–1954
Dongbei	东北	Dōngběi	"Northeast"	Shenyang	沈阳	1949–1954
Huadong	华东	Huádōng	"East China"	Shanghai	上海	1949–1954
Zhongnan	中南	Zhōngnán	"South Central"	Wuhan	武汉	1949–1954
Xibei	西北	Xīběi	"Northwest"	Xi'an	西安	1949–1954
Xinan	西南	Xīnán	"Southwest"	Chongqing	重庆	1949–1954

Provinces

Name	Hanzi	Pinyin	Abbreviation	Capital	Hanzi	Note
Andong	安东	Āndōng	安 ān	Tonghua	通化	1949 abolished → Liaodong, Jilin
Anhui	安徽	Ānhuī	皖 wǎn	Hefei	合肥	1949 abolished → Wanbei, Wannan; 1952 reverted
Chahar	察哈尔	Cháhā'ěr	察 chá	Zhangjiakou	张家口	1952 abolished → Inner Mongolia, Hebei
Fujian	福建	Fújiàn	闽 mǐn	Fuzhou	福州
Gansu	甘肃	Gānsù	甘 gān	Lanzhou	兰州	1958 Ningxia split into its own autonomous region
Guangdong	广东	Guǎngdōng	粤 yuè	Guangzhou	广州	1952 & 1965 Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Beihai → Guangxi; 1955 reverted 1988 Hainan split into its own province
Guangxi	广西	Guǎngxī	桂 guì	Nanning	南宁	1958 province → autonomous region
Guizhou	贵州	Guìzhōu	黔 qián	Guiyang	贵阳
Hainan	海南	Hǎinán	琼 qióng'	Haikou	海口
Hebei	河北	Héběi	冀 jì	Baoding (1949–54; 1967–68) Tianjin (1954–67) Shijiazhuang (present)	保定 天津 石家庄	1967 Tianjin split into its own municipality
Hejiang	合江	Héjiāng	合 hé	Jiamusi	佳木斯	1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Heilongjiang	黑龙江	Hēilóngjiāng	黑 hēi	Qiqihar (1949–54) Harbin (present)	齐齐哈尔 哈尔滨	1952 part of Xing'an split into Inner Mongolia
Henan	河南	Hénán	豫 yù	Kaifeng (1949–54) Zhengzhou (present)	开封 郑州
Hubei	湖北	Húběi	鄂 è	Wuhan	武汉
Hunan	湖南	Húnán	湘 xiāng	Changsha	长沙
Jiangsu	江苏	Jiāngsū	苏 sū	Nanjing	南京	1949 abolished → Subei, Subnan; 1952 reverted
Jiangxi	江西	Jiāngxī	赣 gàn	Nanchang	南昌
Jilin	吉林	Jílín	吉 jí	Jilin (1949–54) Changchun (present)	吉林 长春	1952 north part split into Inner Mongolia
Liaobei	辽北	Liáoběi	洮 táo	Liaoyuan	辽源	1949 abolished → Jilin, Liaoning
Liaodong	辽东	Liáodōng	关 guān	Dandong	丹东	1954 abolished → Liaoning
Liaoning	辽宁	Liáoníng	辽 liáo	Shenyang	沈阳	1949 abolished → Liaodong, Liaoxi; 1954 reverted 1952 north part split into Inner Mongolia
Liaoxi	辽西	Liáoxī	辽 liáo	Jinzhou	锦州	1954 abolished → Liaoning
Nenjiang	嫩江	Nènjiāng	嫩 nèn	Qiqihar	齐齐哈尔	1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Ningxia	宁夏	Níngxià	宁 níng	Yinchuan	银川	1954 province → Gansu
Mudanjiang	牡丹江	Mǔdānjiāng	丹 dān	Mudanjiang	牡丹江	1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Pingyuan	平原	Píngyuán	平 píng	Xinxiang	新乡	1952 abolished → Henan, Shandong
Qinghai	青海	Qīnghǎi	青 qīng	Xining	西宁
Rehe	热河	Rèhé	热 rè	Chengde	承德	1955 abolished → Inner Mongolia, & Liaoning
Sichuan	四川	Sìchuān	川 chuān	Chengdu	成都	1949 abolished → Chuanbei, Chuandong, Chuannan, Chuanxi; 1952 reverted 1997 Chongqing split into its own municipality
Shaanxi	陕西	Shǎnxī	陕 shǎn	Xi'an	西安
Shandong	山东	Shāndōng	鲁 lǔ	Jinan	济南
Shanxi	山西	Shānxī	晋 jìn	Taiyuan	太原
Songjiang	松江	Sōngjiāng	松 sōng	Harbin	哈尔滨	1954 abolished → Heilongjiang
Suiyuan	绥远	Suíyuǎn	绥 suí	Hohhot	呼和浩特	1954 abolished → Inner Mongolia
Taiwan	台湾	Táiwān	台 tái	Taipei	台北	claimed since 1949 the founding of the PRC
Xikang	西康	Xīkāng	康 kāng	Kangding (1949–50) Ya'an (1950–55)	康定 雅安	1955 abolished → Sichuan & Qamdo
Xing'an	兴安	Xīng'ān	兴 xīng	Hulunbuir	呼伦贝尔	1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Xinjiang	新疆	Xīnjiāng	疆 jiāng	Ürümqi	乌鲁木齐	1955 province → autonomous region
Yunnan	云南	Yúnnán	滇 diān	Kunming	昆明
Zhejiang	浙江	Zhèjiāng	浙 zhè	Hangzhou	杭州

Autonomous regions

Name	Hanzi	Pinyin	Abbreviation	Capital	Hanzi	Note
Guangxi	广西	Guǎngxī	桂 guì	Nanning	南宁	1958 province → autonomous region
Inner Mongolia	內蒙古	Nèi Měnggǔ	蒙 měng	Ulaanhot (1947–50) Hohhot (present)	乌兰浩特 呼和浩特	1947 created; 1969 truncated → Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Gansu, Ningxia; 1979 reverted
Ningxia	宁夏	Níngxià	宁 níng	Yinchuan	银川	1958 special region → autonomous region
Tibet	西藏	Xīzàng	藏 zàng	Lhasa	拉萨	1965 area → autonomous region
Xinjiang	新疆	Xīnjiāng	疆 jiāng	Ürümqi	乌鲁木齐	1955 province → autonomous region

Municipalities

Name	Hanzi	Pinyin	Abbreviation	Capital	Hanzi	Note
Anshan	鞍山	Ānshān	鞍 ān	Tiedong District	铁东区	1954 abolished → Liaoning
Beijing	北京	Běijīng	京 jīng	Dongcheng District Tongzhou District	东城区 通州区
Benxi	本溪	Běnxī	本 běn	Pingshan District	平山区	1954 abolished → Liaoning
Changchun	长春	Chángchūn	春 chūn	Nanguan District	南关区	1953 created; 1954 abolished → Jilin
Chongqing	重庆	Chóngqìng	渝 yú	Yuzhong District	渝中区	1954 abolished → Sichuan; 1997 reverted
Dalian → Lüda	大连→旅大	Dàlián	连 lián	Xigang District	西岗区	1949 abolished → Luda, 1950 reverted, 1954 abolished → Liaoning
Fushun	抚顺	Fǔshùn	抚 fǔ	Shuncheng District	顺城区	1954 abolished → Liaoning
Guangzhou	广州	Guǎngzhōu	穗 suì	Yuexiu District	越秀区	1954 abolished → Guangdong
Harbin	哈尔滨	Hā'ěrbīn	哈 hā	Nangang District	南岗区	1953 created, 1954 abolished → Heilongjiang
Nanjing	南京	Nánjīng	宁 níng	Xuanwu District	玄武区	1952 abolished → Jiangsu
Shanghai	上海	Shànghǎi	沪 hù	Huangpu District	黄浦区
Shenyang	沈阳	Shěnyáng	沈 shěn	Shenhe District	沈河区	1954 abolished → Liaoning
Tianjin	天津	Tiānjīn	津 jīn	Heping District	和平区	1954 abolished → Hebei, 1967 reverted
Hankou → Wuhan	汉口→武汉	Wǔhàn	汉 hàn	Jiang'an District	江岸区	1949 abolished → Hubei
Xi'an	西安	Xī'ān	镐 hào	Weiyang District	未央区	1954 abolished → Shaanxi

Special administrative regions

Name	Hanzi	Pinyin	Abbreviation	Capital	Hanzi	Note
Hong Kong	香港	Xiānggǎng	港 gǎng	Hong Kong	香港	created 1997 (Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong)
Macau	澳门	Àomén	澳 ào	Macau	澳门	created 1999 (Transfer of sovereignty over Macau)

Administrative territories

Name	Hanzi	Pinyin	Abbreviation	Capital	Hanzi	Note
Chuanbei	川北	Chuānběi	充 chōng	Nanchong	南充	1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Chuandong	川东	Chuāndōng	渝 yú	Chongqing	重庆	1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Chuannan	川南	Chuānnán	泸 lú	Luzhou	泸州	1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Chuanxi	川西	Chuānxī	蓉 róng	Chengdu	成都	1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Hainan	海南	Hǎinán	琼 qióng	Haikou	海口	1949 abolished → Guangdong
Lüda	旅大	Lǚdà	旅 lǚ	Dalian	大连	1949 created; 1950 abolished → Dalian
Subei	苏北	Sūběi	扬 yáng	Yangzhou	扬州	1949 created; 1952 abolished → Jiangsu
Sunan	苏南	Sūnán	锡 xī	Wuxi	无锡	1949 created; 1952 abolished → Jiangsu
Wanbei	皖北	Wǎnběi	合 hé	Hefei	合肥	1949 created; 1952 abolished → Anhui
Wannan	皖南	Wǎnnán	芜 wú	Wuhu	芜湖	1949 created; 1952 abolished → Anhui

Regions

Name	Hanzi	Pinyin	Abbreviation	Capital	Hanzi	Note
Tibet	西藏	Xīzàng	藏 zàng	Lhasa	拉萨	1965 region → autonomous region

Territories

Name	Hanzi	Pinyin	Abbreviation	Capital	Hanzi	Note
Qamdo	昌都	Chāngdū	昌 chāng	Qamdo	昌都	1965 merged into Tibet

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.

See also

• Chinese federalism
• List of China administrative divisions by population
• List of provincial leaders of the People's Republic of China
• Regional discrimination in China
• Taiwan Province, People's Republic of China
• Tiao-kuai
• Yangtze River Delta
• Zhou (country subdivision)

External links

• Interactive Dbresearch.com: WebMap — with economic indicators for all Chinese Provinces.