Provinces of China

The provincial level administrative divisions (Chinese: 省级行政区; pinyin: Shěngjí Xíngzhèngqū) are the highest-level administrative divisions of China. There are 34 such divisions claimed by the People's Republic of China, classified as 23 provinces (Chinese: ; pinyin: shěng), five autonomous regions, four municipalities and two special administrative regions.[2] The political status of Taiwan Province along with a small fraction of Fujian Province[lower-greek 1] remain in dispute; those are under separate rule by the Republic of China, which is usually referred to as "Taiwan".

Provincial level administrative divisions
省级行政区
Shěngjí Xíngzhèngqū
CategoryUnitary state
Location People's Republic of China
 Republic of China[1]
Created
  • 1947 (Constitution of the Republic of China)
NumberPRC: 33-34* (31 direct jurisdiction + 2 special administrative regions + 1 claimed*)
ROC: 22-70* (22 direct jurisdiction + 48 claimed*)
Government
Subdivisions
  • Sub-provincial city, Prefectures, Counties
Provincial level administrative divisions
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese省级行政区
Traditional Chinese省級行政區
province
Chinese
Tibetan name
Tibetanཞིང་ཆེན།
Zhuang name
ZhuangSwngj
Mongolian name
Mongolian scriptᠮᠤᠵᠢ
Uyghur name
Uyghurئۆلكە
Manchu name
Manchu scriptᡤᠣᠯᠣ
Romanizationgolo

Every province on Mainland China (including the island province of Hainan) has a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) provincial committee (Chinese: 省委; pinyin: shěngwěi), headed by a secretary (Chinese: 书记; pinyin: shūjì). The Committee Secretary is effectively in charge of the province, rather than the governor of the provincial government.[3] The same arrangement exists for the autonomous regions and municipalities.

Types of provincial level divisions

Province

The government of each standard province (Chinese: ; 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. In practice, day-to-day affairs are managed by a provincial party standing committee, which makes decisions for a province analogous to the Politburo for the central government.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) claims the island of Taiwan and its surrounding islets, including Penghu, as "Taiwan Province", though Taiwan has not been under control of a government that ruled from mainland China since 1949, when the Republic of China (ROC) lost the mainland to the CCP, which established the PRC. (Kinmen and the Matsu Islands are claimed by the PRC as part of its Fujian Province. Pratas Island and the Vereker Banks and Itu Aba (Taiping Island) 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") though the provinces were streamlined in 1998 and the provincial governments were de facto dissolved in 2019.

Municipality

A municipality (simplified Chinese: 直辖市; traditional Chinese: 直轄市; pinyin: zhíxiáshì; lit. 'direct-administrated city') or municipality directly under the administration of the central government 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

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)

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 sub national subject of the People's Republic of China that is directly under the Central People's Government. Each SAR has a 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/T 2260-2007[4] ISO[5] Province Chinese
Hanyu Pinyin
Capital Population[lower-alpha 1] Density[lower-alpha 2] Area[lower-alpha 3] Abbreviation[lower-alpha 4]
AH CN-AH Anhui Province 安徽省
Ānhuī Shěng
Hefei 61,027,171 436.29 139,879
Wǎn
BJ CN-BJ Beijing Municipality 北京市
Běijīng Shì
Tongzhou 21,893,095 1,334.05 16,411
Jīng
CQ CN-CQ Chongqing Municipality 重庆市
Chóngqìng Shì
Yuzhong 32,054,159 388.99 82,403
FJ CN-FJ Fujian Province[lower-alpha 5] 福建省
Fújiàn Shěng
Fuzhou (PRC)
None, provincial government abolished (ROC)[lower-alpha 6]
41,540,086 335.66 123,756
Mǐn
GD CN-GD Guangdong Province[lower-alpha 7] 广东省
Guǎngdōng Shěng
Guangzhou 126,012,510 700.02 180,013
Yuè
GS CN-GS Gansu Province 甘肃省
Gānsù Shěng
Lanzhou 25,019,831 54.70 457,382 甘(陇)
Gān (Lǒng)
GX CN-GX Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 广西壮族自治区
Guǎngxī Zhuàngzú Zìzhìqū
Nanning 50,126,804 210.78 237,818
Guì
GZ CN-GZ Guizhou Province 贵州省
Guìzhōu Shěng
Guiyang 38,562,148 218.93 176,140 贵(黔)
Guì (Qián)
HA (HEN) CN-HA Henan Province 河南省
Hénán Shěng
Zhengzhou 99,365,519 600.52 165,467
HB (HUB) CN-HB Hubei Province 湖北省
Húběi Shěng
Wuhan 57,752,557 310.87 185,776
È
HE (HEB) CN-HE Hebei Province 河北省
Héběi Shěng
Shijiazhuang 74,610,235 393.08 189,809
HI CN-HI Hainan Province[lower-alpha 8] 海南省
Hǎinán Shěng
Haikou 10,081,232 294.27 34,259
Qióng
HK CN-HK[lower-alpha 9] Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 香港特别行政区
Xiānggǎng Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū
7,061,200 6,396.01 1,108
Gǎng
HL CN-HL Heilongjiang Province 黑龙江省
Hēilóngjiāng Shěng
Harbin 31,850,088 67.37 472,766
Hēi
HN (HUN) CN-HN Hunan Province 湖南省
Húnán Shěng
Changsha 66,444,864 313.65 211,842
Xiāng
JL CN-JL Jilin Province 吉林省
Jílín Shěng
Changchun 24,073,453 126.51 190,282
JS CN-JS Jiangsu Province 江苏省
Jiāngsū Shěng
Nanjing 84,748,016 847.91 99,949
JX CN-JX Jiangxi Province 江西省
Jiāngxī Shěng
Nanchang 45,188,635 270.69 166,939
Gàn
LN CN-LN Liaoning Province 辽宁省
Liáoníng Shěng
Shenyang 42,591,407 289.59 147,076
Liáo
MO CN-MO[lower-alpha 10] Macau Special Administrative Region 澳门特别行政区
Àomén Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū
552,300 19,044.82 29
Ào
NM CN-NM Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region 内蒙古自治区
Nèi Měnggǔ Zìzhìqū
Hohhot 24,049,155 20.05 1,199,372 内蒙古(绥/蒙)
Nèi Měnggǔ (Suí/Měng)
NX CN-NX Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 宁夏回族自治区
Níngxià Huízú Zìzhìqū
Yinchuan 7,202,654 108.47 66,400
Níng
QH CN-QH Qinghai Province 青海省
Qīnghǎi Shěng
Xining 5,923,957 8.58 690,355
Qīng
SC CN-SC Sichuan Province 四川省
Sìchuān Shěng
Chengdu 83,674,866 174.93 484,056 川(蜀)
Chuān (Shǔ)
SD CN-SD Shandong Province 山东省
Shāndōng Shěng
Jinan 101,527,453 643.78 157,704
SH CN-SH Shanghai Municipality 上海市
Shànghǎi Shì
Huangpu 24,870,895 3,922.24 6,341 沪(申)
Hù (Shēn)
SN (SAA) CN-SN Shaanxi Province 陕西省
Shǎnxī Shěng
Xi'an 39,528,999 192.24 205,624 陕(秦)
Shǎn (Qín)
SX (SAX) CN-SX Shanxi Province 山西省
Shānxī Shěng
Taiyuan 34,915,616 222.80 156,713
Jìn
TJ CN-TJ Tianjin Municipality 天津市
Tiānjīn Shì
Hexi 13,866,009 1,194.32 11,610
Jīn
TW CN-TW[lower-alpha 11] Taiwan Province[lower-alpha 12] 台湾省
Táiwān Shěng
Taipei (PRC claimed)
None, provincial government abolished (ROC)[lower-alpha 13]
23,162,123 650.97 36,161 台(臺)
Tái
XJ CN-XJ Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region 新疆维吾尔自治区
Xīnjiāng Wéiwú'ěr Zìzhìqū
Ürümqi 25,852,345 15.72 1,644,707
Xīn
XZ CN-XZ Tibet Autonomous Region 西藏自治区
Xīzàng Zìzhìqū
Lhasa 3,648,100 3.03 1,204,776
Zàng
YN CN-YN Yunnan Province 云南省
Yúnnán Shěng
Kunming 47,209,277 123.20 383,195 云(滇)
Yún (Diān)
ZJ CN-ZJ Zhejiang Province 浙江省
Zhèjiāng Shěng
Hangzhou 64,567,588 615.67 104,873
Zhè
  1. as of 2020
  2. per km2
  3. km2
  4. Abbreviation in the parentheses is informal
  5. Most of the Fujian Province is administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC) while the Republic of China on Taiwan includes Kinmen County (Quemoy) and Lienchiang County (Matsu) formerly under its own streamlined Fujian Province.
  6. The Fujian Provincial Government was formed on 1 May 1927 and the provincial government was relocated from Foochow to Kinmen, then Hsintien Township and Taipei County within Taiwan Province in 1956 before moving back to Jincheng, Kinmen, on 15 January 1996. The government was abolished on 1 January 2019 with the remaining functions were transferred to the National Development Council and other ministries of the Executive Yuan.[6]
  7. Most of the Guangdong Province is administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC) while the Republic of China on Taiwan includes Pratas Island (also named Tungsha Island or Dongsha Island) as part of the Dongsha Atoll National Park.
  8. Most of the Hainan Province is administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC) while the Republic of China on Taiwan includes Taiping Island (Itu Aba) as part of Cijin District, Kaohsiung.
  9. Has separate ISO 3166-2 code: HK
  10. Has separate ISO 3166-2 code: MO
  11. Has separate ISO 3166-2 code: TW
  12. The People's Republic of China considers Taiwan to be its 23rd province, but Taiwan is currently administrated by the Republic of China. Since 1945, the ROC only controls the island of Taiwan and Penghu. For Kinmen and Matsu, see note on Fujian Province. See also Political status of Taiwan
  13. The Taiwan Provincial Government was established in September 1945, after the Japanese rule. It was streamlined in December 1998, with administrative functions transferred to the National Development Council and other ministries of the Executive Yuan. In July 2018, the government was abolished, with the budget and most personnel removed.[6]

History

Han provinces

The names of the provinces that the Eastern (Later) Han created were Bing, Ji, Jiao, Jing, Liang (at first Yong, later changed to Liang), Qing, Si (the Sili Xiaowei Department), Xu, Yan, Yang, Yi, You and Yu. The capital, Luoyang, was in the Si province, as was the former capital, Chang An.

Sui provinces

Sui provinces, ca. 610

By the time unity was finally reestablished by the Sui dynasty, the provinces had been divided and redivided so many times by different governments that they were almost the same size as commanderies, rendering the two-tier system superfluous. As such, the Sui merged the two together. In English, this merged level is translated as "prefectures". In Chinese, the name changed between zhou and jun several times before being finally settled on zhou. Based on the apocryphal Nine Province system, the Sui restored nine zhou.[7]

Provinces of the Sui dynasty
NameTraditional
Chinese
Simplified
Chinese
PinyinCapitalApproximate extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient nameModern location
Yongzhou雍州Yōngzhōu??Guanzhong, Gansu, and the Upper Yellow basin
Jizhou冀州Jìzhōu??Shanxi and Northern Hebei, including modern Beijing and Tianjin
Yanzhou兗州兖州Yǎnzhōu??Lower Yellow River area- west of Qingzhou and east of Jizhou
Qingzhou青州Qīngzhōu??Shandong Peninsula
Yuzhou豫州Yùzhōu??Henan
Xuzhou徐州Xúzhōu??Modern Xuzhou area- southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu
Liangzhou梁州Liángzhōu??Upper Yangtze- Sichuan Basin + south of the Qinling
Jingzhou荆州荆州Jīngzhōu??Central Yangtze
Yangzhou揚州扬州Yángzhōu??Lower Yangtze, entire SE Coast, Hainan, and Northern Vietnam

Tang provinces

Tang circuits, ca. 660
Tang circuits, ca. 742

Emperor Taizong (r. 626–649) set up 10 "circuits" (; dào) in 627 as inspection areas for imperial commissioners monitoring the operation of prefectures, rather than a new primary level of administration. In 639, there were 10 circuits, 43 commanderies (; dūdū fǔ), and 358 prefectures ( and later ; ).[8] In 733, Emperor Xuanzong expanded the number of circuits to 15 by establishing separate circuits for the areas around Chang'an and Luoyang, and by splitting the large Shannan and Jiangnan circuits into 2 and 3 new circuits respectively. He also established a system of permanent inspecting commissioners, though without executive powers.[9]

Circuits of the Tang dynasty
NameTraditional
Chinese
Simplified
Chinese
PinyinCapitalApproximate extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient nameModern location
Duji*都畿DūjīHenan FuLuoyangLuoyang and environs
Guannei關內关内GuānnèiJingzhao FuXi'annorthern Shaanxi, central Inner Mongolia, Ningxia
Hebei河北HéběiWeizhouWei County, HebeiHebei
Hedong河東河东HédōngPuzhouPuzhou, Yongji, ShanxiShanxi
Henan河南HénánBianzhouKaifengHenan, Shandong, northern Jiangsu, northern Anhui
Huainan淮南HuáinánYangzhoucentral Jiangsu, central Anhui
Jiannan劍南剑南JiànnánYizhouChengducentral Sichuan, central Yunnan
Jiangnan江南JiāngnánJiangnanxi + Jiangnandong (see map)
Qianzhong**黔中QiánzhōngQianzhouPengshuiGuizhou, western Hunan
Jiangnanxi**江南西JiāngnánxīHongzhouNanchangJiangxi, Hunan, southern Anhui, southern Hubei
Jiangnandong**江南東江南东JiāngnándōngSuzhousouthern Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shanghai
Jingji*京畿JīngjīJingzhao FuXi'anXi'an and environs
Lingnan嶺南岭南LǐngnánGuangzhouGuangdong, eastern Guangxi, northern Vietnam
Longyou隴右陇右LǒngyouShanzhouLedu County, QinghaiGansu
Shannan山南ShānnánShannanxi + Shannandong (see map)
Shannanxi**山南西ShānnánxīLiangzhouHanzhongsouthern Shanxi, eastern Sichuan, Chongqing
Shannandong**山南東山南东ShānnándōngXiangzhouXiangfansouthern Henan, Hubei

* Circuits established under Xuanzong, as opposed to Taizong's original ten circuits.

** Circuits established under Xuanzong by dividing Taizong's Jiangnan and Shannan circuits.

Other Tang-era circuits include the West Lingnan, Wu'an, and Qinhua circuits.

Song provinces

Song circuits, ca. 1111

The Song government abolished the previous commissioners and renamed their circuits (; , literally meaning "roads", but is still usually translated as "circuits"). They also added a number of "army" prefectures (; jūn). Similarly, Liao and Jurchen Jin dynasties also established circuits as the first-level administrative division.

Circuits of the Northern Song dynasty
NameTraditional
Chinese
Simplified
Chinese
PinyinCapitalApproximant extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient nameModern location
Chengdufu成都府ChéngdūfǔChengducentral Sichuan
Fujian福建FújiànFuzhouFujian
Guangnan East廣南東广南东GuǎngnándōngGuangzhoueastern Guangdong
Guangnan West廣南西广南西GuǎngnánxīGuizhouGuilinwestern Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan
Hebei East河北東河北东HéběidōngBeijingDaming County, Hebeieastern Hebei
Hebei West河北西HéběixīZhendingZhengding County, Hebeiwestern Hebei
Hedong河東河东HédōngTaiyuanShanxi
Huainan East淮南東淮南东HuáinándōngYangzhoucentral Jiangsu
Huainan West淮南西HuáinánxīShouzhouFengtai County, Anhuicentral Anhui
Jiangnan East江南東江南东JiāngnándōngJiangning FuNanjingsouthern Anhui
Jiangnan West江南西JiāngnánxīHongzhouNanchangJiangxi
Jingdong East京東東京东东JīngdōngdōngQingzhouQingzhou, Shandongeastern Shandong
Jingdong West京東西京东西JīngdōngxīNanjingsouth of Shangqiu, Henanwestern Shandong
Jinghu North荊湖北荆湖北JīnghúběiJianglingHubei, western Hunan
Jinghu South荊湖南荆湖南JīnghúnánTanzhouChangshaHunan
Jingji京畿JīngjīChenliuChenliu, Kaifeng, HenanKaifeng and environs
Jingxi North京西北JīngxīběiXijingLuoyangcentral Henan
Jingxi South京西南JīngxīnánXiangzhouXiangfansouthern Henan, northern Hubei
Kuizhou夔州KuízhōuKuizhouFengjie County, ChongqingChongqing, eastern Sichuan, Guizhou
Liangzhe兩浙两浙LiǎngzhèHangzhouZhejiang, southern Jiangsu, Shanghai
Lizhou利州LìzhōuXingyuanHanzhongnorthern Sichuan, southern Shaanxi
Qinfeng秦鳳秦凤QínfèngQinzhouTianshuisouthern Gansu
Yongxingjun永興軍永兴军YǒngxīngjūnJingzhaoXi'anShaanxi
Zizhou梓州ZǐzhōuZizhouSantai County, Sichuancentral southern Sichuan

Yuan provinces

Yuan provinces, ca. 1330

China was reorganised into 11 provinces keeping most of the previous boundaries of provinces created by the previous dynasty unchanged, the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) had two additional regions: Central region ruled by the Zhongshu Sheng (中書省) and the Tibetan region ruled by the Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs (宣政院).

Circuits of the Yuan dynasty
NameTraditional
Chinese
Simplified
Chinese
PinyinCapitalApproximant extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient nameTraditional
Chinese
Simplified
Chinese
PinyinModern location
Gansu 甘肅 甘肃 Gānsù Ganzhou Circuit 甘州路 Gānzhōu Lù Zhangye Consist of modern location of Gansu, Ningxia, & eastern Inner Mongolia.
Huguang 湖廣 湖广 Húguǎng Wuchang Circuit 武昌路 Wǔchāng Lù Wuhan Consist of modern location of Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan,
southern Hubei & western Guangdong.
Henanjiangbei 河南江北 Hénánjiāngběi Bianliang Circuit 汴梁路 Biànliáng Lù Kaifeng Consist of modern location of Henan, northern Hubei, northern Jiangsu, & northern Anhui.
Jiangxi 江西 Jiāngxī Longxing Circuit 龍興路 龙兴路 Lóngxìng Lù Nanchang Consist of modern location of Jiangxi & eastern Guangdong.
Jiangzhe 江浙 Jiāngzhè Hangzhou Circuit 杭州路 Hángzhōu Lù Hangzhou Consist of modern location of Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, southern Jiangsu, & southern Anhui.
Liaoyang 遼陽 辽阳 Liáoyáng Liaoyang Circuit 遼陽路 辽阳路 Liáoyáng Lù Liaoyang Consist of modern location of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, eastern Hebei,
northwestern Inner Mongolia, northern Korea, & Outer Manchuria.
Lingbei 嶺北 岭北 Lǐngběi Hening Circuit 和寧路 和宁路 Héníng Lù Kharkhorin Consist of modern location of Mongolia & southern Siberia.
Shaanxi 陝西 陕西 Shǎnxi Fengyuan Circuit 奉元路 Fèngyuán Lù Xi'an Consist of modern location of Shaanxi & mid-western Sichuan
Sichuan 四川 Sìchuān Chengdu Circuit 成都路 Chéngdū Lù Chengdu Consist of modern location of western Sichuan & Chongqing
Yunnan 雲南 云南 Yúnnán Zhongqing Circuit 中慶路 中庆路 Zhōngqìng Lù Kunming Consist of modern location of Yunnan and Upper Myanmar.
Zhengdong 征東 征东 Zhēngdōng Kaicheng Circuit 開城路 开城路 Kāichéng Lù Kaesong Consist of modern location of southern Korea.
Central region* 中書省 中书省 Zhōngshū Shěng none Consist of modern location of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Shandong,
northern Henan, central Inner Mongolia, & western Hebei.
A direct rule region under Zhongshu Sheng (Central Secretariat).
Tibetan region* 宣政院 Xuānzhèng Yuàn none Consist of modern location of Tibet, Qinghai, & western Sichuan.
A region set up to supervised Buddhist monks in addition to managing
the territory of Tibet under the Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs.

Ming provinces

Ming provinces, ca. 1409

The Ming dynasty (1368–1644) kept the province system set up by the Yuan dynasty. However, it divided the original 10 provinces into 16, later two capital metropolitan areas and 13 provinces (兩京十三省) within China proper and five additional military-ruled regions.

Circuits of the Ming dynasty
NameTraditional
Chinese
Simplified
Chinese
PinyinCapitalApproximant extent in terms of modern locations
Ancient nameTraditional
Chinese
Simplified
Chinese
PinyinModern location
Fujian 福建 Fújiàn Fuzhou Prefecture 福州府 Fúzhōu Fǔ
Guangdong 廣東 广东 Guǎngdōng Guangzhou Prefecture 廣州府 广州府 Guǎngzhōu Gǔ
Guangxi 廣西 广西 Guǎngxī Guilin Prefecture 桂林府 Guìlín Fǔ
Guizhou 貴州 贵州 Guìzhōu Guiyang Prefecture 貴陽府 贵阳府 Guìyáng Fǔ
Henan 河南 Hénán Kaifeng Prefecture 開封府 开封府 Kāifēng Fǔ
Huguang 湖廣 湖广 Húguǎng Wuchang Prefecture 武昌府 Wǔchāng Fǔ Consist of modern location of Hunan & Hubei.
Provincial seat modern location is Wuhan.
Jiangxi 江西 Jiāngxī Nanchang Prefecture 南昌府 Nánchāng Fǔ
Shaanxi 陝西 陕西 Shǎnxī Xi'an Prefecture 西安府 Xī'ān Fǔ Consist of modern location of Shaanxi, Gansu, & Ningxia.
Shandong 山東 山东 Shāndōng Jinan Prefecture 濟南府 济南府 Jǐnán Fǔ
Shanxi 山西 Shānxī Taiyuan Prefecture 太原府 Tàiyuán Fǔ
Sichuan 四川 Sìchuān Chengdu Prefecture 成都府 Chéngdū Fǔ Consist of modern location of Chongqing & eastern Sichuan.
Yunnan 雲南 云南 Yúnnán Yunnan Prefecture 雲南府 云南府 Yúnnán Fǔ Provincial seat modern location is Kunming.
Zhejiang 浙江 Zhèjiāng Hangzhou Prefecture 杭州府 Hángzhōu Fǔ
Jiaozhi 交趾 Jiāozhǐ Jiaozhou Prefecture 交州府 Jiāozhōu Fǔ Consist of modern location of northern Vietnam.
1407–1428
North Zhili 北直隸 北直隶 Běizhílì Shuntian Prefecture 順天府 顺天府 Shùntiān Fǔ Consist of modern location of Beijing, Tianjin, & Hebei.
Provincial seat modern location is Beijing.
South Zhili 南直隸 南直隶 Nánzhílì Yingtian Prefecture 應天府 应天府 Yìngtiān Fǔ Consist of modern location of Shanghai, Jiangsu, & Anhui.
Provincial seat modern location is Nanjing.
Nurgan* 奴兒干 奴儿干 Nú'ergàn none Consist of modern location of Heilongjiang, Jilin, central-eastern Inner Mongolia, & Outer Manchuria.
1409–1616
Liaodong* 遼東 辽东 Liáodōng none Consist of modern location of Liaoning.
1375–1621
Ü-Tsang* 烏斯藏 乌斯藏 Wūsīzàng none Consist of modern location of Tibet.
1372–1565
Dokham* 朵甘 Duǒgān none Consist of modern location of Qinghai & western Sichuan.
1372–1644
Elis* 俄力思 Élìsī none Consist of modern location of Ngari, Tibet.
1375–1565

Qing provinces

By the latter half of the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), there were 18 provinces, all of them in China proper (內地十八省). Jiangsu and Anhui were originally one province called Jiangnan, with its capital at Nanjing. There was no discrete time period when the two halves of Jiangnan were split, but rather, this was a gradual process.

New provinces

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

Map comparing political divisions as drawn by the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China.

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. However, 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) in official maps by the ROC government and ignores the changes imposed by the PRC. By 1967 and 1979, the ROC set up Taipei and Kaohsiung as its special municipalities, with three more added in 2010 and one in 2014. No boundary changes were redrawn as of 2022 but the Chen Shui-bian administration renounced claims to Outer Mongolia in 2002.[10] The remaining provinces became streamlined in 1998 and its governments became non-functional in 2019.[11]

  • Andong (安東省) 1947–1949
  • Anhui (安徽省)
  • Fujian (福建省) streamlined, government existed 1927–2019
  • 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 (臺灣省) streamlined, government existed 1945–2018
  • Xing'an (興安省) 1947–1949
  • Xikang (西康省) 1928–1949
  • Xinjiang (新疆省) 1928–1992
  • Yunnan (雲南省)
  • Zhejiang (浙江省) 1928–1955

Other provincial level divisions

List of PRC/ROC provincial level divisions

  abolished   claimed

Greater administrative areas

NameHanziPinyinTranslationCapitalHanziNotes
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

NameHanziPinyinAbbreviationCapitalHanziNote
Andong安东Āndōng ānTonghua通化1949 abolished → Liaodong, Jilin
Anhui安徽Ānhuī wǎnHefei合肥1949 abolished → Wanbei, Wannan; 1952 reverted
Chahar察哈尔Cháhā'ěr cháZhangjiakou张家口1952 abolished → Inner Mongolia, Hebei
Fujian福建Fújiàn mǐnFuzhou (PRC)
Jincheng (ROC)
福州parts of the Fujian Province consisting of Kinmen and Matsu are part of Taiwan (ROC)
Gansu甘肃Gānsù gānLanzhou兰州1958 Ningxia split into its own autonomous region
Guangdong广东Guǎngdōng yuèGuangzhou广州1952 & 1965 Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Beihai → Guangxi; 1955 reverted
1988 Hainan split into its own province
Guangxi广西Guǎngxī guìNanning南宁1958 province → autonomous region
Guizhou贵州Guìzhōu qiánGuiyang贵阳
Hainan海南Hǎinán qióngHaikou海口
Hebei河北Héběi 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 Jiamusi佳木斯1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Heilongjiang黑龙江Hēilóngjiāng hēiQiqihar (1949–54)
Harbin (present)
齐齐哈尔
哈尔滨
1952 part of Xing'an split into Inner Mongolia
Henan河南Hénán Kaifeng (1949–54)
Zhengzhou (present)
开封
郑州
Hubei湖北Húběi èWuhan武汉
Hunan湖南Húnán xiāngChangsha长沙
Jiangsu江苏Jiāngsū Nanjing南京1949 abolished → Subei, Subnan; 1952 reverted
Jiangxi江西Jiāngxī gànNanchang南昌
Jilin吉林Jílín Jilin (1949–54)
Changchun (present)
吉林
长春
1952 north part split into Inner Mongolia
Liaobei辽北Liáoběi táoLiaoyuan辽源1949 abolished → Jilin, Liaoning
Liaodong辽东Liáodōng guānDandong丹东1954 abolished → Liaoning
Liaoning辽宁Liáoníng liáoShenyang沈阳1949 abolished → Liaodong, Liaoxi; 1954 reverted
1952 north part split into Inner Mongolia
Liaoxi辽西Liáoxī liáoJinzhou锦州1954 abolished → Liaoning
Nenjiang嫩江Nènjiāng nènQiqihar齐齐哈尔1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Ningxia宁夏Níngxià níngYinchuan银川1954 province → Gansu
Mudanjiang牡丹江Mǔdānjiāng dānMudanjiang牡丹江1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Pingyuan平原Píngyuán píngXinxiang新乡1952 abolished → Henan, Shandong
Qinghai青海Qīnghǎi qīngXining西宁
Rehe热河Rèhé Chengde承德1955 abolished → Inner Mongolia, & Liaoning
Sichuan四川Sìchuān chuānChengdu成都1949 abolished → Chuanbei, Chuandong, Chuannan, Chuanxi; 1952 reverted
1997 Chongqing split into its own municipality
Shaanxi陕西Shǎnxī shǎnXi'an西安
Shandong山东Shāndōng Jinan济南
Shanxi山西Shānxī jìnTaiyuan太原
Songjiang松江Sōngjiāng sōngHarbin哈尔滨1954 abolished → Heilongjiang
Suiyuan绥远Suíyuǎn suíHohhot呼和浩特1954 abolished → Inner Mongolia
Xikang西康Xīkāng kāngKangding (1949–50)
Ya'an (1950–55)
康定
雅安
1955 abolished → Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet Autonomous Region
Xing'an兴安Xīng'ān xīngHulunbuir呼伦贝尔1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Xinjiang新疆Xīnjiāng jiāngÜrümqi乌鲁木齐1955 province → autonomous region
Yunnan云南Yúnnán diānKunming昆明
Zhejiang浙江Zhèjiāng zhèHangzhou杭州

Autonomous regions

NameHanziPinyinAbbreviationCapitalHanziNote
Guangxi广西Guǎngxī guìNanning南宁1958 province → autonomous region
Inner Mongolia内蒙古Nèi Měnggǔ měngUlaanhot (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 níngYinchuan银川1958 special region → autonomous region
Tibet西藏Xīzàng zàngLhasa拉萨1965 area → autonomous region
Xinjiang新疆Xīnjiāng jiāngÜrümqi乌鲁木齐1955 province → autonomous region

Municipalities

NameHanziPinyinAbbreviationCapitalHanziNote
Anshan鞍山Ānshān ānTiedong District铁东区1954 abolished → Liaoning
Beijing (PRC)北京Běijīng jīngDongcheng District
Tongzhou District
东城区
通州区
Benxi本溪Běnxī běnPingshan District平山区1954 abolished → Liaoning
Changchun长春Chángchūn chūnNanguan District南关区1953 created; 1954 abolished → Jilin
Chongqing (PRC)重庆Chóngqìng Yuzhong District渝中区1954 abolished → Sichuan; 1997 reverted
Dalian → Lüda大连→旅大Dàlián liánXigang District西岗区1949 abolished → Luda, 1950 reverted, 1954 abolished → Liaoning
Fushun抚顺Fǔshùn Shuncheng District顺城区1954 abolished → Liaoning
Guangzhou广州Guǎngzhōu suìYuexiu District越秀区1954 abolished → Guangdong
Harbin哈尔滨Hā'ěrbīn Nangang District南岗区1953 created, 1954 abolished → Heilongjiang
Nanjing南京Nánjīng níngXuanwu District玄武区1952 abolished → Jiangsu
Shanghai (PRC)上海Shànghǎi Huangpu District黄浦区
Shenyang沈阳Shěnyáng shěnShenhe District沈河区1954 abolished → Liaoning
Tianjin (PRC)天津Tiānjīn jīnHeping District和平区1954 abolished → Hebei, 1967 reverted
Hankou → Wuhan汉口→武汉Wǔhàn hànJiang'an District江岸区1949 abolished → Hubei
Xi'an西安Xī'ān hàoWeiyang District未央区1954 abolished → Shaanxi

Special administrative regions

NameHanziPinyinAbbreviationCapitalHanziNote
Hong Kong香港Xiānggǎng gǎngHong Kong香港created 1997 (Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong)
Macau澳门Àomén àoMacau澳门created 1999 (Transfer of sovereignty over Macau)

Administrative territories

NameHanziPinyinAbbreviationCapitalHanziNote
Chuanbei川北Chuānběi chōngNanchong南充1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Chuandong川东Chuāndōng Chongqing重庆1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Chuannan川南Chuānnán Luzhou泸州1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Chuanxi川西Chuānxī róngChengdu成都1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Hainan海南Hǎinán qióngHaikou海口1949 abolished → Guangdong
Lüda旅大Lǚdà Dalian大连1949 created; 1950 abolished → Dalian
Subei苏北Sūběi yángYangzhou扬州1949 created; 1952 abolished → Jiangsu
Sunan苏南Sūnán Wuxi无锡1949 created; 1952 abolished → Jiangsu
Wanbei皖北Wǎnběi Hefei合肥1949 created; 1952 abolished → Anhui
Wannan皖南Wǎnnán Wuhu芜湖1949 created; 1952 abolished → Anhui

Regions

NameHanziPinyinAbbreviationCapitalHanziNote
Tibet西藏Xīzàng zàngLhasa拉萨1965 region → autonomous region

Territories

NameHanziPinyinAbbreviationCapitalHanziNote
Qamdo昌都Chāngdū chāngQamdo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.

In contrast, the Republic of China also had a number of provinces under its control such as Taiwan and Fujian, which the ROC currently administers, though the ROC abolished the Xinjiang Provincial Office in 1992. In 1998, after streamlining of the two provinces, some of its powers from the Taiwan and Fujian Provincial Governments were gradually transferred to county governments. This fractured further between 2018 and 2019 when the ROC central government de facto abolished the provincial governments with most of the remaining powers given to the Executive Yuan.

Economies

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

See also

  • Federalism in China
  • List of Chinese administrative divisions by GDP
  • List of Chinese administrative divisions by population
  • List of current Chinese provincial leaders
  • Regional discrimination in China
  • Taiwan Province, People's Republic of China
  • Tiao-kuai
  • Yangtze Delta
  • Zhou (country subdivision)
Overview of administrative divisions of the Republic of China
Republic of China
Free area[lower-roman 1] Mainland area[lower-roman 2]
Special municipalities[lower-greek 2][lower-roman 3] Provinces[lower-roman 4] Not administered[lower-roman 5]
Counties[lower-greek 2] Autonomous municipalities[lower-greek 2][lower-roman 6]
Districts[lower-greek 3] Mountain
indigenous
districts[lower-greek 2]
County-
administered
cities[lower-greek 2]
Townships[lower-greek 2][lower-greek 3][lower-roman 7] Districts[lower-greek 3]
Villages[lower-greek 4][lower-roman 8]
Neighborhoods
Notes
  1. Taiwan, a small fraction of Fujian, along with the Pratas Islands, which is claimed as part of PRC's Guangdong Province, and Itu Aba, claimed as part of PRC's Hainan Province, are under Taiwan's rule.
  2. Has an elected executive and an elected legislative council.
  3. Has an appointed district administrator for managing local affairs and carrying out tasks commissioned by superior agency.
  4. Has an elected village administrator for managing local affairs and carrying out tasks commissioned by superior agency.

Notes

  1. Also known as the Taiwan area or Tai–Min area (Chinese: 臺閩地區; lit. 'Taiwan–Fujian area')
  2. The mainland area consists of Mainland China, Tibet and (previously) Outer Mongolia
  3. Special municipalities, cities, and county-administered cities are all called shi (Chinese: ; lit. 'city')
  4. Nominal; provincial governments have been abolished
  5. Constitutionally having the same structure as the free area, these are currently under the Chinese Communist Party control with a different structure
  6. Sometimes called cities (Chinese: ) or provincial cities (Chinese: 省轄市) to distinguish them from special municipalities and county-administered cities
  7. There are two types of townships: rural townships or xīang (Chinese: ) and urban townships or zhèn (Chinese: )
  8. Villages in rural townships are known as tsūn (Chinese: ), those in other jurisdictions are known as (Chinese: )

References

  1. Hwang, Jim (October 1999). "Gone with the Times". Taiwan Review. Archived from the original on 2012-02-26. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  2. "中华人民共和国行政区划 [Administrative Divisions of the People's Republic of China]". Government of China. Retrieved 2021-11-21. 目前中国有34个省级行政区,包括23个省、5个自治区、4个直辖市、2个特别行政区。[At present, China has 34 provincial level administrative regions, including 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities and 2 special administrative regions.]{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. 省委书记能任免省长吗?省委书记和省长的级别谁大. 周公网讯网 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2017-09-17. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  4. "GB/T 2260 codes for the provinces of China". Archived from the original on 2004-03-05. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
  5. ISO 3166-2:CN (ISO 3166-2 codes for the provinces of China)
  6. "Taiwan Provincial Government Official Website". Archived from the original on 10 April 2003. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  7. "What were the ancient 9 provinces? Archived 2016-06-05 at the Wayback Machine" on www.chinahistoryforum.com
  8. Twitchett 1979, pp. 203, 205.
  9. Twitchett 1979, p. 404.
  10. "Mongolian office to ride into Taipei by end of the year". Taipei Times. 2002-10-11. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-28. In October 1945, the people of Outer Mongolia voted for independence, gaining the recognition of many countries, including the Republic of China. (...) Due to a souring of relations with the Soviet Union in the early 1950s, however, the ROC revoked recognition of Outer Mongolia, reclaiming it as ROC territory. {...} Long a province of China, Mongolia declared its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. After the Ministry of the Interior's recent decision to exclude Mongolia from the official ROC map, on Oct. 3, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Taiwan recognizes Mongolia as an independent country -- 81 years after Mongolia declared its independence.
  11. Sherry Hsiao (29 June 2018). "Provincial-level agencies to be defunded next year". Taipei Times. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
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