Provinces of China

Provincial level administrative divisions 省级行政区 Shěngjí Xíngzhèngqū
Category	Unitary state
Location	People's Republic of China Republic of China
Created	1947 (Constitution of the Republic of China)
Number	PRC: 33-34* (31 direct jurisdiction + 2 special administrative regions + 1 claimed*) ROC: 22-70* (22 direct jurisdiction + 48 claimed*)
Government	Unitary one-party socialist republic (PRC) One country, two systems (SAR) Unitary parliamentary republic under a semi-presidential system (ROC)
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
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin shěng-jí xíngzhèngqū
province
Chinese	省
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin shěng
Tibetan name
Tibetan	ཞིང་ཆེན།
Transcriptions Wylie zhing chen Tibetan Pinyin Xingqên
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
Manchu name
Manchu script	ᡤᠣᠯᠣ
Romanization	golo

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: 省; pinyin: shěng), five autonomous regions, four municipalities and two special administrative regions. The political status of Taiwan Province along with a small fraction of Fujian Province remain in dispute; those are under separate rule by the Republic of China, which is usually referred to as "Taiwan".

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. The same arrangement exists for the autonomous regions and municipalities.

Types of provincial level divisions

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. 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

Main article: Direct-administered municipalities of China

See also: Special municipality (Taiwan)

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

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 regions of China

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	ISO	Province	Chinese Hanyu Pinyin	Capital	Population	Density	Area	Abbreviation
AH	CN-AH	Anhui Province	安徽省 Ānhuī Shěng	Hefei	61,027,171	436.29	139,879	皖 Wǎn
BJ	CN-BJ	Beijing Municipality	北京市 Běijīng Shì	Tongzhou	21,893,095	1,334.05	16,411	京 Jīng
CQ	CN-CQ	Chongqing Municipality	重庆市 Chóngqìng Shì	Yuzhong	32,054,159	388.99	82,403	渝 Yú
FJ	CN-FJ	Fujian Province	福建省 Fújiàn Shěng	Fuzhou (PRC) None, provincial government abolished (ROC)	41,540,086	335.66	123,756	闽 Mǐn
GD	CN-GD	Guangdong Province	广东省 Guǎngdōng Shěng	Guangzhou	126,012,510	700.02	180,013	粤 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	桂 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	豫 Yù
HB (HUB)	CN-HB	Hubei Province	湖北省 Húběi Shěng	Wuhan	57,752,557	310.87	185,776	鄂 È
HE (HEB)	CN-HE	Hebei Province	河北省 Héběi Shěng	Shijiazhuang	74,610,235	393.08	189,809	冀 Jì
HI	CN-HI	Hainan Province	海南省 Hǎinán Shěng	Haikou	10,081,232	294.27	34,259	琼 Qióng
HK	CN-HK	Hong Kong Special Administrative Region	香港特别行政区 Xiānggǎng Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū		7,061,200	6,396.01	1,108	港 Gǎng
HL	CN-HL	Heilongjiang Province	黑龙江省 Hēilóngjiāng Shěng	Harbin	31,850,088	67.37	472,766	黑 Hēi
HN (HUN)	CN-HN	Hunan Province	湖南省 Húnán Shěng	Changsha	66,444,864	313.65	211,842	湘 Xiāng
JL	CN-JL	Jilin Province	吉林省 Jílín Shěng	Changchun	24,073,453	126.51	190,282	吉 Jí
JS	CN-JS	Jiangsu Province	江苏省 Jiāngsū Shěng	Nanjing	84,748,016	847.91	99,949	苏 Sū
JX	CN-JX	Jiangxi Province	江西省 Jiāngxī Shěng	Nanchang	45,188,635	270.69	166,939	赣 Gàn
LN	CN-LN	Liaoning Province	辽宁省 Liáoníng Shěng	Shenyang	42,591,407	289.59	147,076	辽 Liáo
MO	CN-MO	Macau Special Administrative Region	澳门特别行政区 Àomén Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū		552,300	19,044.82	29	澳 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	宁 Níng
QH	CN-QH	Qinghai Province	青海省 Qīnghǎi Shěng	Xining	5,923,957	8.58	690,355	青 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	鲁 Lǔ
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	晋 Jìn
TJ	CN-TJ	Tianjin Municipality	天津市 Tiānjīn Shì	Hexi	13,866,009	1,194.32	11,610	津 Jīn
TW	CN-TW	Taiwan Province	台湾省 Táiwān Shěng	Taipei (PRC claimed) None, provincial government abolished (ROC)	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	新 Xīn
XZ	CN-XZ	Tibet Autonomous Region	西藏自治区 Xīzàng Zìzhìqū	Lhasa	3,648,100	3.03	1,204,776	藏 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	浙 Zhè

History

See also: History of the administrative divisions of China

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.

Provinces of the Sui dynasty
Name	Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Pinyin	Capital		Approximate extent in terms of modern locations
				Ancient name	Modern 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

Main article: Administrative divisions of the Tang dynasty

Tang circuits, ca. 660

Tang circuits, ca. 742

Emperor Taizong (r. 626–649) set up 10 "circuits" (道; 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 (都督府; dūdū fǔ), and 358 prefectures (州 and later 府; fǔ). 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.

Circuits of the Tang dynasty
Name		Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Pinyin	Capital		Approximate extent in terms of modern locations
					Ancient name	Modern location
Duji*		都畿		Dūjī	Henan Fu	Luoyang	Luoyang and environs
Guannei		關內	关内	Guānnèi	Jingzhao Fu	Xi'an	northern Shaanxi, central Inner Mongolia, Ningxia
Hebei		河北		Héběi	Weizhou	Wei County, Hebei	Hebei
Hedong		河東	河东	Hédōng	Puzhou	Puzhou, Yongji, Shanxi	Shanxi
Henan		河南		Hénán	Bianzhou	Kaifeng	Henan, Shandong, northern Jiangsu, northern Anhui
Huainan		淮南		Huáinán	Yangzhou		central Jiangsu, central Anhui
Jiannan		劍南	剑南	Jiànnán	Yizhou	Chengdu	central Sichuan, central Yunnan
Jiangnan		江南		Jiāngnán			Jiangnanxi + Jiangnandong (see map)
	Qianzhong**	黔中		Qiánzhōng	Qianzhou	Pengshui	Guizhou, western Hunan
	Jiangnanxi**	江南西		Jiāngnánxī	Hongzhou	Nanchang	Jiangxi, Hunan, southern Anhui, southern Hubei
	Jiangnandong**	江南東	江南东	Jiāngnándōng	Suzhou		southern Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shanghai
Jingji*		京畿		Jīngjī	Jingzhao Fu	Xi'an	Xi'an and environs
Lingnan		嶺南	岭南	Lǐngnán	Guangzhou		Guangdong, eastern Guangxi, northern Vietnam
Longyou		隴右	陇右	Lǒngyou	Shanzhou	Ledu County, Qinghai	Gansu
Shannan		山南		Shānnán			Shannanxi + Shannandong (see map)
	Shannanxi**	山南西		Shānnánxī	Liangzhou	Hanzhong	southern Shanxi, eastern Sichuan, Chongqing
	Shannandong**	山南東	山南东	Shānnándōng	Xiangzhou	Xiangfan	southern 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 (路; lù, literally meaning "roads", but is still usually translated as "circuits"). They also added a number of "army" prefectures (軍; jūn). Similarly, Liao and Jurchen Jin dynasties also established circuits as the first-level administrative division.

Circuits of the Northern Song dynasty
Name	Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Pinyin	Capital		Approximant extent in terms of modern locations
				Ancient name	Modern location
Chengdufu	成都府		Chéngdūfǔ	Chengdu		central Sichuan
Fujian	福建		Fújiàn	Fuzhou		Fujian
Guangnan East	廣南東	广南东	Guǎngnándōng	Guangzhou		eastern Guangdong
Guangnan West	廣南西	广南西	Guǎngnánxī	Guizhou	Guilin	western Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan
Hebei East	河北東	河北东	Héběidōng	Beijing	Daming County, Hebei	eastern Hebei
Hebei West	河北西		Héběixī	Zhending	Zhengding County, Hebei	western Hebei
Hedong	河東	河东	Hédōng	Taiyuan		Shanxi
Huainan East	淮南東	淮南东	Huáinándōng	Yangzhou		central Jiangsu
Huainan West	淮南西		Huáinánxī	Shouzhou	Fengtai County, Anhui	central Anhui
Jiangnan East	江南東	江南东	Jiāngnándōng	Jiangning Fu	Nanjing	southern Anhui
Jiangnan West	江南西		Jiāngnánxī	Hongzhou	Nanchang	Jiangxi
Jingdong East	京東東	京东东	Jīngdōngdōng	Qingzhou	Qingzhou, Shandong	eastern Shandong
Jingdong West	京東西	京东西	Jīngdōngxī	Nanjing	south of Shangqiu, Henan	western Shandong
Jinghu North	荊湖北	荆湖北	Jīnghúběi	Jiangling		Hubei, western Hunan
Jinghu South	荊湖南	荆湖南	Jīnghúnán	Tanzhou	Changsha	Hunan
Jingji	京畿		Jīngjī	Chenliu	Chenliu, Kaifeng, Henan	Kaifeng and environs
Jingxi North	京西北		Jīngxīběi	Xijing	Luoyang	central Henan
Jingxi South	京西南		Jīngxīnán	Xiangzhou	Xiangfan	southern Henan, northern Hubei
Kuizhou	夔州		Kuízhōu	Kuizhou	Fengjie County, Chongqing	Chongqing, eastern Sichuan, Guizhou
Liangzhe	兩浙	两浙	Liǎngzhè	Hangzhou		Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, Shanghai
Lizhou	利州		Lìzhōu	Xingyuan	Hanzhong	northern Sichuan, southern Shaanxi
Qinfeng	秦鳳	秦凤	Qínfèng	Qinzhou	Tianshui	southern Gansu
Yongxingjun	永興軍	永兴军	Yǒngxīngjūn	Jingzhao	Xi'an	Shaanxi
Zizhou	梓州		Zǐzhōu	Zizhou	Santai County, Sichuan	central southern Sichuan

Yuan provinces

Main article: Administrative divisions of the Yuan dynasty

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
Name	Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Pinyin	Capital					Approximant extent in terms of modern locations
				Ancient name	Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Pinyin	Modern 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
Name	Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Pinyin	Capital					Approximant extent in terms of modern locations
				Ancient name	Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Pinyin	Modern 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

Further information: History of the administrative divisions of China before 1912 § Provinces and Feudatory Regions under the Qing dynasty, and Qing dynasty in Inner Asia

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.

• 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
• Taiwan (臺灣省) 1885–1895
• Fengtian (奉天省) 1907–1912
• Jilin (吉林省) 1907–1912
• Heilongjiang (黑龍江省) 1907–1912

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.

Further information: Administrative divisions of the Republic of China after 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. 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 2024 but the Chen Shui-bian administration renounced claims to Outer Mongolia in 2002. The remaining provinces became streamlined in 1998 and its governments became non-functional in 2019.

• 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

• 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, 1953-2002
• Tibet Area (西藏地方) 1928–1951
• 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
• Kaohsiung Special Municipality (高雄市)
• Nanjing Yuan-controlled Municipality (南京市) 1927–1949
• New Taipei Special Municipality (新北市)
• 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
• Taichung Special Municipality (臺中市)
• Tainan Special Municipality (臺南市)
• Taipei Special Municipality (臺北市)
• Taoyuan Special Municipality (桃園市)
• Tianjin Yuan-controlled Municipality (天津市) 1928–1949
• Xi'an Yuan-controlled Municipality (西安市) 1948–1949

List of PRC/ROC provincial 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 (PRC) Jincheng (ROC)	福州	parts of the Fujian Province consisting of Kinmen and Matsu are part of Taiwan (ROC)
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
Xikang	西康	Xīkāng	康 kāng	Kangding (1949–50) Ya'an (1950–55)	康定 雅安	1955 abolished → Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet Autonomous Region
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	内蒙古	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 (PRC)	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 (PRC)	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 (PRC)	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 (PRC)	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.

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						Taipei New Taipei Keelung Taoyuan Hsinchu County Hsinchu Miaoli Taichung Changhua Penghu Nantou Yunlin Chiayi County Chiayi Tainan Kaohsiung Pingtung Yilan Hualien Taitung Taiwan Province Kinmen Lienchiang (Matsu) Fuchien Province Taiwan Strait South China Sea East China Sea Pescadores Channel Bashi Channel Philippine Sea (Pacific Ocean)
Free area					Mainland area
Special municipalities		Provinces			Not administered
		Counties		Autonomous municipalities
Districts	Mountain indigenous districts	County- administered cities	Townships	Districts
Villages
Neighborhoods

Notes

External links

• Interactive Dbresearch.com: WebMap Archived 2016-04-06 at the Wayback Machine — with economic indicators for all Chinese Provinces.