Provinces of China

Provinces () are the most numerous type of province-level divisions, the first-level subdivisions of the People's Republic of China (PRC). There are currently 22 provinces administered by the PRC, and one further area that it claims but does not administer, which is Taiwan Province.

The local governments of Chinese provinces consist of a Provincial People's Government headed by a governor that acts as the executive, a Provincial People's Congress with legislative powers, and a parallel provincial branch of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that elects a party secretary and a provincial standing committee.

Government Provinces are the most common form of province-level governments. The legislative bodies of the provinces are the Provincial People's Congresses. The executive branch is the Provincial People's Government, led by a governor. The People's Government is answerable to both the State Council and the Provincial People's Congress. The provincial branch of the CCP has a Provincial Party Congress every five years, and elects a Standing Committee to exercise its authority when not in session. The Provincial Party Secretary is the de facto most important position in the province.

History

The first provinces were created by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty, and have remained one of the most stable forms of Chinese government since then. They were created to help the Imperial court manage local county governments, which were too numerous and far-flung to be managed directly. The number of provinces grew steadily during subsequent dynasties, reaching 28 by the time of the Republic of China. During the Warlord Era, provinces became largely or completely autonomous and exercised significant national influence. Province-level units proliferated and under the early People's Republic there were over 50. Political boundaries are, in part, established to counterbalance the influence of economic factors. For instance, the Yangtze Delta is divided among the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Anhui. This division ensures that economic strength is distributed, preventing any single region from potentially overpowering the state.

List of provinces GB/T 2260-2007ISOISO 3166-2:CN (ISO 3166-2 codes for the provinces of China)ProvinceMapChineseHanyu PinyinCapital City or Municipal Largest cityPopulation(2020)Density(per km2)Area(km2) Abbreviation HE CN-HE Hebei Héběi Shěng Shijiazhuang 74,610,235 393.08 189,809Jì SX CN-SX Shanxi Shānxī Shěng Taiyuan 34,915,616 222.80 156,713Jìn LN CN-LN Liaoning Liáoníng Shěng Shenyang 42,591,407 289.59 147,076Liáo JL CN-JL Jilin Jílín Shěng Changchun 24,073,453 126.51 190,282Jí HL CN-HL Heilongjiang Hēilóngjiāng Shěng Harbin 31,850,088 67.37 472,766Hēi JS CN-JS Jiangsu Jiāngsū ShěngNanjing 84,748,016 847.91 99,949Sū ZJ CN-ZJ Zhejiang Zhèjiāng ShěngHangzhou 64,567,588 615.67 104,873Zhè AH CN-AH Anhui Ānhuī Shěng Hefei 61,027,171 436.29 139,879Wǎn FJ CN-FJ Fujian Fújiàn ShěngFuzhouXiamen 41,540,086 335.66 123,756Mǐn JX CN-JX Jiangxi Jiāngxī ShěngNanchang 45,188,635 270.69 166,939Gàn SD CN-SD Shandong Shāndōng ShěngJinan Qingdao 101,527,453 643.78 157,704Lǔ HA CN-HA Henan Hénán Shěng Zhengzhou 99,365,519 600.52 165,467Yù HB CN-HB Hubei Húběi Shěng Wuhan 57,752,557 310.87 185,776È HN CN-HN Hunan Húnán Shěng Changsha 66,444,864 313.65 211,842Xiāng GD CN-GDGuangdong Guǎngdōng Shěng Guangzhou Shenzhen 126,012,510 700.02 180,013Yuè HI CN-HI Hainan Hǎinán Shěng Haikou 10,081,232 294.27 34,259Qióng SC CN-SC Sichuan Sìchuān Shěng Chengdu 83,674,866 174.93 484,056Chuān (Shǔ) GZ CN-GZ Guizhou Guìzhōu Shěng Guiyang 38,562,148 218.93 176,140Guì (Qián) YN CN-YN Yunnan Yúnnán Shěng Kunming 47,209,277 123.20 383,195Yún (Diān) SN CN-SN Shaanxi Shǎnxī ShěngXi'an 39,528,999 192.24 205,624Shǎn (Qín) GS CN-GS Gansu Gānsù ShěngLanzhou 25,019,831 54.70 457,382Gān (Lǒng) QH CN-QH Qinghai Qīnghǎi Shěng Xining 5,923,957 8.58 720,000Qīng TW CN-TW Taiwan Táiwān Shěng Taipei– – – –Tái

Provinces of China

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