Provinces ( zh, c=省, p=Shěng) are the most numerous type of
province-level divisions in the
People's Republic of China (PRC). There are currently 22 provinces administered by the PRC and one province that is claimed, but not administered, which is
Taiwan, currently administered by the
Republic of China (ROC).
The local governments of Chinese provinces consists 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 in the
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
}
Héběi Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Shijiazhuang
, style="text-align:right;" , 74,610,235
, style="text-align:right;" , 393.08
, style="text-align:right;" , 189,809
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Jì
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , SX
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-SX
,
Shanxi
,
Shānxī Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Taiyuan
, style="text-align:right;" , 34,915,616
, style="text-align:right;" , 222.80
, style="text-align:right;" , 156,713
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Jìn
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , LN
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-LN
,
Liaoning
,
Liáoníng Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Shenyang
, style="text-align:right;" , 42,591,407
, style="text-align:right;" , 289.59
, style="text-align:right;" , 147,076
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Liáo
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , JL
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-JL
,
Jilin
,
Jílín Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Changchun
, style="text-align:right;" , 24,073,453
, style="text-align:right;" , 126.51
, style="text-align:right;" , 190,282
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Jí
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , HL
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-HL
,
Heilongjiang
,
Hēilóngjiāng Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Harbin
, style="text-align:right;" , 31,850,088
, style="text-align:right;" , 67.37
, style="text-align:right;" , 472,766
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Hēi
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , JS
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-JS
,
Jiangsu
,
Jiāngsū Shěng
, style="text-align:center;",
Nanjing
, style="text-align:center;",
Suzhou
, style="text-align:right;" , 84,748,016
, style="text-align:right;" , 847.91
, style="text-align:right;" , 99,949
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Sū
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , ZJ
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-ZJ
,
Zhejiang
,
Zhèjiāng Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Hangzhou
, style="text-align:right;" , 64,567,588
, style="text-align:right;" , 615.67
, style="text-align:right;" , 104,873
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Zhè
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , AH
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-AH
,
Anhui
,
Ānhuī Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" ,
Hefei
, style="text-align:right;" , 61,027,171
, style="text-align:right;" , 436.29
, style="text-align:right;" , 139,879
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Wǎn
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , FJ
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-FJ
,
Fujian
,
Fújiàn Shěng
, style="text-align:center;",
Fuzhou
, style="text-align:center;",
Quanzhou
, style="text-align:right;" , 41,540,086
, style="text-align:right;" , 335.66
, style="text-align:right;" , 123,756
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Mǐn
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , JX
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-JX
,
Jiangxi
,
Jiāngxī Shěng
, style="text-align:center;",
Nanchang
, style="text-align:center;",
Ganzhou
, style="text-align:right;" , 45,188,635
, style="text-align:right;" , 270.69
, style="text-align:right;" , 166,939
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Gàn
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , SD
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-SD
,
Shandong
,
Shāndōng Shěng
, style="text-align:center;",
Jinan
, style="text-align:center;",
Linyi
, style="text-align:right;" , 101,527,453
, style="text-align:right;" , 643.78
, style="text-align:right;" , 157,704
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Lǔ
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , HA
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-HA
,
Henan
,
Hénán Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Zhengzhou
, style="text-align:right;" , 99,365,519
, style="text-align:right;" , 600.52
, style="text-align:right;" , 165,467
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Yù
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , HB
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-HB
,
Hubei
,
Húběi Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Wuhan
, style="text-align:right;" , 57,752,557
, style="text-align:right;" , 310.87
, style="text-align:right;" , 185,776
, style="text-align:center;" ,
È
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , HN
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-HN
,
Hunan
,
Húnán Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Changsha
, style="text-align:right;" , 66,444,864
, style="text-align:right;" , 313.65
, style="text-align:right;" , 211,842
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Xiāng
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , GD
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-GD
,
Guangdong
,
Guǎngdōng Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Guangzhou
, style="text-align:right;" , 126,012,510
, style="text-align:right;" , 700.02
, style="text-align:right;" , 180,013
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Yuè
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , HI
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-HI
,
Hainan
,
Hǎinán Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Haikou
, style="text-align:right;" , 10,081,232
, style="text-align:right;" , 294.27
, style="text-align:right;" , 34,259
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Qióng
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , SC
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-SC
,
Sichuan
,
Sìchuān Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Chengdu
, style="text-align:right;" , 83,674,866
, style="text-align:right;" , 174.93
, style="text-align:right;" , 484,056
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Chuān (Shǔ)
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , GZ
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-GZ
,
Guizhou
,
Guìzhōu Shěng
, style="text-align:center;",
Guiyang
, style="text-align:center;",
Zunyi
, style="text-align:right;" , 38,562,148
, style="text-align:right;" , 218.93
, style="text-align:right;" , 176,140
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Guì (Qián)
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , YN
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-YN
,
Yunnan
,
Yúnnán Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Kunming
, style="text-align:right;" , 47,209,277
, style="text-align:right;" , 123.20
, style="text-align:right;" , 383,195
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Yún (Diān)
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , SN
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-SN
,
Shaanxi
,
Shǎnxī Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Xi'an
, style="text-align:right;" , 39,528,999
, style="text-align:right;" , 192.24
, style="text-align:right;" , 205,624
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Shǎn (Qín)
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , GS
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-GS
,
Gansu
,
Gānsù Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Lanzhou
, style="text-align:right;" , 25,019,831
, style="text-align:right;" , 54.70
, style="text-align:right;" , 457,382
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Gān (Lǒng)
, -
, style="text-align:center;" , QH
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-QH
,
Qinghai
,
Qīnghǎi Shěng
, colspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
Xining
, style="text-align:right;" , 5,923,957
, style="text-align:right;" , 8.58
, style="text-align:right;" , 720 000
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Qīng
, - style="background:#FFCCCC;" , -
, style="text-align:center;" , TW
, style="text-align:center;" , CN-TW
,
''Taiwan''
,
Táiwān Shěng
, style="text-align:center;",
Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
, style="text-align:center;",
New Taipei City
New Taipei City is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality located in regions of Taiwan, northern Taiwan. The city is home to an estimated population of 4,004,367 as of January 2023, making it the most populous city in Taiwan, a ...
, style="text-align:right;" , 23,162,123
, style="text-align:right;" , 650.97
, style="text-align:right;" , 36,161
, style="text-align:center;" ,
Tái
See also
*
Federalism in China
*
Administrative divisions of China
The administrative divisions of China have consisted of several levels since 1412, due to mainland China's large population and geographical area. In the People's Republic of China, the constitution provides for three levels of government. H ...
*
List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP
The article lists China's first-level administrative divisions by gross domestic product (GDP). Each province's GDP is listed in both the national currency renminbi (CNY), and at nominal U.S. dollar values according to annual average exchange ...
*
List of Chinese administrative divisions by population
This is a list of Chinese administrative divisions in order of their total resident populations. It includes all provinces, autonomous regions, direct-controlled municipalities and special administrative regions controlled by the Republi ...
*
List of current Chinese provincial leaders
*
Regional discrimination in China
*
Tiao-kuai
*
Yangtze Delta
*
Zhou (administrative division)
''Zhou'' () were historical administrative and political divisions of China. Formally established during the Han dynasty, ''zhou'' existed continuously for over 2000 years . ''Zhou'' were also once used in Korea (, ''ju''), Vietnam () and . ...
*
Special administrative region (People's Republic of China)
Notes
References
Bibliography
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External links
Interactive Dbresearch.com: WebMap — ''with economic indicators for all Chinese Provinces''.
{{Authority control
*
Administrative divisions of China
Provinces, China