List of Chinese Provinces

China, officially known as the People’s Republic of China (PRC), is the world’s most populous country, with a rich and diverse cultural heritage spanning thousands of years. Administratively, China is divided into 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 direct-controlled municipalities, and 2 Special Administrative Regions (SARs). Each province plays a crucial role in the economic, cultural, and political landscape of China.

Let us learn more about the list of Chinese provinces in the article!

List of Chinese Provinces by Population

Here’s the updated table with serial numbers:

Sl No.	Province	Population (2020 Census)
1	Guangdong (广东)	Over 126 million
2	Shandong (山东)	Over 100 million
3	Henan (河南)	Over 99 million
4	Sichuan (四川)	Over 83 million
5	Jiangsu (江苏)	Over 80 million
6	Hebei (河北)	Over 75 million
7	Hunan (湖南)	Over 68 million
8	Anhui (安徽)	Over 63 million
9	Hubei (湖北)	Over 59 million
10	Zhejiang (浙江)	Over 64 million
11	Guangxi (广西)	Over 48 million
12	Yunnan (云南)	Over 48 million
13	Jiangxi (江西)	Over 45 million
14	Liaoning (辽宁)	Over 43 million
15	Fujian (福建)	Over 41 million
16	Shaanxi (陕西)	Over 38 million
17	Shanxi (山西)	Over 36 million
18	Guizhou (贵州)	Over 35 million
19	Chongqing (重庆)	Over 31 million
20	Hainan (海南)	Over 9 million
21	Gansu (甘肃)	Over 26 million
22	Heilongjiang (黑龙江)	Over 37 million
23	Jilin (吉林)	Over 27 million
24	Inner Mongolia (内蒙古)	Over 25 million
25	Ningxia (宁夏)	Over 7 million
26	Qinghai (青海)	Over 6 million
27	Tibet (西藏)	Over 3 million

Note: Population figures are approximate and based on the 2020 Census data.

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List of Chinese Provinces by Area

Here is the list of Chinese provinces by area:

Sl No.	Province	Area (sq km)
1	Xinjiang (新疆)	Over 1.6 million
2	Tibet (西藏)	Over 1.2 million
3	Inner Mongolia (内蒙古)	Over 1.1 million
4	Qinghai (青海)	Over 720,000
5	Gansu (甘肃)	Over 450,000
6	Sichuan (四川)	Over 480,000
7	Heilongjiang (黑龙江)	Over 460,000
8	Yunnan (云南)	Over 380,000
9	Shaanxi (陕西)	Over 205,000
10	Guangxi (广西)	Over 230,000
11	Jilin (吉林)	Over 187,000
12	Henan (河南)	Over 165,000
13	Hubei (湖北)	Over 180,000
14	Hunan (湖南)	Over 210,000
15	Hebei (河北)	Over 190,000
16	Shandong (山东)	Over 157,000
17	Shanxi (山西)	Over 156,000
18	Guizhou (贵州)	Over 176,000
19	Jiangxi (江西)	Over 166,000
20	Liaoning (辽宁)	Over 145,000
21	Fujian (福建)	Over 120,000
22	Taiwan (台湾)	Over 35,000
23	Zhejiang (浙江)	Over 100,000
24	Guangdong (广东)	Over 178,000
25	Hainan (海南)	Over 33,000
26	Chongqing (重庆)	Over 82,000
27	Beijing (北京)	Over 16,000
28	Tianjin (天津)	Over 11,000
29	Shanghai (上海)	Over 6,000

Note: Area figures are approximate and may vary slightly based on different sources.

23 Provinces in China

Here are 23 Provinces in China:

1. Guangdong (广东):
   • Located in the southern part of China.
   • Known for its booming economy and being a hub for manufacturing and trade.
   • Guangzhou, its capital, is one of the largest cities in China.
2. Shandong (山东):
   • Situated on the eastern coast of China.
   • Famous for its rich history, cultural heritage, and Confucian influence.
   • Jinan serves as its capital city.
3. Henan (河南):
   • Located in central China.
   • Known as the “cradle of Chinese civilization” due to its historical significance.
   • Zhengzhou is the provincial capital.
4. Sichuan (四川):
   • Situated in southwestern China.
   • Renowned for its spicy cuisine, pandas, and natural landscapes.
   • Chengdu, the provincial capital, is a major economic and cultural center.
5. Jiangsu (江苏):
   • Located in eastern China, adjacent to Shanghai.
   • Known for its prosperous economy, historical sites, and scenic spots.
   • Nanjing, its capital, is a key cultural and educational center.
6. Hebei (河北):
   • Surrounds Beijing and Tianjin municipalities.
   • Plays a crucial role in China’s industrial development.
   • Shijiazhuang is the provincial capital.
7. Hunan (湖南):
   • Located in south-central China.
   • Known for its natural beauty, spicy cuisine, and cultural heritage.
   • Changsha serves as the provincial capital.
8. Anhui (安徽):
   • Situated in eastern China.
   • Home to UNESCO World Heritage sites and picturesque landscapes.
   • Hefei is the provincial capital.
9. Hubei (湖北):
   • Located in central China.
   • Known for its role in the Three Gorges Dam project and as the origin of the Yangtze River.
   • Wuhan, the provincial capital, is a major transportation hub.
10. Zhejiang (浙江):
    • Situated on the southeastern coast of China.
    • Known for its dynamic economy, scenic beauty, and historical sites.
    • Hangzhou, famous for West Lake, is the provincial capital.
11. Guangxi (广西):
    • Located in southern China, bordering Vietnam.
    • Known for its diverse ethnic groups, karst landscapes, and cultural heritage.
    • Nanning is the provincial capital.
12. Yunnan (云南):
    • Situated in southwestern China, bordering Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam.
    • Renowned for its ethnic diversity, stunning landscapes, and mild climate.
    • Kunming serves as the provincial capital.
13. Jiangxi (江西):
    • Located in southeastern China.
    • Known for its rich history, cultural relics, and natural scenery.
    • Nanchang is the provincial capital.
14. Liaoning (辽宁):
    • Situated in northeastern China, along the Yellow Sea.
    • Known for its heavy industries, seaports, and historical sites.
    • Shenyang serves as the provincial capital.
15. Fujian (福建):
    • Located on the southeastern coast of China, facing Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait.
    • Known for its coastal scenery, Hakka culture, and tea production.
    • Fuzhou is the provincial capital.
16. Shaanxi (陕西):
    • Located in northwestern China.
    • Known for its ancient history, including the Terracotta Army in Xi’an.
    • Xi’an, one of China’s ancient capitals, is the provincial capital.
17. Shanxi (山西):
    • Situated in northern China.
    • Known for its rich coal reserves, historical sites, and traditional architecture.
    • Taiyuan is the provincial capital.
18. Guizhou (贵州):
    • Located in southwestern China.
    • Known for its karst landscapes, ethnic diversity, and cultural heritage.
    • Guiyang serves as the provincial capital.
19. Chongqing (重庆):
    • A municipality directly under the central government’s control, located in southwestern China.
    • Known for its rapid urbanization, spicy cuisine, and the Three Gorges Dam.
    • Chongqing is the largest city in the municipality and serves as its administrative center.
20. Hainan (海南):
    • China’s southernmost province, consisting of Hainan Island and various surrounding islands.
    • Known for its tropical climate, beaches, and resorts.
    • Haikou is the provincial capital.
21. Gansu (甘肃):
    • Situated in northwestern China, on the ancient Silk Road.
    • Known for its desert landscapes, historical sites, and Buddhist grottoes.
    • Lanzhou is the provincial capital.
22. Heilongjiang (黑龙江):
    • Located in northeastern China, bordering Russia.
    • Known for its cold winters, ice festivals, and forest resources.
    • Harbin serves as the provincial capital.
23. Jilin (吉林):
    • Situated in northeastern China, adjacent to North Korea.
    • Known for its Changbai Mountains, winter tourism, and automobile industry.
    • Changchun is the provincial capital.

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FAQs on Chinese Provinces

What are the 31 provinces in China?

China officially has 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities directly under the central government, and 2 Special Administrative Regions (SARs), making a total of 34 administrative units.

What are the 23 provinces of China?

The 23 provinces of China are the administrative divisions that make up the majority of China’s territory and include regions such as Guangdong, Shandong, Henan, Sichuan, and Jiangsu, among others.

What is China’s biggest province?

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is the largest province in China by area, covering over 1.6 million square kilometers in the northwest part of the country.

What are the 6 regions of China?

The six regions of China are North China, Northeast China, East China, South Central China, Southwest China, and Northwest China, each characterized by unique geographical, cultural, and economic features.

How many provinces in China?

China officially has 23 provinces, although it also includes 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities directly under the central government, and 2 Special Administrative Regions (SARs), bringing the total administrative units to 34.

List of Chinese provinces alphabetical?

The Chinese provinces listed alphabetically are Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, and Zhejiang.

What are the 7 regions of China?

While there are six traditional geographical regions in China (North, Northeast, East, South Central, Southwest, and Northwest), some classifications also include a seventh region known as Central China, which encompasses provinces like Henan and Hubei.

What are the largest provinces in China by population?

Guangdong province, located in southern China, is the most populous province in China, followed by Shandong, Henan, and Sichuan, which also have large populations.