# Provinces of China

Provinces (Chinese: 省; pinyin: 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

| GB/T 2260-2007 | ISO | Province | Chinese Hanyu Pinyin | Capital | Largest city | Population (2020) | Density (per km$^2$) | Area (km$^2$) | Abbreviation |
| HE | CN-HE | Hebei | 河北省 Héběi Shěng | Shijiazhuang | Shijiazhuang | 74,610,235 | 393.08 | 189,809 | 冀 Jì |
| SX | CN-SX | Shanxi | 山西省 Shānxī Shěng | Taiyuan | Taiyuan | 34,915,616 | 222.80 | 156,713 | 晋 Jìn |
| LN | CN-LN | Liaoning | 辽宁省 Liáoníng Shěng | Shenyang | Shenyang | 42,591,407 | 289.59 | 147,076 | 辽 Liáo |
| JL | CN-JL | Jilin | 吉林省 Jílín Shěng | Changchun | Changchun | 24,073,453 | 126.51 | 190,282 | 吉 Jí |
| HL | CN-HL | Heilongjiang | 黑龙江省 Hēilóngjiāng Shěng | Harbin | Harbin | 31,850,088 | 67.37 | 472,766 | 黑 Hēi |
| JS | CN-JS | Jiangsu | 江苏省 Jiāngsū Shěng | Nanjing | Suzhou | 84,748,016 | 847.91 | 99,949 | 苏 Sū |
| ZJ | CN-ZJ | Zhejiang | 浙江省 Zhèjiāng Shěng | Hangzhou | Hangzhou | 64,567,588 | 615.67 | 104,873 | 浙 Zhè |
| AH | CN-AH | Anhui | 安徽省 Ānhuī Shěng | Hefei | Hefei | 61,027,171 | 436.29 | 139,879 | 皖 Wǎn |
| FJ | CN-FJ | Fujian | 福建省 Fújiàn Shěng | Fuzhou | Quanzhou | 41,540,086 | 335.66 | 123,756 | 闽 Mǐn |
| JX | CN-JX | Jiangxi | 江西省 Jiāngxī Shěng | Nanchang | Ganzhou | 45,188,635 | 270.69 | 166,939 | 赣 Gàn |
| SD | CN-SD | Shandong | 山东省 Shāndōng Shěng | Jinan | Linyi | 101,527,453 | 643.78 | 157,704 | 鲁 Lǔ |
| HA | CN-HA | Henan | 河南省 Hénán Shěng | Zhengzhou | Zhengzhou | 99,365,519 | 600.52 | 165,467 | 豫 Yù |
| HB | CN-HB | Hubei | 湖北省 Húběi Shěng | Wuhan | Wuhan | 57,752,557 | 310.87 | 185,776 | 鄂 È |
| HN | CN-HN | Hunan | 湖南省 Húnán Shěng | Changsha | Changsha | 66,444,864 | 313.65 | 211,842 | 湘 Xiāng |
| GD | CN-GD | Guangdong | 广东省 Guǎngdōng Shěng | Guangzhou | Guangzhou | 126,012,510 | 700.02 | 180,013 | 粤 Yuè |
| HI | CN-HI | Hainan | 海南省 Hǎinán Shěng | Haikou | Haikou | 10,081,232 | 294.27 | 34,259 | 琼 Qióng |
| SC | CN-SC | Sichuan | 四川省 Sìchuān Shěng | Chengdu | Chengdu | 83,674,866 | 174.93 | 484,056 | 川(蜀) Chuān (Shǔ) |
| GZ | CN-GZ | Guizhou | 贵州省 Guìzhōu Shěng | Guiyang | Zunyi | 38,562,148 | 218.93 | 176,140 | 贵(黔) Guì (Qián) |
| YN | CN-YN | Yunnan | 云南省 Yúnnán Shěng | Kunming | Kunming | 47,209,277 | 123.20 | 383,195 | 云(滇) Yún (Diān) |
| SN | CN-SN | Shaanxi | 陕西省 Shǎnxī Shěng | Xi'an | Xi'an | 39,528,999 | 192.24 | 205,624 | 陕(秦) Shǎn (Qín) |
| GS | CN-GS | Gansu | 甘肃省 Gānsù Shěng | Lanzhou | Lanzhou | 25,019,831 | 54.70 | 457,382 | 甘(陇) Gān (Lǒng) |
| QH | CN-QH | Qinghai | 青海省 Qīnghǎi Shěng | Xining | Xining | 5,923,957 | 8.58 | 720 000 | 青 Qīng |
| TW | CN-TW | Taiwan | 台湾省 Táiwān Shěng | Taipei | New Taipei City | 23,162,123 | 650.97 | 36,161 | 台(臺) Tái |
* ↑ Abbreviation in the parentheses is informal
* ↑ Most of Fujian is administered by the People's Republic of China, but the Republic of China governs Kinmen County and Lienchiang County (the Matsu Islands) as part of its own Fujian Province.
* ↑ Most of Guangdong is administered by the People's Republic of China, but the Republic of China governs Pratas Island as part of the special municipality of Kaohsiung City.
* ↑ Most of Hainan is administered by the People's Republic of China, while the Republic of China governs Taiping Island as part of the special municipality of Kaohsiung City.
* ↑ Has separate ISO 3166-2 code: TW
* ↑ The People's Republic of China considers Taiwan to be its 23rd province, but Taiwan is currently ruled by the Republic of China. For more information, see the political status of Taiwan.