how many provinces are there in china?
Updated March 03, 2017. In terms of its area, China is the third largest country in the world but it is the world's largest based on population. Because it is so large, China is divided into 23 provinces, 22 of the provinces are controlled by the People's Republic of China (PRC). The 23rd province, Taiwan, is claimed by the PRC but it is not controlled by the PRC and is thus a de facto independent country.