China's Provinces and Provincial Level Divisions

Provinces are the largest administrative division. These have capitals and, often, a fair degree of independence from central government.

There are four kinds of provincial-level divisions: Provinces, Autonomous Regions, Municipalities and Special Adminstrative Regions.

Provinces are the basic unit. These comprise large areas linked by geography, history and/or ethnicity. Provinces are often the size of, and have a population close to that of, a European country.

Autonomous Regions were established at the time of the founding of the People's Republic in order to encourage some of the larger ethnic groups to join the Communists in a power-sharing arrangement. These generally operate with a local language and/or script and with some variation on national policies.

Municipalities is a term used for the very largest cities which have been granted special status and more control over their own afafirs. In a country with many extremely large cities, this grouping is likely to increase from the current membership of just four.

Special Administrative Regions are historical anomolies. Both were governed by foreign powers until recently and are now in a transition phase with irregular arrangements over even the larger issues such as currency and immigration policy.

The following is a list of each Province grouped by type, then displayed alphabetically.

• • Provinces

  • Anhui:
  • Fujian: Facing Taiwan on the south-east coast this maritime region is 'home' to many overseas Chinese
  • Gansu: Located on the upper reaches of the Yellow River, this strangely-shaped province stretches far to the west
  • Guangdong: On the coast of the South China Sea, this province has both heavy industry and beautiful natural scenery
  • Guizhou: Remote and rugged, this region has always lagged behind in development, which is just fine if you want to see traditional rural life still going strong
  • Hainan:
  • Hebei:
  • Heilongjiang: With Harbin as its capital this province has the most northerly and most easterly points on the mainland
  • Henan:
  • Hubei: Dominated by the Yangtse River this province has an abundance of natural resources
  • Hunan:
  • Jiangsu: This watery province at the mouth of the Yangtse River is one of the most famous areas for silk production and embroidery
  • Jiangxi:
  • Jilin:
  • Liaoning:
  • Qinghai:
  • Shaanxi: Located on the middle reaches of the Yellow River this area has held a strategic importance throughout history
  • Shandong: This peninsula contains the mouth of the Yellow River as well as China's most sacred mountain ... and dragon bones. (fossils if you prefer)
  • Shanxi: Largely mountain and loes plateau, this is one of China's poorest provinces
  • Sichuan: This basin on the upper reaches of the Yangtse River is renowned for its spicy food
  • Taiwan: Still independent, the Republic of China faces the mainland across the straits bearing its provincial name
  • Yunnan: With a wide range of ethnic groups this province is fast becoming one of the most popular with visitors
  • Zhejiang: Despite having the most rugged coastline on the mainland this area leads the way in many areas of trade

• • Autonomous Regions

  • Guangxi (Zhuang): Tucked in the south-west corner of the mainland, abutting Vietnam, this rural province has some of the finest scenery anywhere
  • Inner Mongolia:
  • Ningxia (Hui): This tiny province has a large Muslim population, most of whom will be descendants of traders from the ancient Silk Road days
  • Tibet (Xizang): The Tibetan Plateau is often termed 'The Roof of the World'. These arid highlands are home to hardy nomads with a strong culture based around their Buddhist faith
  • Xinjiang (Uyghur): Located on the north-west border of the mainland these western regions have a distinctly Central Asian feel

• • Municipalities

  • Beijing: Capital of the PRC and of many dynasties before that, this city has a wealth of interest for visitors. Unmissable
  • Chongqing: This mountainous region sits astride the Yangtse River, with growing importance in domestic trade
  • Shanghai: Shanghai is a bustling metropolis at the mouth of the Yangtse River. It is often said to represent China's future
  • Tianjin: Beijing's port has sufficient interest of its own to warrant a side-trip, especially now that the two are connected by high-speed train taking only half an hour

• • Special Administrative Regions

  • Hong Kong: This former British colony is one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities. The territory also holds some stunning natural wilderness
  • Macau: Macau was a Portugese colony until handed back at the turn of the 20th century. The city still contains many historic sites, though it is now as well known for its casinos
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• Current Comments

  2 comments so far (post your own)

  Hi Elise
  
  China is huge and has an amazing diversity of scenery. Some of the best is said to be that around Guilin in Guangxi but Yunnan and Sichuan also have much that is stunning.
  
  There are wonderful mountains such as those at Huang Shan and Zhangjiajie as well as the Himalaya, Karakorums and Tian Shan on the south and west borders.
  
  Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu and Xinjiang all have large and interesting deserts. Do a search on Yadan Landforms to see what we mean.
  
  Keep browsing and do let us know if you find what you're looking for

  Posted by China Journeys on Mon 13 Feb, 2012

  I don't want to go to big cities. Where can I see the best scenery

  Posted by Elise on Mon 13 Feb, 2012

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