List of China Provinces and Capitals

China is divided into 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities directly under the central government, and 2 special administrative regions. Here is a list of the provinces in China:

China is a large country in East Asia bordered by 14 countries and several seas along the Pacific Ocean. The country is divided into provinces-level divisions that include provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and special administrative regions. Beijing is the national capital, while Shanghai is the largest city in China.

The country stretches from deserts and mountains in the west to major river plains and coastal megacities in the east. Different provinces-level divisions have their own local history, dialects, food traditions, and economic strengths, which makes China incredibly diverse from region to region.

Key Facts

National capital: Beijing
Total population: 1,409,670,000 (Official estimate 2024)
Total area: 9,596,961 km² (3,705,407 sq miles)
Currency: Renminbi Yuan (¥, CNY)
Bordering countries: Russia, Mongolia, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan
Total Provinces-Level Divisions: 34
Total Prefecture-Level Divisions: 330+

List of Provinces-Level Divisions and Capitals of China

Total administrative divisions shown: 34 | Combined population: 1,409,670,000 | Combined area: 9,596,961 km²

#	Province-Level Division Name	Capital City	Region	Area (km²)	Population (Latest Census)
1	Anhui	Hefei	East China	140,100	61,271,000
2	Beijing	Beijing	North China	16,410	21,858,000
3	Chongqing	Chongqing	Southwest China	82,403	32,054,000
4	Fujian	Fuzhou	Southeast Coast	121,400	41,880,000
5	Gansu	Lanzhou	Northwest China	425,800	24,920,000
6	Guangdong	Guangzhou	South China	179,800	127,060,000
7	Guangxi	Nanning	South China	236,700	50,470,000
8	Guizhou	Guiyang	Southwest China	176,100	38,560,000
9	Hainan	Haikou	South Coast	35,400	10,270,000
10	Hebei	Shijiazhuang	North China	188,800	74,610,000
11	Heilongjiang	Harbin	Northeast China	454,800	30,990,000
12	Henan	Zhengzhou	Central China	167,000	98,720,000
13	Hubei	Wuhan	Central China	185,900	58,300,000
14	Hunan	Changsha	Central South	211,800	65,680,000
15	Inner Mongolia	Hohhot	North China	1,183,000	24,050,000
16	Jiangsu	Nanjing	East China	102,600	85,260,000
17	Jiangxi	Nanchang	East China	166,900	45,280,000
18	Jilin	Changchun	Northeast China	187,400	23,470,000
19	Liaoning	Shenyang	Northeast China	148,000	42,510,000
20	Macau	Macau	South Coast	33	683,000
21	Ningxia	Yinchuan	Northwest China	66,400	7,290,000
22	Qinghai	Xining	Tibetan Plateau	721,000	5,950,000
23	Shaanxi	Xi'an	Northwest China	205,800	39,530,000
24	Shandong	Jinan	East China	157,100	101,530,000
25	Shanghai	Shanghai	East Coast	6,341	24,870,000
26	Shanxi	Taiyuan	North China	156,700	34,880,000
27	Sichuan	Chengdu	Southwest China	485,000	83,740,000
28	Tianjin	Tianjin	North China	11,966	13,870,000
29	Tibet	Lhasa	Tibetan Plateau	1,228,400	3,650,000
30	Xinjiang	Ürümqi	Northwest China	1,664,900	25,870,000
31	Yunnan	Kunming	Southwest China	394,000	46,930,000
32	Zhejiang	Hangzhou	East Coast	105,500	66,270,000
33	Hong Kong	Hong Kong	South Coast	1,114	7,530,000
34	Taiwan	Taipei	East Asia Island	36,197	23,420,000

Largest Provinces-Level Divisions by Area

Xinjiang - 642,821 sq mi (1,664,900 km²)
Tibet - 474,287 sq mi (1,228,400 km²)
Inner Mongolia - 456,759 sq mi (1,183,000 km²)
Qinghai - 278,380 sq mi (721,000 km²)
Sichuan - 187,259 sq mi (485,000 km²)
Heilongjiang - 175,599 sq mi (454,800 km²)
Gansu - 164,402 sq mi (425,800 km²)
Yunnan - 152,124 sq mi (394,000 km²)

Most Populous Provinces-Level Divisions

Guangdong - Population: 127,060,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
Shandong - Population: 101,530,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
Henan - Population: 98,720,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
Jiangsu - Population: 85,260,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
Sichuan - Population: 83,740,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
Hebei - Population: 74,610,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
Zhejiang - Population: 66,270,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
Hunan - Population: 65,680,000 (Official Estimate 2024)

Smallest Provinces-Level Divisions by Area

Macau - 13 sq mi (33 km²)
Hong Kong - 430 sq mi (1,114 km²)
Shanghai - 2,448 sq mi (6,341 km²)
Tianjin - 4,620 sq mi (11,966 km²)
Beijing - 6,336 sq mi (16,410 km²)
Hainan - 13,668 sq mi (35,400 km²)

Provinces-Level Divisions by Regional Grouping

North China: Beijing, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Tianjin
Northeast China: Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning
East China: Anhui, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shandong
East Coast: Shanghai, Zhejiang
Central China: Henan, Hubei
Central South: Hunan
South China: Guangdong, Guangxi
South Coast: Hainan, Hong Kong, Macau
Southeast Coast: Fujian
Southwest China: Chongqing, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan
Northwest China: Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Xinjiang
Tibetan Plateau: Qinghai, Tibet
East Asia Island: Taiwan

Landlocked Provinces-Level Divisions

Anhui
Beijing
Chongqing
Gansu
Guizhou
Hebei
Heilongjiang
Henan
Hubei
Hunan
Inner Mongolia
Jiangxi
Jilin
Ningxia
Qinghai
Shaanxi
Shanxi
Sichuan
Tianjin
Tibet
Xinjiang
Yunnan

Provinces-Level Divisions with Coastline

Fujian
Guangdong
Guangxi
Hainan
Hong Kong
Jiangsu
Liaoning
Macau
Shandong
Shanghai
Taiwan
Zhejiang

Provinces-Level Divisions Sharing Borders with Other Countries

Russia: Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Xinjiang
Mongolia: Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang
North Korea: Jilin, Liaoning
Vietnam: Guangxi, Yunnan
Laos: Yunnan
Myanmar: Yunnan
India: Tibet, Xinjiang
Bhutan: Tibet
Nepal: Tibet
Pakistan: Xinjiang
Afghanistan: Xinjiang
Tajikistan: Xinjiang
Kyrgyzstan: Xinjiang
Kazakhstan: Xinjiang

Sources

World Countries and Capitals

Location Map of Asian Countries

Written and Fact-checked by Whereig Web Team | Updated On: September 26, 2025, 22:40 ET