China (CN) Overview

China (CN)

Population 1 242 612 226 (2000 Census)
Area 9 805 282 km²

KML file with urban areas with population greater than 20 000.
Overview file with urban areas with population greater than 100 000.

Full detail available in nine parts below.

China (CN) includes all of the territory claimed by the People's Republic of China, except for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HK), the Macao Special Administrative Region (MO), and territory under the de facto control of the Republic of China government based on the island of Taiwan (TW). China (CN) has territorial disputes with India (IN) over Aksai Chin (which is sparsely populated) and Arunachal Pradesh (here treated as part of India) and with Vietnam (VN), the Phillippines (PH), and Malaysia (MY) over the Paracel and Spratly Islands (which are sparsely populated).

There are 346 entries in the world atlas covering parts of China (CN). They are enumerated below, with links, divided into nine sections: North-Central, South-Central, Manchuria, North-West, Mid-Yangtze, Southeast, Southwest, Sichuan Basin, and Central Asia. Populations in China (CN) for administrative units are from the 2000 Census and estimated populations of urban areas from Google Earth images are from about 2004.

China's administrative units treated here are hierarchically ranked into four levels: province level, region level (called prefecture level in many sources), county level, and township level. Province-level units are called provinces (省 shěng), metropolitan provinces (市 shì), and autonomous provinces (自治区 zìzhìqū). The province-level units are divided into region-level units called regions (市 shì), rural regions (地区 dìqū), and autonomous regions (自治州 zìzhìzhōu). Region-level units are divided into counties (县 xiàn), metropolitan counties (市 shì), districts (区 qū), which are usually grouped into a metropolitan area (市辖区 shìxiáqū), and autonomous counties (自治县 zìzhìxiàn). At the region and county levels, there are also some peculiar unit types whose names are given under their entries below. County-level units are divided into street committees (街道 jiēdào), urban townships (镇 zhèn), and rural townships (乡 xiāng).

Urban areas are placed within the administrative hierarchy in the Google Earth placemarks and world atlas entries. Larger urban areas typically contain more than one entry at township level and are not classified at that level. Some small urban areas are not the centers of their township-level units and the township-level placement for these may be less dependable than other data in the database.

There is one world atlas entry for each region-level unit. In the entries, population and area figures for administrative divisions are from the 2000 Chinese census, usually taken from the Chinese-language website www.xzqh.org (行政区划网 Xíngzhèngqū Huà Wǎng). Populations for all township-level units are given in the world atlas entries in Chinese, but transliterations are only given for those units relevant to this analysis.

Unless otherwise noted, all region-level units listed below are ordinary regions and the regional capitals have the same names as the regions.

North-Central: (539 379 km², population 272 576 052) (Google Earth placemarks)

Beijing Metropolitan Province (16 411 km², population 13 569 194)

Tianjin Metropolitan Province (11 611 km², population 9 848 731)

Hebei Province: Baoding, Cangzhou, Chengde, Handan, Hengshui, Langfang, Qinhuangdao, Shijiazhuang (capital), Tangshan, Xingtai, Zhangjiakou. (187 991 km², population 66 684 419)

Henan Province: Anyang, Hebi, Jiaozuo, Jiyuan Metropolitan County, Kaifeng, Luohe, Luoyang, Nanyang, Pingdingshan, Puyang, Sanmenxia, Shangqiu, Xinxiang, Xinyang, Xuchang, Zhengzhou (capital), Zhoukou, Zhumadian. (166 499 km², population 91 236 854)

Shandong Province: Binzhou, Dezhou, Dongying, Heze, Jinan (capital), Jining, Laiwu, Liaocheng, Linyi, Qingdao, Rizhao, Tai'an, Weifang, Weihai, Yantai, Zaozhuang, Zibo. (156 867 km², population 91 236 854)

South-Central: (346 904 km², population 194 381 910) (Google Earth placemarks)

Shanghai Metropolitan Province (6 340 km², population 16 407 734)

Anhui Province (139 057 km², population 58 999 948): Anqing, Bengbu, Bozhou, Chaohu, Chizhou, Chuzhou, Fuyang, Hefei (capital), Huaibei, Huainan, Huangshan, Lu'an, Ma'anshan, Suzhou, Tongling, Xuancheng, Wuhu

Jiangsu Province (97 607 km², population 73 043 577): Changzhou, Huai'an, Lianyungang, Nanjing (capital), Nantong, Suqian, Suzhou, Taizhou, Wuxi, Xuzhou, Yancheng, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang

Zhejiang Province (103 900 km², population 45 930 651): Hangzhou (capital), Huzhou, Jiaxing, Jinhua, Lishui, Ningbo, Quzhou, Shaoxing, Taizhou, Wenzhou, Zhoushan

Manchuria: (789 573 km², population 105 041 076) (Google Earth placemarks)

Heilongjiang Province: Daqing, Daxing'anling Rural Region (capital Jagdaqi), Harbin (capital), Hegang, Heihe, Jiamusi, Jixi, Mudanjiang, Qiqihar, Qitaihe, Shuangyashan, Suihua, Yichun. (449 683 km², population 36 414 473)

Jilin Province: Baicheng, Baishan, Changchun (capital), Jilin, Liaoyuan, Siping, Songyuan, Tonghua, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Region (capital Yanji) (192 105 km², population 26 802 191)

Liaoning Province: Anshan, Benxi, Chaoyang, Dalian, Dandong, Fushun, Fuxin, Huludao, Jinzhou, Liaoyang, Panjin, Shenyang (capital), Tieling, Yingkou. (147 785 km², population 41 824 412)

Northwest: (2 817 754 km², population 126 593 299) (Google Earth placemarks)

Shaanxi Province: Ankang, Baoji, Hanzhong, Shangluo, Tongchuan, Weinan, Xi'an (capital), Xianyang, Yan'an, Yulin (205 693 km², population 35 365 072)

Shanxi Province: Changzhi, Datong, Jincheng, Jinzhong, Linfen, Lüliang, Shuozhou, Taiyuan (capital), Xinzhou, Yangquan, Yuncheng (157 023 km², population 32 471 242)

Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region: Alxa League (capital Bayan Hot), Baotou, Bayan Nur (capital Linhe), Chifeng, Hohhot (capital), Hulun Buir (capital Hailar), Ordos (capital Dongsheng), Tongliao, Xilin Gol League (capital Xilin Hot), Xing'an League (capital Ulan Hot), Ulan Qab (capital Jining), Wuhai (1 218 698 km², population 23 323 347)

Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region: Guyuan, Shizuishan, Wuzhong, Yinchuan (capital), Zhongwei (55 461 km², population 5 486 393)

Gansu Province: Baiyin, Dingxi, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Region (capital Tsoe), Jiayuguan Metropolitan County, Jinchang, Jiuquan, Lanzhou (capital), Linxia Hui Autonomous Region, Longnan, Pingliang, Qingyang, Tianshui, Wuwei, Zhangye (464 186 km², population 25 124 282)

Qinghai Province: Golog Tibetan Autonomous Region (capital Maqên), Gyêgu Tibetan Autonomous Region, Haidong Rural Region (capital Ping'an), Malho Tibetan Autonomous Region (capital Rebkong), Tsojang Tibetan Autonomous Region (capital Dhashi), Tsolbo Tibetan Autonomous Region (capital Chabcha), Tsonub Mongolian-Tibetan Autonomous Region (capital Terlengkha), Xining (capital) (716 693 km², population 4 822 963)

Mid-Yangtze: (564 391 km², population 163 180 641) (Google Earth placemarks)

Hubei Province: Enshi Tujia-Miao Autonomous Region, Ezhou, Huanggang, Huangshi, Jingmen, Jingzhou, Qianjiang Metropolitan County, Shennongjia Forest Area, Shiyan, Suizhou, Tianmen Metropolitan County, Wuhan (capital), Xiangfan, Xianning, Xiantao Metropolitan County, Xiaogan, Yichang (185 125 km², population 59 508 870)

Hunan Province: Changde, Changsha (capital), Chenzhou, Hengyang, Huaihua, Loudi, Shaoyang, Xiangtan, Xiangxi Tujia-Miao Autonomous Region (capital Jishou), Yiyang, Yongzhou, Yueyang, Zhangjiajie, Zhuzhou (211 836 km², population 63 274 173)

Jiangxi Province: Fuzhou, Ganzhou, Ji'an, Jingdezhen, Jiujiang, Nanchang (capital), Pingxiang, Shangrao, Xinyu, Yichun, Yingtan (167 430 km², population 40 397 598)

Sichuan Basin: (573 549 km², population 112 861 059) (Google Earth placemarks)

Sichuan Province: Ngawa Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Region (capital Barkham), Bazhong, Chengdu (capital), Dazhou, Deyang, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Region (capital Dardo), Guang'an, Guangyuan, Leshan, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Region (capital Yichang), Luzhou, Meishan, Mianyang, Nanchong, Neijiang, Panzhihua, Suining, Ya'an, Yibin, Zigong, Ziyang (491 146 km², population 82 348 296)

Chongqing Metropolitan Province: (82 403 km², population 30 512 763)

Southeast: (335 889 km², population 126 881 989) (Google Earth placemarks)

Guangdong Province: Chaozhou, Dongguan Metropolitan County, Foshan, Guangzhou (capital), Heyuan, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Jieyang, Maoming, Meizhou, Qingyuan, Shantou, Shanwei, Shaoguan, Shenzhen, Yangjiang, Yunfu, Zhanjiang, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan Metropolitan County, Zhuhai. (177 933 km², population 85 225 007)

Hainan Province: (34 089 km², population 7 559 603, including disputed Paracel and Spratly Islands)

Fujian Province: Fuzhou (capital), Longyan, Nanping, Ningde, Putian, Quanzhou, Sanming, Xiamen, Zhangzhou. (123 603 km², population 34 097 947)

Southwest: (811 649 km², population 121 462 322) (Google Earth placemarks)

Yunnan Province: Baoshan, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Region, Dêqên Tibetan Autonomous Region (capital Gyalthang), Dali Bai Autonomous Region, Dehong Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Region (capital Luxi), Honghe Hani-Yi Autonomous Region (capital Mengzi), Lijiang, Lincang, Kunming (capital), Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Region (capital Lushui), Pu'er, Qujing, Wenshan Zhuang-Miao Autonomous Region, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Region (capital Jinghong), Yuxi, Zhaotong (393 734 km², population 42 360 089)

Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Beihai, Baise, Chongzuo, Fangchenggang, Guigang, Guilin, Hechi, Hezhou, Laibin, Liuzhou, Nanning (capital), Qinzhou, Wuzhou, Yulin (241 410 km², population 43 854 538)

Guizhou Province: Anshun, Bijie Rural Region, Guiyang (capital), Liupanshui, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Region (capital Kaili), Qiannan Buyi-Miao Autonomous Region (capital Duyun), Qianxinan Buyi-Miao Autonomous Region (capital Xingyi), Tongren Rural Region, Zunyi (176 505 km², population 35 247 695)

Central Asia: (3 759 674 km², population 25 898 803) (Google Earth placemarks)

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region: Aral Metropolitan County, Aqsu Rural Region, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Region (capital Korla), Börtala Mongolian Autonomous Region, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Region (capital Ghulja, includes Tarbaghatay Rural Region (capital Chöchek) and Altay Rural Region), Qaramay, Qeshqer Rural Region, Qizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Region (capital Atush), Qumul Rural Region, Sanji Hui Autonomous Region, Shixenze Metropolitan County, Tumshuq Metropolitan County, Turpan Rural Region, Ürümqi (capital), Wujyachü Metropolitan County, Xoten Rural Region (1 774 034 km², population 18 459 511)

Tibet Autonomous Region: Lhasa, Lhokha Rural Region (capital Zêtang), Nagchu Rural Region, Ngari Rural Region (capital Gar), Nyingchi Rural Region, Qamdo Rural Region, Xigazê Rural Region (1 268 947 km², population 2 616 329. These numbers include areas disputed with India.)