History of the administrative divisions of China (1949–present)

The History of the administrative divisions of China after 1949 refers to the administrative divisions under the People's Republic of China. In 1949, the communist forces initially held scattered fragments of China at the start of the Chinese civil war. By late 1949, they controlled the majority of mainland China, forcing the Republic of China government to relocate to Taiwan.

Founding

Map of the PRC in 1949.
Map comparing administrative divisions as drawn by the PRC and ROC.

The Government of China made the following changes:

1950s

In 1952, the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui and Sichuan were restored. Pingyuan and Chahar were split into their surrounding provinces. Nanjing, old capital of the Republic of China, was deprived of municipality status and annexed by Jiangsu province. In 1953, Changchun and Harbin were elevated to municipality status.

In 1954, a massive campaign to cut the number of provincial-level divisions was initiated. Of the 14 municipalities existing in 1953, 11 were annexed by nearby provinces, with only Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin remaining. The province of Liaoning was formed out of the merger of Liaodong and Liaoxi, while Suiyuan and Ningxia disappeared into Inner Mongolia and Gansu.

The greater administrative area level was abolished in 1954.

The process continued in 1955 with Rehe being split among Hebei, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia, and Xikang disappearing into Sichuan. In that same year Xinjiang became the second autonomous region of China, and plans for a third, Tibet Autonomous Region, were initiated. Qamdo territory was put under the planned Tibet Autonomous Region.

In 1957 two more autonomous regions were added, Ningxia (split back out of Gansu) and Guangxi (which was previously a province). In 1958 Tianjin was annexed by Hebei, leaving only two municipalities, Beijing and Shanghai.

1960s and 1970s

In 1965 Tibet Autonomous Region was established out of the formerly self-governing Tibet Area, plus Qamdo Territory. In 1967 Tianjin was split back out as a municipality.

1980s, 1990s and 2000s

Starting in the 1980s, prefecture-level cities and county-level cities began to appear in very large numbers, usually by replacing entire prefectures and counties. Hainan and some other islands were split out of Guangdong and set up as a Hainan Province in 1988.

In 1997 Chongqing became the fourth municipality of China. In that same year Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule and became the first special administrative region. Macau became the second in 1999.

In the 1990s, there was a campaign to abolish district public offices as a level. By 2004 very few remained.

In the meantime, most prefectures have become prefecture-level cities.

List of all provincial-level divisions since 1949

  abolished   claimed

Administrative divisions of China
Greater Administrative Areas
Name Simplified
Hanzi
Traditional
Hanzi
Pinyin Translation Capital Simplified
Hanzi
Traditional
Hanzi
Notes
Huabei华北華北Huáběi"North China"Beijing北京北京1949–1954
Dongbei东北東北Dōngběi"Northeast"Shenyang沈阳瀋陽1949–1954
Huadong华东華東Huádōng"East China"Shanghai上海上海1949–1954
Zhongnan中南中南Zhōngnán"South Central"Wuhan武汉武漢1949–1954
Xibei西北西北Xīběi"Northwest"Xi'an西安西安1949–1954
Xinan西南西南Xīnán"Southwest"Chongqing重庆重慶1949–1954
Name Simplified
Hanzi
Traditional
Hanzi
Pinyin Abbreviation Capital Simplified
Hanzi
Traditional
Hanzi
GAA Note
Provinces
Andong安东安東Āndōng安 ānTonghua通化通化Dongbei1949 abolished → Liaodong, Jilin
Anhui安徽安徽Ānhuī皖 wǎnHefei合肥合肥Dongbei1949 abolished → Wanbei, Wannan; 1952 reverted
Chahar察哈尔察哈爾Cháhā'ěr察 cháZhangjiakou张家口張家口Huabei1952 abolished → Inner Mongolia, Hebei
Fujian福建福建Fújiàn闽 mǐnFuzhou福州福州Huadong
Gansu甘肃甘肅Gānsù甘 gānLanzhou兰州蘭州Xibei 1958 Ningxia split into its own autonomous region
Guangdong广东廣東Guǎngdōng粤 yuèGuangzhou广州廣州Zhongnan1952 & 1965 Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Beihai → Guangxi; 1955 reverted
1988 Hainan split into its own province
Guangxi广西廣西Guǎngxī桂 guìNanning南宁南寧Zhongnan1958 province → autonomous region
Guizhou贵州貴州Guìzhōu黔 qiánGuiyang贵阳貴陽Xinan
Hainan海南海南Hǎinán琼 qióngHaikou海口海口Zhongnan
Hebei河北河北Héběi冀 jìBaoding (49-54; 67-68)
Tianjin (54-67)
Shijiazhuang (present)
保定
天津
石家庄
保定
天津
石家莊
Huabei
Hejiang合江合江Héjiāng合 héJiamusi佳木斯佳木斯Dongbei1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Heilongjiang黑龙江黑龍江Hēilóngjiāng黑 hēiQiqihar (49-54)
Harbin (present)
齐齐哈尔
哈尔滨
齊齊哈爾
哈爾濱
Dongbei1952 part of Xing'an split into Inner Mongolia
Henan河南河南Hénán豫 yùKaifeng (49-54)
Zhengzhou (present)
开封
郑州
開封
鄭州
Zhongnan
Hubei湖北湖北Húběi鄂 èWuhan武汉武漢Zhongnan1967 Tianjin split into its own municipality
Hunan湖南湖南Húnán湘 xiāngChangsha长沙長沙Zhongnan
Jiangsu江苏江蘇Jiāngsū苏 sūNanjing南京南京Huadong1949 abolished → Subei, Sunan; 1952 reverted
Jiangxi江西江西Jiāngxī赣 gànNanchang南昌南昌Huadong
Jilin吉林吉林Jílín吉 jíJilin (49-54)
Changchun (present)
吉林
长春
吉林
長春
Dongbei1952 north part split into Inner Mongolia
Liaobei辽北遼北Liáoběi洮 táoLiaoyuan辽源遼源Dongbei1949 abolished → Jilin, Liaoning
Liaodong辽东遼東Liáodōng关 guānDandong丹东丹東Dongbei1954 abolished → Liaoning
Liaoning辽宁遼寧Liáoníng辽 liáoShenyang沈阳瀋陽Dongbei1949 abolished → Liaodong, Liaoxi; 1954 reverted
1952 north part split into Inner Mongolia
Liaoxi辽西遼西Liáoxī辽 liáoJinzhou锦州錦州Dongbei1954 abolished → Liaoning
Nenjiang嫩江嫩江Nènjiāng嫩 nènQiqihar齐齐哈尔齊齊哈爾Dongbei1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Ningxia宁夏寧夏Níngxià宁 níngYinchuan银川銀川Xibei1954 province → Gansu
Mudanjiang牡丹江牡丹江Mǔdānjiāng丹 dānMudanjiang牡丹江牡丹江Dongbei1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Pingyuan平原平原Píngyuán平 píngXinxiang新乡新鄉Zhongnan1952 abolished → Henan, Shandong
Qinghai青海青海Qīnghǎi青 qīngXining西宁西寧Xibei
Rehe热河热河Rèhé热 rèChengde承德承德Dongbei1955 abolished → Inner Mongolia, & Liaoning
Sichuan四川四川Sìchuān川 chuānChengdu成都成都Xinan1949 abolished → Chuanbei, Chuandong, Chuannan, Chuanxi; 1952 reverted
1997 Chongqing split into its own municipality
Shaanxi陕西陕西Shǎnxī陕 shǎnXi'an西安西安Xibei
Shandong山东山東Shāndōng鲁 lǔJinan济南濟南Huadong
Shanxi山西山西Shānxī晋 jìnTaiyuan太原太原Huabei
Songjiang松江松江Sōngjiāng松 sōngHarbin哈尔滨哈爾濱Dongbei1954 abolished → Heilongjiang
Suiyuan绥远綏遠Suíyuǎn绥 suíHohhot呼和浩特呼和浩特Huabei1954 abolished → Inner Mongolia
Taiwan台湾臺灣Táiwān台 táiTaibei台北臺北Huadongclaimed since 1949 the founding of the PRC
Xikang西康西康Xīkāng康 kāngKangding (49-50)
Ya'an (50-55)
康定
雅安
康定
雅安
Xinan1955 abolished → Sichuan & Qamdo
Xing'an兴安興安Xīkāng兴 xīngHulunbuir呼伦贝尔呼倫貝爾Dongbei1949 abolished → Heilongjiang
Xinjiang新疆新疆Xīnjiāng疆 jiāngÜrümqi乌鲁木齐烏魯木齊Xibei1955 province → autonomous region
Yunnan云南雲南Yúnnán滇 diānKunming昆明昆明Xinan
Zhejiang浙江浙江Zhèjiāng浙 zhèHangzhou杭州杭州Huadong
Autonomous Regions
Alxa Khoshut Banner → Alxa阿拉善和硕特旗→阿拉善阿拉善和碩特旗→阿拉善Ālāshàn阿 āBayanhot巴彥浩特巴彥浩特Huabei1954 merge into Inner Mongolia
Ejin额济纳額濟納Éjìnà额 éDalainhob达拉呼布達拉呼布Huabei1954 merge into Inner Mongolia
Guangxi广西廣西Guǎngxī桂 guìNanning南宁南寧Zhongnan1958 province → autonomous region
Inner Mongolia內蒙古內蒙古Nèi Měnggǔ蒙 měngUlaanhot (47-50)
Hohhot (present)
乌兰浩特
呼和浩特
烏蘭浩特
呼和浩特
Huabei1947 created; 1969 truncated → Liaoning, Heilongjiang,
Jilin, Gansu, Ningxia; 1979 reverted
Ningxia宁夏寧夏Níngxià宁 níngYinchuan银川銀川Xibei1958 special region → autonomous region
Tibet西藏西藏Xīzàng藏 zàngLhasa拉萨拉薩Xinan1965 region → autonomous region
Xinjiang新疆新疆Xīnjiāng疆 jiāngÜrümqi乌鲁木齐烏魯木齊Xibei1955 province → autonomous region
Municipalities
Anshan鞍山鞍山Ānshān鞍 ānTiedong District铁东区鐵東區Dongbei1954 abolished → Liaoning
Beijing北京北京Běijīng京 jīngDongcheng District东城区東城區Huabei
Benxi本溪本溪Běnxī本 běnPingshan District平山区平山區Dongbei1954 abolished → Liaoning
Changchun长春長春Chángchūn春 chūnNanguan District南关区南關區Dongbei1953 created; 1954 abolished → Jilin
Chongqing重庆重慶Chóngqìng渝 yúYuzhong District渝中区渝中區Xinan1954 abolished → Sichuan; 1997 reverted
Dalian → Lüda大连→旅大大連→旅大Dàlián连 liánXigang District西岗区西崗區Dongbei1949 abolished → Luda, 1950 reverted, 1954 abolished → Liaoning
Fushun抚顺撫順Fǔshùn抚 fǔShuncheng District顺城区順城區Dongbei1954 abolished → Liaoning
Harbin哈尔滨哈爾濱Hāěrbīn哈 hāNangang District南岗区南崗區Dongbei1953 created, 1954 abolished → Heilongjiang
Guangzhou广州廣州Guǎngzhōu穗 suìYuexiu District越秀区越秀區Zhongnan1954 abolished → Guangdong
Nanjing南京南京Nánjīng宁 níngXuanwu District宣武区宣武區Huadong 1952 abolished → Jiangsu
Shanghai上海上海Shànghǎi沪 hùHuangpu District黄浦区黃浦區Huadong
Shenyang沈阳瀋陽Shěnyáng沈 shěnShenhe District沈河区瀋河區Dongbei1954 abolished → Liaoning
Tianjin天津天津Tiānjīn津 jīnHeping District和平区和平區Huabei1954 abolished → Hebei, 1967 reverted
Hankou → Wuhan汉口→武汉漢口→武漢Wǔhàn汉 hànJiang'an District江岸区江岸區Zhongnan1949 abolished → Hubei
Xi'an西安西安Xī'ān镐 hàoWeiyang District未央区未央區Xibei1954 abolished → Shaanxi
Special Administrative Regions
Hainan海南海南Hǎinán琼 qióngHaikou海口海口Zhongnan1949 abolished → Guangdong
Hong Kong香港香港Xiānggǎng港 gǎngHong Kong香港香港Zhongnan1997 created (Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong)
Macau澳门澳門Àomén澳 àoMacau澳门澳門Zhongnan1999 created (Transfer of sovereignty over Macau)
Administrative Territories
Chuanbei川北川北Chuānběi充 chōngNanchong南充南充Xinan1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Chuandong川东川東Chuāndōng渝 yúChongqing重庆重慶Xinan1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Chuannan川南川南Chuānnán泸 lúLuzhou泸州瀘州Xinan1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Chuanxi川西川西Chuānxī蓉 róngChengdu成都成都Xinan1950 created; 1952 abolished → Sichuan
Subei苏北蘇北Sūběi扬 yángYangzhou扬州揚州Huadong1949 created; 1952 abolished → Jiangsu
Sunan苏南蘇南Sūnán锡 xīWuxi无锡無錫Huadong1949 created; 1952 abolished → Jiangsu
Wanbei皖北皖北Wǎnběi合 héHefei合肥合肥Huadong1949 created; 1952 abolished → Anhui
Wannan皖南皖南Wǎnnán芜 wúWuhu芜湖蕪湖Huadong1949 created; 1952 abolished → Anhui
Lüda旅大旅大Lǚdà旅 LǚDalian大连大連Dongbei1949 created; 1950 abolished → Dalian
Regions
Tibet西藏西藏Xīzàng藏 zàngLhasa拉萨拉薩Xinan1965 region → autonomous region
Territories
Qamdo昌都昌都Chāngdū昌 chāngQamdo昌都昌都Xinan1965 merge into Tibet

See also

External links

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