Direct-controlled municipality of China
Encyclopedia
Municipality also translated as Direct-controlled municipality or municipality directly under the central government is the highest level classification for cities used by People's Republic of China
.
, Shanghai
, Beijing
, Tianjin
, Qingdao
, Chongqing
, Xi'an
, Guangzhou
, Hankou (now part of Wuhan
), Shenyang
, and Harbin
when the ROC
government ruled China. They were established in 1927 soon after they were designated as "cities" during the 1920s. Nominally Dalian
was a municipality as well, although it was under Japanese Occupation. These cities were first called special municipalities/cities , but were later renamed Yuan
-controlled municipalities , then direct-controlled municipalities by the Central Government.
After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Anshan, Benxi
, and Fushun
were also made municipalities, while Qingdao, Dalian, and Harbin were reduced to provincial municipalities. Hankou was merged into Wuhan
. Hence there remained 12 municipalities, until Dalian was elevated in 1950. In November 1952, Nanjing was reduced to a provincial municipality. In July 1953, Harbin was restored to municipality status, along with Changchun
. Except Beijing and Tianjin, which were under central control, all other municipalities were governed by the greater administrative area
s.
In June 1954, 11 of the 14 municipalities were reduced to sub-provincial cities; many of them became capitals of the provinces they were in. Only Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin remained municipalities, until Chongqing was restored in 1997 with a much enlarged area. Tianjin was also temporarily reverted to sub-provincial city status around the 1960s.
.
Three levels of cities in the People's Republic of China
:
. The mayor is also a delegate in the National People's Congress
(the legislature). and Deputy Secretary of the CPC
Municipal Committee. However, the highest administrative authority in the municipality belongs to the Secretary of the CPC
Municipal Committee or Party Secretary.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
History
The first municipalities were the 11 cities of NanjingNanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, Qingdao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
, Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
, Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Hankou (now part of Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
), Shenyang
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
, and Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
when the ROC
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
government ruled China. They were established in 1927 soon after they were designated as "cities" during the 1920s. Nominally Dalian
Dalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
was a municipality as well, although it was under Japanese Occupation. These cities were first called special municipalities/cities , but were later renamed Yuan
Executive Yuan
The Executive Yuan is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China , commonly known as "Taiwan".-Organization and structure:...
-controlled municipalities , then direct-controlled municipalities by the Central Government.
After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Anshan, Benxi
Benxi
Benxi is a prefecture-level city located in the east of Liaoning province in Northeast China, south-southeast of Shenyang. Its population is 1,709,538 at the 2010 census whom 959,610 in the built up area It was founded as a metallurgical center in 1915...
, and Fushun
Fushun
Fushun is a city in Liaoning, China, about 45 km east from Shenyang, with a population about 2,138 090 inhabitants at the 2010 census and an area of 11,271 km2, including 713 km2 of the city proper. Fushun is situated on the Hun He . It was formerly called Fouchouen in French...
were also made municipalities, while Qingdao, Dalian, and Harbin were reduced to provincial municipalities. Hankou was merged into Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
. Hence there remained 12 municipalities, until Dalian was elevated in 1950. In November 1952, Nanjing was reduced to a provincial municipality. In July 1953, Harbin was restored to municipality status, along with Changchun
Changchun
Changchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China, in the center of the Songliao Plain. It is administered as a sub-provincial city with a population of 7,677,089 at the 2010 census under its jurisdiction, including counties and...
. Except Beijing and Tianjin, which were under central control, all other municipalities were governed by the greater administrative area
Greater administrative area
Greater administrative areas were early top-level administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China that directly governed provinces and municipalities. These were the largest-ever political divisions of China and were controlled by the Central People's Government...
s.
In June 1954, 11 of the 14 municipalities were reduced to sub-provincial cities; many of them became capitals of the provinces they were in. Only Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin remained municipalities, until Chongqing was restored in 1997 with a much enlarged area. Tianjin was also temporarily reverted to sub-provincial city status around the 1960s.
Position in hierarchy
Municipalities are the highest-ranked cities in the PRC. Some cities of lower levels may also refer to themselves as municipalities in the English languageEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Three levels of cities in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
:
- Municipalities (直辖市)
- Prefecture-level cities (地级市) including sub-provincial cities
- County-level cities (县级市) including Sub-prefecture-level citiesSub-prefecture-level cityA sub-prefecture-level city , or vice-prefecture-level city, is an administrative division of China. A sub-prefecture-level city is officially considered to be a county-level city, but it has more power de facto because the cadres assigned to its government are one half-level higher in rank than...
Administration
In municipalities, the highest ranking government official is the MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. The mayor is also a delegate in the National People's Congress
National People's Congress
The National People's Congress , abbreviated NPC , is the highest state body and the only legislative house in the People's Republic of China. The National People's Congress is held in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China; with 2,987 members, it is the...
(the legislature). and Deputy Secretary of the CPC
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
Municipal Committee. However, the highest administrative authority in the municipality belongs to the Secretary of the CPC
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
Municipal Committee or Party Secretary.
Current PRC municipalities
| ISO ISO 3166-2:CN ISO 3166-2:CN is the entry for China in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.Currently for China, ISO 3166-2 codes are defined... |
Division name | Simp. Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin Pinyin Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into... |
Abbr. | Region | Population | Area (km²) | Density (/km²) | Divisions | City seat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN-11 | Municipality of Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... |
Běijīng Shì | jīng | North North China thumb|250px|Northern [[People's Republic of China]] region.Northern China or North China is a geographical region of China. The heartland of North China is the North China Plain.... |
19,612,368 | 16,801 | 1,167 | List (14 districts & 2 counties) | Dongcheng District Dongcheng District, Beijing Dongcheng District is an urban district in Beijing covering the eastern half of Beijing's urban core. It is 24.7 square kilometres in area and has a population of 535,558 . Dongcheng District covers several important parts of Beijing... (东城区) |
|
| CN-12 | Municipality of Tianjin Tianjin ' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government... |
Tiānjīn Shì | jīn | North North China thumb|250px|Northern [[People's Republic of China]] region.Northern China or North China is a geographical region of China. The heartland of North China is the North China Plain.... |
12,938,224 | 11,760 | 1,100 | List (13 districts & 3 counties) | Heping District Heping District, Tianjin Heping District is a district in the center of Tianjin, in northeastern China.The district has a long history. It comprises an area of 9.97 km²... (和平区) |
|
| CN-31 | Municipality of Shanghai Shanghai Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010... |
Shànghǎi Shì | hù | East East China East China is a geographical and a loosely-defined cultural region that covers the eastern coastal area of China.Although an intangible and loosely defined concept, for administrative and governmental purposes, the region is defined by the government of the People's Republic of China to include... |
23,019,148 | 6,340 | 3,630 | List (16 districts & 1 county) | Huangpu District Huangpu District, Shanghai Huangpu District , is one of Shanghai's 18 districts and makes up the eastern part of Shanghai's traditional urban core. Today's Huangpu District is sometimes referred to as "new Huangpu" to distinguish it from the pre-merger Huangpu District which existed before 2000. In 2000, the pre-merger... (黄浦区) |
|
| CN-50 | Municipality of Chongqing Chongqing Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the... |
Chóngqìng Shì | yú | Southwest Southwest China Southwest China is a region of the People's Republic of China defined by governmental bureaus that includes the municipality of Chongqing, the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou, and the Tibet Autonomous Region.-Provinces:-Municipalities:... |
28,846,170 | 82,300 | 350 | List (19 districts, 15 counties, & 4 autonomous counties) | Yuzhong District Yuzhong District Yuzhong District is the central district and heart of Chongqing municipality. It is the capital of the municipality and is also the political, economical, and entertainment center of the city of Chongqing... (渝中区) |
List of defunct municipalities
| Name | Simp. Hanzi | Pinyin Pinyin Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into... |
Abbr. | Region | Current province | City seat | Administration period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Nanjing Nanjing ' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions... |
Nánjīng Shì | 宁 níng | East East China East China is a geographical and a loosely-defined cultural region that covers the eastern coastal area of China.Although an intangible and loosely defined concept, for administrative and governmental purposes, the region is defined by the government of the People's Republic of China to include... |
Jiangsu Jiangsu ' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name... |
Xuanwu District Xuanwu District, Nanjing Xuanwu District, Nanjing is a district of Jiangsu, China. It is under the administration of Nanjing city.-References:*... (玄武区) |
1927–1952 | |
| City of Qingdao Qingdao ' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the... |
Qīngdǎo Shì | 青 qīng | East East China East China is a geographical and a loosely-defined cultural region that covers the eastern coastal area of China.Although an intangible and loosely defined concept, for administrative and governmental purposes, the region is defined by the government of the People's Republic of China to include... |
Shandong Shandong ' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese... |
Shinan District Shinan District Shinan District is a district of Qingdao in the Chinese province of Shandong. It has an area of and had approximately 527,000 inhabitants as of 2007. Shinan is located in coastal hilled terrain, and has a temperate monsoon climate. Common features include moderate temperatures, moist air,... (市南区) |
1927–1949 | |
| City of Xi'an Xi'an Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty... |
Xī'ān Shì | 鎬 hào | Northwest | Shaanxi Shaanxi ' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province... |
Weiyang District Weiyang District, Xi'an Weiyang District is a district of Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.... (未央区) |
1927–1954 | |
| City of Guangzhou Guangzhou Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port... |
Guǎngzhōu Shì | 穗 suì | South Central South Central China South Central China is a region of the People's Republic of China defined by governmental bureaus that includes the provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, and Hunan, and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, however excluding the 2 special administrative regions : Hong Kong and... |
Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province... |
Yuexiu District Yuexiu District Yuexiu District is a district in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. It was located at the west of Tianhe District and the east of Liwan District. It was the commercial, political and cultural centre of Guangdong province. The area is famous for its high quality education. The Guangdong provincial... (越秀区) |
1927–1954 | |
| City of Hankou (Wuhan) Wuhan Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers... |
Hànkǒu Shì (Wǔhàn Shì) | 汉 hàn | South Central South Central China South Central China is a region of the People's Republic of China defined by governmental bureaus that includes the provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, and Hunan, and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, however excluding the 2 special administrative regions : Hong Kong and... |
Hubei Hubei ' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting... |
Jiang'an District Jiang'an District Jiang'an District is a district of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Wuhan city.-External links:... (江岸区) |
1927–1949 | |
| City of Harbin Harbin Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River... |
Hāěrbīn Shì | 哈 hā | Northeast Northeast China Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces... |
Heilongjiang Heilongjiang For the river known in Mandarin as Heilong Jiang, see Amur River' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. "Heilongjiang" literally means Black Dragon River, which is the Chinese name for the Amur. The one-character abbreviation is 黑... |
Nangang District (南岗区) | 1927–1949, 1953–1954 | |
| City of Dalian Dalian Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's... |
Dàlián Shì | 连 lián | Northeast Northeast China Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces... |
Liaoning Liaoning ' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"... |
Xigang District Xigang District Xigang District is a District under the administration of the city of Dalian, Liaoning province, People's Republic of China. It has a total area of , and a population of approximately 320,000 people... (西岗区) |
1927–1949, 1950–1954 | |
| City of Shenyang Shenyang Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu... |
Shěnyáng Shì | 沈 shěn | Northeast Northeast China Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces... |
Liaoning Liaoning ' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"... |
Shenhe District Shenhe District Shenhe District is a district of Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning province, People's Republic of China.-Administrative Divisions:There are 10 subdistricts within the district.Subdistricts:... (沈河区) |
1929–1954 | |
| City of Anshan | Ānshān Shì | 鞍 ān | Northeast Northeast China Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces... |
Liaoning Liaoning ' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"... |
Tiedong District Tiedong District, Anshan Tiedong District is a district of the city of Anshan, Liaoning province, People's Republic of China.-Administrative Divisions:There are 12 subdistricts.Subdistricts:... (铁东区) |
1949–1954 | |
| City of Benxi Benxi Benxi is a prefecture-level city located in the east of Liaoning province in Northeast China, south-southeast of Shenyang. Its population is 1,709,538 at the 2010 census whom 959,610 in the built up area It was founded as a metallurgical center in 1915... |
Běnxī Shì | 本 běn | Northeast Northeast China Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces... |
Liaoning Liaoning ' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"... |
Pingshan District Pingshan District Pingshan District is a District under the administration of Benxi City, Liaoning, People's Republic of China. It has a total area of , and a population of approximately 350,000 people as of 2002.-Administrative Divisions:... (平山区) |
1949–1954 | |
| City of Fushun Fushun Fushun is a city in Liaoning, China, about 45 km east from Shenyang, with a population about 2,138 090 inhabitants at the 2010 census and an area of 11,271 km2, including 713 km2 of the city proper. Fushun is situated on the Hun He . It was formerly called Fouchouen in French... |
Fǔshùn Shì | 抚 fǔ | Northeast Northeast China Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces... |
Liaoning Liaoning ' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"... |
Xinfu District Xinfu District, Fushun Xinfu District , is one of the four districts under the administration of Fushun City, in Liaoning Province, China. It has a population of about 290,000, covering an area of .-Administrative Divisions:There are 6 subdistricts within the district.... (新抚区) |
1949–1954 | |
| City of Changchun Changchun Changchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China, in the center of the Songliao Plain. It is administered as a sub-provincial city with a population of 7,677,089 at the 2010 census under its jurisdiction, including counties and... |
Chángchūn Shì | 春 chūn | Northeast Northeast China Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces... |
Jilin Jilin Jilin , is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. Jilin borders North Korea and Russia to the east, Heilongjiang to the north, Liaoning to the south, and Inner Mongolia to the west... |
Nanguan District Nanguan District Nanguan District is a district of Changchun, the capital of Jilin province, People's Republic of China.-Administrative Divisions:There are 12 subdistricts, 3 towns, and 2 townships.Subdistricts:... (南关区) |
1953–1954 | |