The East f China is a coastal region filled with rich history and ancient cities that go as far back as 6,000 years. It is characterized by a picturesque town, spectacular mountains, and canals of slow-moving waters. It is considered to be the country’s economic powerhouse, with millions of workers who migrated from the less developed parts of China.
To fully understand what East China entails, we will take an in-depth look at the region. In this post, we will cover the provinces that make up the eastern region and some of the major cities found within those provinces.
Where Is East China on The Map?
The Eastern part of China is majorly a coastal region. According to the maps, the majority of the region to the east is bound by the Yellow Sea. It’s also, however, bordered by a few provinces. To its north you will find Hebei while to its northwest is Shanxi. Henan and Hubei are to its west, Hunan to its southwest and Guangdong is to its south.
East China Provinces.
The eastern region isn’t the largest in China. Compared to regions like North China and West China, it occupies a smaller part of the country’s land. The following are the provinces that makeup East China:
Shanghai
Like Beijing of North China, Shanghai is technically not a province but a vast city governed as a municipality directly under the state council. It is characterized by a mix of both Eastern and Western cultures, especially in architecture. In terms of economy, it is considered one of the country’s major industrial hubs especially, heavy industries.
Its located south of the Yangtze River with the Huangpu River flowing through it. The municipality is largely divided into five parts. Pudong, the largest and most developed city in Shanghai, is characterized by skyscrapers. Chongming Island is made up of a couple of other small islands in the north of the municipality and the least developed and remote area. Downtown Shanghai also called Punxi is the historic core of the region where most of the old cities are found. They include Old City, and Huangpu among others. The inner suburb is a popular tourist destination in the region with many attraction sites. The cities include Changning, Zhabei, and Minhang among others. The outer suburb is more agricultural characterized with their farmlands. The cities there include Baoshan, Qingpu, and Jinshan among others.
Zhejiang
This is a coastal province in the East of China famous for tea and silk and has a rich history. The province is bordered by Shanghai and Jiangsu to the north, Anhui to its Northwest, Fujian to the south, Jiangxi to its West, and the East China Sea to its west.
The major cities in Zhejiang are Hangzhou, it’s the capital and largest city, Wenzhou, Yiwu, and Ningbo among others. Some of the smaller cities within the region include Yuyao, Lishui, Aojiang, and Cixi among others.
Jiangsu
This is a leading province in finance, tourism, education, and technology. It is the fifth most populated province in the country yet in size it is the third smallest. It’s home to the great Yangtze River and is considered a province of many hidden treasures.
The province is divided into 14 prefectures around 14 main cities. These cities include Nanjing, the capital, Nantong, Wuxi, and Yangcheng among others. Other cities in the province include Kunshan, Yixing, Jiangyin, Changshu, and Gaoyou among others.
Fujian
It is surrounded by Jiangxi, Guangdong, and Zhejiang. The province is divided into three main regions, inland, east and south Fujian. The cities that make up the province include, Fuzhou its capital, Quanzhou its largest city, Nanping, Putian, Xiamen, and Longyan.
This is an outward-looking province in East China involved in maritime trading. It has a hilly terrain made up of 10% farmlands and 80% mountains. It has a relatively small population for a province and a large number of local languages.
Anhui
This is a landlocked province in the East of China. It is located across the Huai and Yangtze River basins. It’s bordered by Shandong a little to the north, Jiangxi to its south, Henan to the northwest, Hubei to the southwest, and Jiangsu to the east.
The province is made up of 16 prefecture-level cities that have been further divided into 105 counties, made up of 1,845 townships. The top three cities economically include Wuhu, Hefei, and Anqing, whereby Hefei is the capital city. Other cities include Tongling, Huainan, Bozhou, Ma’anshan, and Bengbu among others.
Shandong
This is a coastal province found in the east of China. It has played a major role in Chinese history by being a pivotal religious and cultural center. The province is also considered a great economic center given its location at the intersection of the modern and ancient east-west and south-north trading routes.
Its found on the eastern edge of the North China Plain. The province is bordered by the Bohai Sea from the north, Henan to its west, Hebei to the northwest, and Jiangsu to the south. Shandong is divided into 16 prefecture cities, further divided into 137 counties, made up of 1,941 townships. The cities include Jinan the capital, Zibo, Jining, Rhizhao, Yantai, Linyi, and Weifang among others.
East China Cities
There are about a hundred or more cities that make up the great east of China. Apart from Shanghai which is governed as a municipal, here are some of the major cities in East China:
Nanjing – this is the capital city of Jiangsu and the second-largest city in East China with over 10 districts. It has also been the capital city for several dynasties in Ancient China and its history dates back several centuries BCE. You’ll find many historical cities including the tomb of the first emperor of the Ming dynasty.
Hangzhou – also called Hangchow. It is the capital of Zhejiang and China’s top domestic tourist destination. It is located in the northwestern part of the province, at the top of Hangzhou Bay, separating Shanghai and Ningbo. It is famed for its natural aesthetic and rich cultural and historical heritage.
Fuzhou – formerly referred to as Foochow. It is the largest and capital city of Fujian province. It is known for its green spaces and is often nicknamed the city of parks. It is characterized by many mountains and waterfalls and has abundant sandy beaches in its coastal areas.
Jinan – this is the capital city of Shandong. It is the second-largest city with about 8.7 million people. It’s also played a major role in the history and earliest civilization of the region. It is also among the top 100 scientific research cities in the world and home to several major universities in the country.
Hefei – it’s the capital of Anhui. It is also considered the cultural, political, and economical center of the province. It’s characterized by many rivers and lakes and historical attractions. Some of these attractions include relics from the Three Kingdom Period.
Conclusion
Although East China is not the largest region in the country, politically, economically, and culturally, it is a very key area. Its aesthetic and abundance of attractions and sandy beaches make it a place worth visiting for your next vacation.
