Hainan uses a slightly different administrative system from other administrative regions of China. Most other provinces are divided entirely into prefecture-level divisions, each of which is then divided entirely into county-level divisions, which generally do not come directly under the province. In Hainan, nearly all county-level divisions (the eight

districts A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...

excepted) come directly under the province. This method of division is due to Hainan's relatively sparse population. However, it is planned that the counties and cities in Hainan (excluding Sansha) would be merged into five city-level cities, just like those on the mainland area of China.

Administrative divisions

All of these administrative divisions are explained in greater detail at

Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China The administrative divisions of China have consisted of several levels since ancient times, due to China's large population and geographical area. The constitution of China provides for three levels of government. However in practice, there ...

. This chart lists only prefecture-level and county-level divisions of Hainan.

Sansha Sansha City () is a prefecture-level city under the Hainan province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), and is the southernmost and least populated prefecture in China, with the smallest land area but the largest maritime territory. The ...

oversees the South China Sea Islands: the Xisha ( Paracel Islands), Zhongsha (

Macclesfield Bank Macclesfield Bank is an elongated sunken atoll of underwater reefs and shoals in the South China Sea. It lies east of the Paracel Islands, southwest of Pratas Island and north of the Spratly Islands. It is about long from southwest to northeas ...

), and Nansha (

Spratly Islands The Spratly Islands ( fil, Kapuluan ng Kalayaan; zh, c=南沙群島/南沙群岛, s=, t=, p=Nánshā Qúndǎo; Malay, id, Kepulauan Spratly; vi, Quần đảo Trường Sa) are a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. Composed ...

). The Spratlys are in reality disputed and divided among China and several neighbouring countries, while the Paracel Islands is claimed by the People's Republic of China, the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeas ...

(

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...

), and

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...

Administrative divisions history

Recent changes in administrative divisions

Population composition

Prefectures

Counties

References

{{Counties of China

Hainan Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly l ...