Henan

Henan is a province in Central China. It is an important part of China with a rich history. Four of China's old capitals, Luoyang, Anyang, Kaifeng, and Zhengzhou, are located here. Henan is very busy, with over 99 million people living there, making it the third-most populous province in China.

The economy of Henan is strong. In 2021, its economy was worth about CN¥5.88 trillion (US$926 billion), which would make it the 18th-largest economy in the world if it were a country. The province has many schools and universities, more than any other area in Central China. By 2025, three of its cities, Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, and Xinxiang, were doing important research and were ranked among the top cities in the world for their scientific work.

History

Henan is seen as one of the places where Chinese civilization began, along with the provinces of Shaanxi and Shanxi. Its flat lands and central location helped it grow wealthy, but also made it a place where many battles happened. The Yellow River has sometimes flooded and caused damage over the years.

Long ago, ancient cultures lived in northern Henan during the Neolithic Era. Later, the Zhou dynasty from Shaanxi took over and moved their capital away from Henan. During a time called the Spring and Autumn period, many states fought for control of the area.

In more recent history, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, floods caused by a dam bombing led to many deaths. In 1954, the capital of Henan was moved to Zhengzhou because of its growing importance. Sadly, in 1975, the collapse of several dams caused a major flood that affected many people. More recently, in July 2021, heavy rains caused flooding that sadly led to many deaths and damage.

Geography

Henan's landscape includes flat areas in the east and mountains in the west. Much of the province is part of the North China Plain, known as the "breadbasket of China". The Taihang Mountains reach into Henan's northwestern borders from Shanxi, forming the edge of the Loess Plateau. To the west, the Xionger and Funiu Mountains create a network of ranges and plateaus, home to some of the remaining temperate deciduous forests. Mount Song and its Shaolin Temple are located in the far east of the region, near the capital city Zhengzhou. To the far south, the Dabie Mountains separate Hubei from Henan. The Nanyang Basin, separated from the North China Plain by these mountains, is another important area for farming and people, with a culture and history that is distinct from the rest of Henan and more similar to Hubei’s.

The Yellow River flows through central Henan. It enters from the northwest through the Sanmenxia Reservoir. After passing Luoyang, the landscape changes from mountains to plains. Over time, the river has picked up silt from the Loess Plateau, which has raised the river bed and caused floods. Later, the building of dams, levees, and the use of water resources helped control these floods. The Huai River in southern Henan is another important river and is considered part of the boundary between northern and southern Chinese climate and culture.

Administrative divisions

Further information: List of administrative divisions of Henan and List of township-level divisions of Henan

Henan is split into seventeen important areas called prefecture-level divisions, and all of them are cities. There is also one special county-level city managed directly.

These areas are further divided into 157 smaller parts, including districts, county-level cities, and counties. They are then split into 2,454 even smaller areas like towns and townships.

Administrative divisions of Henan

Zhengzhou Kaifeng Luoyang Pingdingshan Anyang Hebi Xinxiang Jiaozuo Puyang Xuchang Luohe Sanmenxia Nanyang Shangqiu Xinyang Zhoukou Zhumadian Jiyuan █ Provincial administered county-level divisions
Division code	Division	Area in km2	Population 2020	Seat	Divisions
					Districts*	Counties	CL cities
410000	Henan Province	167,000.00	99,366,019	Zhengzhou city	54	82	21
410100	Zhengzhou city	7,532.56	12,600,574	Zhongyuan District	6	1	5
410200	Kaifeng city	6,260.95	4,824,016	Gulou District	5	4
410300	Luoyang city	15,229.83	7,056,699	Luolong District	7	7
410400	Pingdingshan city	7,909.42	4,987,137	Xinhua District	4	4	2
410500	Anyang city	7,354.11	5,477,614	Beiguan District	4	4	1
410600	Hebi city	2,136.85	1,565,973	Qibin District	3	2
410700	Xinxiang city	8,249.45	6,251,929	Weibin District	4	5	3
410800	Jiaozuo city	4,000.89	3,521,078	Jiefang District	4	4	2
410900	Puyang city	4,187.90	3,772,088	Hualong District	1	5
411000	Xuchang city	4,978.36	4,379,998	Weidu District	2	2	2
411100	Luohe city	6,260.95	2,367,490	Yancheng District	3	2
411200	Sanmenxia city	9,936.65	2,034,872	Hubin District	2	2	2
411300	Nanyang city	26,508.69	9,713,112	Wolong District	2	10	1
411400	Shangqiu city	10,700.23	7,816,831	Liangyuan District	2	6	1
411500	Xinyang city	18,908.27	6,234,401	Shihe District	2	8
411600	Zhoukou city	11,959.40	9,026,015	Chuanhui District	2	7	1
411700	Zhumadian city	15,095.30	7,008,427	Yicheng District	1	9
419001	Jiyuan city**	1,893.76	727,765	Qinyuan Subdistrict			1
* – including Ethnic districts ** – Directly administered county-level divisions (Jiyuan was formerly part of Jiaozuo)

Demographics

Henan is one of China's most crowded places. It has about 98.2 million people, making it the third most populous province in China. If Henan were its own country, it would be the twelfth most populous in the world. Most people in Henan are Han Chinese, making up about 98.8% of the population.

There are also smaller groups like Mongols and Manchus living in rural areas and cities. Henan has many people who practice different religions. Most people, about 86.1%, do not follow an organized religion. Others follow Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Islam, or other traditional beliefs.

Economy

Henan is one of the biggest economies in China. It is the largest economy in Central China and among inland provinces, with a big amount of money made from different jobs and businesses.

The province has lots of important materials like molybdenum, coal, aluminum, and limestone, which help build and make many things. Henan plans to grow even more around its main city, Zhengzhou, and become a key place for transportation and making products.

Transportation

Henan's transportation system has improved a lot because it is in the middle of central China's growth. Two important railways, the Jingguang and Longhai Railways, pass through the province and meet at Zhengzhou. Other railway centers like Shangqiu, Xinxiang, and Luohe have also become important places for trade and making things.

Colleges and universities

See also: List of universities and colleges in Henan

Henan has more than 156 colleges and universities, the most in the Central China region. It ranks second in South Central China after Guangdong and third among all Chinese provinces after Jiangsu and Guangdong. As of 2025, three cities in Henan were among the top 140 cities in the world for scientific research: Zhengzhou at 58th, Kaifeng at 136th, and Xinxiang at 138th, according to the Nature Index. Together with Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Henan is one of three Chinese provinces with at least three cities in the top 140 for research output.