Henan Province is located in the central-eastern part of China and serves as a strategic junction connecting the north and south as well as the east and west. The province covers an area of 167,000 km² and has a population of 97.44 million as of 2025. Its GDP reached approximately USD 930 billion in 2025. The capital city is Zhengzhou. As of 2025, Henan comprises 17 prefecture-level cities, 1 county-level administrative unit directly under the provincial government, 21 county-level cities, 82 counties, 54 municipal districts, 1,210 towns, 537 townships, and 719 sub-district offices.
Henan stretches approximately 530 km from north to south and 580 km from east to west. Its terrain is high in the west and low in the east. The Taihang, Funiu, Tongbai, and Dabie mountains form a semi-circular belt along the provincial borders in the north, west, and south. The central and eastern parts consist of the Huang-Huai-Hai alluvial plain, while the southwest features the Nanyang Basin. Most of Henan lies in the warm temperate zone, with the southern part crossing into the subtropical zone. The province has a continental monsoon climate transitional from north subtropical to warm temperate, with four distinct seasons, concurrent rain and heat, and a diverse and complex climate.
Henan is a major cradle of the Chinese nation and Chinese civilisation. For over 3,000 years, it served as the political, economic, and cultural centre of China, and more than 20 dynasties established their capitals here. Among China’s Eight Great Ancient Capitals, four are located in Henan: Luoyang, Kaifeng, Anyang, and Zhengzhou. The Erlitou site in Luoyang, the capital site of the late Xia Dynasty, is often referred to as the “Earliest China”. The earliest known Chinese script, oracle bone inscriptions, was unearthed in Henan. Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi both originated in the province.
Henan is home to five UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang and the Yin Ruins in Anyang. The province also boasts abundant natural scenery, with 4 UNESCO Global Geoparks, 15 national geoparks, 17 provincial geoparks, 13 national nature reserves, and 35 national wetland parks.
Henan is a vital transportation hub in central-eastern China, connecting the east with the west and the north with the south. Zhengzhou East Railway Station is one of the country’s largest high-speed rail hubs, with an “eight-direction” high-speed rail network reaching all parts of China. Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport ranks among the top 40 global cargo airports. The China-Europe Railway Express from Henan connects over 140 cities in more than 40 countries, while inland navigation channels are being accelerated to facilitate convenient access to seaports for inland cargo.
Henan enjoys steady and sound economic development and possesses all 41 major industrial categories in the UN industrial classification. The province has formed three trillion-yuan-level industrial clusters in advanced equipment, modern food, and new materials, as well as a number of hundred-billion-yuan-level industrial chains, including intelligent terminals and new energy vehicles. Grain output has consistently exceeded 65 billion kg annually for many years, making Henan a major agricultural and grain province in China.
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