Prefectures of China

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Prefecture 地区 Dìqū
Category	Second level administrative division of a unitary state
Location	China
Number	7 prefectures
Populations	95,465 (Ngari) – 3,979,362 (Kaxgar)
Areas	46,755 km2 (18,052 sq mi) (Daxing'anling) – 304,683 km2 (117,639 sq mi) (Ngari)
Government	Various, Central Government
Subdivisions	Counties

Prefectures are one of four types of prefecture-level divisions in China, the second-level administrative division in the country. While at one time^[when?] prefectures were the most common prefecture-level division, they are in the process of being abolished^[when?] and only seven formally-designated prefectures remain.

The term "prefecture" is also used as a translation of three unrelated types of administrative divisions that were historically in use in China: the xian, the zhou, and the fu.