Map of Liaoning
Liaoning is a first-level division of China. Its largest mapped city is Shenyeng, with about 4.79 million people in the metropolitan area. The interactive map below is centred on Liaoning, and the tables list its 18 mapped cities along with the lakes, ports, World Heritage Sites nearest to them.
- Cities Mapped
- 18
- Largest City
- Shenyeng
- Country
- China
Interactive Map of Liaoning
About Liaoning
Liaoning is a coastal province in Northeastern China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost coastal province of the People's Republic of China.
Historically a gateway between China proper and Manchuria, the modern Liaoning province was established as Fengtian or Fengtien Province (奉天省) in 1907 and was renamed Liaoning in 1929. It was also known at that time as Mukden Province for the Manchu name of Shengjing, the former name of Shenyang. Under the Japanese-puppet Manchukuo regime, the province reverted to its 1907 name, but the name Liaoning was restored for a brief time in 1945 and then again in 1954.
Liaoning borders the Yellow Sea (Korea Bay) and Bohai Sea in the south, North Korea's North Pyongan and Chagang provinces in the southeast, Jilin to the northeast, Hebei to the southwest, and Inner Mongolia to the northwest. The Yalu River marks the province's border with North Korea, emptying into the Korea Bay between Dandong in Liaoning and Sinuiju in North Korea. Liaoning is also one of China's leading provinces in research and education. As of 2025, two major cities in Liaoning ranked in the world's top 100 cities (Dalian #42 and Shenyang #82) by scientific research output, as tracked by Nature Index.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Liaoning (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Liaoning in Depth
History
From 4th century BC to 9th century, Liaoning was predominantly settled and administered by Han Chinese regime. Prior to 3rd century BC, Donghu, Gojoseon and Yemaek peoples inhabited Liaoning and later, the state of Yan conquered the area around 300 BC. Two commanderies, Liaodong ("east of the Liao River") and Liaoxi ("west of the Liao River"), were established within the Liaoning region. The Yan city of Xiangping, the center of Liaodong, was located on the site of the present Liaoyang city. As the Han dynasty fell, warlord Gongsun Du and his family established and maintained a semi-independent state based in Liaodong, until it was defeated by Cao Wei in 238.
Geography
It is possible to think of Liaoning as three approximate geographical regions: the highlands in the west, plains in the middle, and hills in the east.
The highlands in the west are dominated by the Nulu'erhu Mountains, which roughly follow the border between Liaoning and Inner Mongolia. The entire region is dominated by low hills. A narrow strip of coastal plains, known as the Liaoxi Corridor, connects the Liao River Basin to the North China Plain, ending at the Shanhai Pass of the Great Wall.
The central part of Liaoning consists of a basin drained by rivers such as the Liao, Daliao, and their tributaries. This region is mostly flat and low-lying.
Economy
Liaoning has the largest and wealthiest provincial economy of Northeast China. Its nominal GDP for 2017 was 2.39 trillion yuan (ca. US$354 billion), making it the 14th largest in China (out of 31 provinces). Its per capita GDP was 54,745 yuan (US$8,108). Among the three provinces of Northeast China, Liaoning is the largest in terms of GDP and GDP per capita.
In 2008, Liaoning was the region with the highest GDP growth among global G8x8, the eight provinces or states below national level with the highest GDP of the top eight GDP nations. According to preliminary statistics, Liaoning maintained its GDP growth rate of 13.1 percent in 2009 and held its position as the province with the highest economic growth.
Demographics
The population of Liaoning is mostly Han Chinese with minorities of Manchus, Mongols, Hui, Koreans and Xibe. Liaoning has both the highest absolute number and highest percentage of Manchus in all of China.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Liaoning (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Liaoning: Key Facts
| Population | 42,591,407 (2020) |
|---|---|
| Area | 145,900 km² |
| Capital | Shenyang |
| Head of government | Li Lecheng |
| Highest point | Mount Huabozi |
| Established | 1907 |
Facts from Wikidata Q43934 (CC0).
History of Liaoning: Empires and States
The atlas records 37 polities whose mapped territory included part of Liaoning, from Warring States China in 291 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here |
|---|---|
| Warring States China | 291–219 BCE |
| Yan | 291–207 BCE |
| Qin Dynasty | 218–209 BCE |
| Xiongnu | 208–111 BCE |
| The Han Dynasty | 202 BCE – 206 CE |
| Gojoseon | 197–92 BCE |
| Goguryeo | 36 BCE – 673 CE |
| Xin Dynasty | 6–29 CE |
| Xianbei | 60–237 CE |
| Cao Cao | 207–223 CE |
| Cao Wei | 224–264 CE |
| Western Jin | 265–336 CE |
| Former Yan | 337–370 CE |
| Former Qin | 371–386 CE |
| Later Yan | 387–409 CE |
| Northern Wei | 387–533 CE |
| Rouran Khaganate | 402–554 CE |
| Northern Yan | 410–438 CE |
| Eastern Wei | 534–554 CE |
| Northern Qi | 555–576 CE |
| Northern Zhou | 577–586 CE |
| Sui Dynasty | 587–622 CE |
| The Tang Dynasty | 626–910 CE |
| Balhae | 741–925 CE |
| Liao Dynasty | 911–1125 CE |
| Great Jin | 1126–1215 CE |
| Vassalage of Western Xia to Great Jin | 1126–1215 CE |
| The Mongol Empire | 1216–1293 CE |
| Yuan Dynasty | 1294–1374 CE |
| The Ming Dynasty | 1375–1635 CE |
| Mongol Khanate | 1516–1635 CE |
| Later Jin Dynasty | 1622–1644 CE |
| The Qing Dynasty | 1645–1911 CE |
| Republic of China | 1912–1947 CE |
| Kuomintang | 1917–1929 CE |
| Empire of Japan | 1932–1945 CE |
| People's Republic of China | 1950–2024 CE |
Historical Maps of Liaoning
Liaoning on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Liaoning
Liaoning (辽宁; Liáoníng) is a province in the North East of China. To the west lies Hebei Province and Beijing, to the north is Inner Mongolia, in the north east the province borders with Jilin and the south east, along the Yalu River, is the border with North Korea. The south of the province forms a peninsula jutting out into the Bohai Sea. This is one of the most interesting places in Asia, a unique fusion of many different culture heritages. The most dominating cultures are Manchurian in the countryside and Han in the big cities, but Korean, Japanese and Russian cultures are also firmly established.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Liaoning (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Liaoning
18 cities mapped. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenyeng | 4.79 million | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 2 | Dalian | 3.17 million | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 3 | Jinxi | 2.43 million | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 4 | Anshan | 1.64 million | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 5 | Fushun | 1.47 million | Liaoning | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Benxi | 1.01 million | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 7 | Jinzhou | 956,000 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 8 | Dandong | 870,000 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 9 | Lingyuan | 806,000 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 10 | Yingkow | 795,000 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 11 | Liaoyang | 794,000 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 12 | Fuxin | 770,000 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 13 | Chaoyang | 470,296 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 14 | Wafangdian | 355,844 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 15 | Tieling | 340,000 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 16 | Zhuanghe | 261,510 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 17 | Beipiao | 228,515 | Liaoning | Populated place |
| 18 | Huanren | 116,621 | Liaoning | Populated place |
Largest Lakes in Liaoning
1 lake mapped. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Supung Reservoir | 165 km² | Reservoir |
Ports in Liaoning
7 ports mapped. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dandong | 49.4 m | Very Small | Yellow Sea & East China Sea | medium vessels |
| 2 | Yingkou | 49.4 m | Small | Yellow Sea & East China Sea | large vessels |
| 3 | Huludao Gang | 42.1 m | Very Small | Yellow Sea & East China Sea | point_of_interest |
| 4 | Lushun | 42.1 m | Very Small | Yellow Sea & East China Sea | point_of_interest |
| 5 | Suizhang Gang | 34.7 m | Very Small | Yellow Sea & East China Sea | large vessels |
| 6 | Jinzhou Wan | 31.1 m | Very Small | Yellow Sea & East China Sea | medium vessels |
| 7 | Bayuquan | 27.4 m | Very Small | Yellow Sea & East China Sea | medium vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Liaoning
1 World Heritage Site mapped. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang | 1987 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) |
Liaoning: Quick Answers
- Where is Liaoning?
- Liaoning is a first-level division of China, in Asia. Its mapped cities centre on 41.0279° N, 122.4314° E.
- What is the largest city in Liaoning?
- Shenyeng is the largest city mapped in Liaoning, with a metropolitan population of about 4.79 million.
- How many cities are in Liaoning?
- YearMaps maps 18 cities and towns in Liaoning, with a combined metropolitan population of about 21.26 million. This counts mapped settlements, not every municipality.
- What is the largest lake in Liaoning?
- The largest lake mapped in or beside Liaoning is Supung Reservoir, at about 165 km².