An autonomous region ( ) is a first-level administrative subdivision of China. Like Chinese provinces, an autonomous region has its own local government, but an autonomous region has more legislative rights. It is a minority entity and has a higher population of a particular minority ethnic group. There are five autonomous regions in China: the Tibetan people in Tibet, the Zhuang in Guangxi, the Uyghur in Xinjiang, the Mongols in Inner Mongolia, and the Hui in Ningxia.
| Name | Chinese (T) Chinese (S) | Pinyin | DM 1 | Local name (Language) | Abbr. 2 | Capital | CLD 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region | 廣西壯族自治區 广西壮族自治区 | Guǎngxī Zhuàngzú Zìzhìqū | Zhuang | Gvangjish Bouxcuengh Swcigih (Zhuang) | 桂 Guì | Nanning | List |
| Autonomous Region | 內蒙吉自治區 内蒙古自治区 | Nèiměnggǔ Zìzhìqū | Mongol | ᠥᠪᠦᠷ ᠮᠣᠨᠺᠤᠯᠤᠨ ᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠺᠡᠨ ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ ᠣᠷᠤᠨ Öbür Mongghul-un Öbertegen Jasaqu Orun (Mongolian) | 内蒙古 Nèiměnggǔ | Hohhot | List |
| Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region | 寧夏回族自治區 宁夏回族自治区 | Níngxià Huízú Zìzhìqū | Hui | 寧夏回族自治區 / 宁夏回族自治区 (Chinese) | 寧 / 宁 Níng | Yinchuan | List |
| Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region | 新疆維吾爾自治區 新疆维吾尔自治区 | Xīnjiāng Wéiwú'ěr Zìzhìqū | Uyghur | شىنجاڭ ئۇيغۇر ئاپتونوم رايونى Shinjang Uyghur Aptonom Rayoni (Uyghur) | 新 Xīn | Urumqi | List |
| Tibet Autonomous Region | 西藏自治區 西藏自治区 | Xīzàng Zìzhìqū | Tibetan | བོད་རང་སྐྱོང་ལྗོངས Bod.raṅ.skyoṅ.ljoṅs (Tibetan) | 藏 Zàng | Lhasa | List |
| 1 Designated minority. 2 Abbreviation. 3 County-level divisions. | |||||||
These five regions have warm and cold climate zones.
