Administrative divisions refer to the territorial and political, administrative power divisions implemented by the country for hierarchical management. In general, administrative divisions are marked by the different levels of government institutions established in different regions to ensure the smooth implementation of various functions of local state agencies. The level of administrative divisions is related to factors such as the central-local relationship model of a country, the size of its territory, and the relationship between the government and the public.

Administrative division codes, also known as administrative codes, are identification symbols for national administrative agencies. They generally follow two national standards: "Administrative Division Code of the People's Republic of China" (GB/T2260-2007) and "Rules for the Compilation of Administrative Division Codes Below the County Level" (GB/T10114-2003). The code consists of 9 Arabic numerals and is equivalent to the identification number of a government agency. According to the "Regulations on Administrative Division Management" issued by the State Council, administrative division codes are determined and published by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. This standard defines the codes for administrative divisions above the county level in China, with six-digit Arabic numerals representing the names of provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities), districts (cities, states, leagues), and counties (districts, cities, banners). The meaning of the digits from left to right is as follows:

The first and second digits represent the province (autonomous region, municipality, or special administrative region).

The third and fourth digits represent the city (district, autonomous prefecture, league, and the summary code for districts and counties under municipalities directly under the central government). Codes 01-20 and 51-70 represent municipal districts directly under the province; codes 21-50 represent districts (autonomous prefectures, leagues).

The fifth and sixth digits represent the county (urban district, county-level city, or banner). Codes 01-20 represent urban districts or county-level cities within districts (autonomous prefectures, leagues); codes 21-70 represent counties (banners); codes 81-99 represent county-level cities directly under the province; codes 71-80 represent industrial parks or economic development zones.