Zhengzhou is the capital and largest city of Henan Province in China. Located in north-central Henan at the eastern foothills of the Xiong'er Mountains on the southern bank of the Yellow River, it sits where the river valley widens into the North China Plain. As of 2021, it had a population of 12.6 million people, making it the 11th largest city in the country.
The city is situated within the Zhongyuan region, an area considered a cradle of Chinese civilization that has been continuously inhabited for over 4,000 years. Zhengzhou serves as one of China's nine national central cities and functions as a major political, economic, and transport hub. Additionally, the metropolitan area encompassing Zhengzhou and Kaifeng forms the core of the Central Plains Economic Zone.