Zaozhuang is a prefecture-level city located in the southern region of Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It currently holds the distinction of being the smallest prefecture-level city within the province.
The city borders Jining to the west and north, Linyi to the east, and the province of Jiangsu to the south. Historically, Zaozhuang was significantly impacted by the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–45), most notably serving as the site of the Battle of Taierzhuang in 1938.