Zhengzhou, also spelt Zheng Zhou and alternatively romanized as Chengchow, is the capital and largest city of Henan Province in the central part of the People's Republic of China. Located in north-central Henan, it is one of the National Central Cities in China, the centre of Central Plains area, and serves as the political, economic, technological, and educational center of the province. The Zhengzhou metropolitan area is the core area of the Central Plains Economic Zone.
The city lies on the southern bank of the Yellow River. Zhengzhou is a major hub of China's national transportation network, with railways connecting Zhengzhou to Europe and an international airport. Zhengzhou is a National Civilized City and a State-list Famous Historical and Culture City. As of 2020, there are two World Cultural Heritage Sites in Zhengzhou. The Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange is China's first futures exchange. Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone is China's first Airport Economy Zone.
As of the 2020 census, the prefecture-level city of Zhengzhou had a population of 12,600,574 inhabitants.