Jinan, formerly romanized as Tsinan,[a] is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China.[2] The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilization and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub.[3] The city has held sub-provincial administrative status since 1994.[3][4] Jinan is often called the "Spring City" for its famous 72 artesian springs.[5] Its population was 7,067,900 in 2014 with an urban population of 4,693,700.