Area Code 591 – Fuzhou, Fujian

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

The area code 591 is the designated National Destination Code (NDC) for the city of Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province, in the People's Republic of China. Fuzhou serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of the province, with jurisdiction over several districts and counties. The code covers the urban districts of Gulou, Taijiang, Cangshan, Jin'an, and Mawei, as well as the surrounding counties and county-level cities such as Minhou, Changle, Fuqing, Lianjiang, Luoyuan, Minqing, and Yongtai. When dialing a fixed-line number in Fuzhou from within China, the trunk prefix 0 is used before the area code, followed by the local subscriber number. The complete domestic dialing format is 0-591-XXXX XXXX, where the local number is typically eight digits long.

International Dialing Format

For callers outside China, the international access prefix of their country must be used, followed by China's country code +86, the area code 591 (without the leading zero), and the eight-digit local subscriber number. For example, a call to a Fuzhou landline with the local number 1234 5678 would be dialed as +86 591 1234 5678 from any international location. This format complies with ITU-T E.164 recommendations, ensuring unambiguous routing through the global PSTN.

Local Dialing and Overlay Considerations

Within Fuzhou, local calls are made by dialing the eight-digit subscriber number directly without the area code. However, if you are calling from outside the Fuzhou metropolitan area but still within China, you must include the trunk prefix and area code: 0591. As of the latest numbering plan updates, Fuzhou does not have an overlay code; the 591 code is exclusively used for all fixed-line services in the region. This means that no additional area codes have been introduced for the same geographic area, simplifying dialing procedures for both local and long-distance callers.

Caller Instructions

For local callers within Fuzhou: simply dial the eight-digit local number. For domestic long-distance callers from other Chinese cities: dial 0591 followed by the local number. For international callers: dial your country's exit code (e.g., 011 from the US, 00 from most European countries), then 86, then 591, then the local number. It is important to note that the leading '0' is only used for domestic calls within China and must be omitted when dialing from abroad.

Additional Technical Notes

Fuzhou's fixed-line network is fully digital and supports advanced services such as ISDN and ADSL. Number portability for fixed-line services is not widely available in China, so the area code generally indicates the physical location of the line. For VoIP users, the same dialing rules apply, but ensure that your service provider supports calls to Chinese geographic numbers. Emergency services within Fuzhou are reached via the national numbers 110 (police), 119 (fire), and 120 (ambulance), which are independent of the area code.