The district of Tianhe covers 137.38 square kilometers and governs the 21 sub districts of Shahe, Wushan, Yuancun, Chebei, Shipai, Tianhenan, Linhe, Shadong, Xinghua, Tangxia, Tianyuan, Xiancun, Liede, Yuangang, Huangcun, Longdong, Changxing, Fenghuang, Qianjin, Zhuji and Xintang.

The district of Tianhe was formally established on May 24, 1985. It consisted of two townships (Shahe and Dongpu) and four sub district offices (Shahe, Wushan, Yuancun and Chebei) at that time.

The former Tonghe and Jingxi townships in Tianhe were transferred to Baiyun District in September 1987.

The village of Yangji was given to Tianhe in April 1992.

The villages of Kemulang and Yushatan, which used to belong to Fenghuang Agriculture-Industry-Business Company with affiliation to Guangzhou Agriculture-Industry-Business United Corporation, were placed under the jurisdiction of Tianhe in February 1994.

The No. Two Unit of Shadong Village was put under the administration of Tianhe from Dongshan.

The four villages of Xintang, Mubei, Lingtang and Yushu were transferred to Tianhe from Guangzhou Xintang Agriculture-Industry-Business Firm in September 2000.

Dengfeng Sub district Office and Yangji Village were transferred to the district of Yuexiu, while Yushu Village under the Xintang Sub-district Office was given to Luogang District(now Huangpu District) on June 7, 2005.

With a fast development of urbanization, local administrative villages were elevated to sub district offices in December 2002. In addition, the townships of Shahe and Dongpu were revoked at that same time.