Shenzhen
Encyclopedia
Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China
's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong
. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones (SEZs). It currently also holds sub-provincial administrative status, with powers slightly less than a province.
Shenzhen's modern cityscape is the result of the vibrant economy made possible by rapid foreign investment since the institution of the policy of "reform and opening" establishment of the SEZ in the late 1970s. Before this, Shenzhen was a small village. Both Chinese and foreign nationals have invested enormous sums in the Shenzhen SEZ. More than US$30 billion in foreign investment has gone into both foreign-owned and joint ventures, at first mainly in manufacturing but more recently in the service industries as well. Shenzhen is now reputedly one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.
Being southern mainland China's major financial centre, Shenzhen is home to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
as well as the headquarters of numerous high-tech companies. Shenzhen is also the third-busiest container port in China, after Shanghai
and Hong Kong.
The settlement at Nantou was the political centre of the area from early antiquity. In the year 331 AD, six counties covering most of modern south-eastern Guangdong were merged into one province or “jun” named Dongguan Jun with its centre at Nantou. As well as being a centre of the politically and fiscally critical salt trade, the area had strategic importance as a stopping off point for international trade. The main shipping route to India, Arabia and the Byzantine Empire started at Canton. As early as the eighth century, chronicles record the Nantou area as being a major commercial centre, and reported that all foreign ships in the Canton trade would stop there. It was also as a naval defence centre guarding the southern approaches to the Pearl River.
Shenzhen was also involved in the events surrounding the end of the Southern Song Dynasty (1276–79). The Imperial court, fleeing
Khubilai Khan's forces, established itself in the Shenzhen area and the last Emperor died strapped to the back of his chief Minister who preferred suicide to the possibility of the Emperor being captured and bringing shame to the dynasty. In the late 19th century the Chiu or Zhao (Zhao was the Song Imperial surname)clan in Hong Kong identified the Chiwan area as the final resting place of the Emperor and built a tomb to him. The tomb, since restored, is still in Chiwan.
Earliest known ancient records that carried the name of Shenzhen date from 1410 during the Ming Dynasty
. Local people called the drains in paddy fields “zhen” (圳). Shenzhen (深圳) literally means “deep drains” as the area was once crisscrossed with rivers and streams, with deep drains within the paddy fields. The character 圳 is limited in distribution to an area of South China with its most northerly examples in Zhejiang Province which suggests an association with southwards migration during the Southern Song Dynasty (12th and 13th centuries). The County town at Xin'an in modern Nanshan dates from the Ming Dynasty where it was a major naval centre at the mouth of the Pearl River. In this capacity it was heavily involved in 1521 in the successful Chinese action against the Portuguese Fleet under Fernão Peres d’Andrade。 This battle is usually called the Battle of Tuen Mun but it was fought in the straits between Shekou and Lintin Island.
The Ming Dynasty gate and walls at Xin'an city remain extremely well preserved.
Shenzhen was singled out to be the first of the five Special Economic Zones (SEZ). It was formally established in 1979 due to its proximity to Hong Kong. The SEZ was created to be an experimental ground for the practice of market capitalism within a community guided by the ideals of "socialism with Chinese characteristics
".
Shenzhen eventually became one of the largest cities in the Pearl River Delta
region, which has become one of the economic powerhouses of China as well as the largest manufacturing base in the world.
In November 1979, Shenzhen, then known as Bao'an County (宝安县), was promoted to prefecture
level, directly governed by Guangdong
province. In May 1980, Shenzhen was formally nominated as a "special economic zone", the first one of its kind in China. It was given the right of provincial-level economic administration in November 1988.
For five months in 1996, Shenzhen was home to the Provisional Legislative Council
and Provisional Executive Council of Hong Kong.
Shenzhen is located in the Pearl River Delta
, bordering Hong Kong to the south, Huizhou to the north and northeast and Dongguan to the north and northwest. The municipality covers an area of 2050 square kilometres (792 sq mi) including urban and rural areas, with a total population of 14 million in 2008.
The city was originally a hilly area, with fertile agrarian land. However, after becoming a special economic zone in 1979, Shenzhen underwent tremendous change in landscape. The once hilly fishing village is now replaced by mostly flat ground in downtown area, with only Lianhua Shan (Lotus Hill), Bijia Shan (Bijia Mountain) and Wutong Shan the only three places that have some kind of elevation viewed from satellites. With the influx of migrants from inland China, Shenzhen is experiencing a second stage boom, and it is now expanding peripherally and the hills in surrounding areas such as Mission Hills are now being toppled over to make land for more development.
Shenzhen is located on the border with the Hong Kong SAR across the Sham Chun River
and Sha Tau Kok River
, 100 km southeast of the provincial capital of Guangzhou
, and 60 km south of the industrial city of Dongguan
. To the southwest, the resort city of Zhuhai
is 60 km away.
part of China, located at about the Tropic of Cancer
, yet due to the Siberian anticyclone, has a warm, monsoon
-influenced, humid subtropical climate
(Köppen
Cwa). Winters are mild and relatively dry, due in part to the influence of the South China Sea
, and frost is very rare. Spring begins somewhat dry, but rainfall begins to dramatically increase in April, and the rainy season lasts until early to mid October. The monsoon reaches its peak intensity in the summer months, when the city also experiences very humid, and hot, but moderated, conditions. The region is prone to torrential rain as well, with 10 days that have 50 millimetres (1.97 in) or more of rain.
The latter portion of fall is dry. The annual precipitation averages at over 1900 millimetres (75 in), some of which is delivered in typhoons that strike from the east during summer and early fall.
. It has direct jurisdiction over eight districts (区 qu):
The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) comprised only Luohu, Futian, Nanshan
, and Yantian
districts until 1 July 2010, when the SEZ was expanded to include all districts, a fivefold increase over its pre-expansion size.
Adjacent to Hong Kong, Luohu is the financial and trading centre of Shenzhen. Futian, at the heart of the SEZ, is the seat of the Municipal Government. West of Futian, Nanshan is the centre for high-tech industries. Formerly outside the SEZ, Bao'an and Longgang are located to the north-west and north-east, respectively, of central Shenzhen. Yantian is the location of Yantian Port, the second busiest container terminal
in mainland China and the fourth busiest in the world.
.
There had been migration into southern Guangdong and what is now Shenzhen since the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279) but the numbers increased dramatically since Shenzhen was established in the 1980s. In Guangdong, it is the only city where Mandarin
is mostly spoken, with migrants from all over China. At present, the average age in Shenzhen is less than 30. Among the total, 8.49 percent are between the age of 0 and 14, 88.41 percent between the age of 15 and 59, one-fifth between 20 and 24 and 1.22 percent are aged 65 or above.
The population structure polarizes into two opposing extremes: intellectuals with a high level of education, and migrant workers with poor education. It was reported in June 2007 that over 20 percent of China's PhD's worked in Shenzhen.
According to the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
, in 2002, 7,200 Hong Kong residents commuted daily to Shenzhen for work, and 2,200 students from Shenzhen commuted to school in Hong Kong. Though neighbouring each other, daily commuters still need to pass through customs and immigration checkpoints, as travel between the SEZ and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) is restricted.
In late July 2003, China relaxed travel restrictions to allow individuals from the southern cities of Guangzhou
and Shenzhen, as well as Beijing and Shanghai, to visit Hong Kong. Previously, mainland
travelers could only visit the city as part of tour groups. (See Individual Visit Scheme
.)
Immigration into Shenzhen from the Chinese interior was previously restricted by the hukou system. One consequence is that just outside of Shenzhen, there exist large towns consisting of now settled migrants who had previously attempted to enter the city.
had the largest share (1.85 million in 2001, increased by 5.5%), the tertiary sector of industry
is growing fast (1.44 million in 2001, increased by 11.6%). Shenzhen's GDP totaled CNY
820.1 billion in 2009, up by 10.7 percent over the previous year, with a GDP per capita of US$13,581 as of 2009. Its economy grew by 16.3 percent yearly from 2001 to 2005 on average. The proportion of the three industries to the aggregate of GDP was 0.1:46.7:53.2 in 2009. The proportion of the primary industry to GDP was down by 13.4%, and the tertiary industry was up by 12.5%. Shenzhen is in the top ranks among mainland Chinese cities in terms of comprehensive economic power. It ranked fourth in GDP among mainland Chinese cities in 2001, while it ranked the top in GDP per capita during the same period. Its import and export volumes have been first for the last nine consecutive years. It is the second in terms of industrial output. For five consecutive years, its internal revenue within local budget ranks third. It also ranks third in the use of foreign capital.
Shenzhen is a major manufacturing
centre in China. In the 1990s, Shenzhen was described as constructing "one highrise a day and one boulevard every three days". The Shenzhen skyline has 13 buildings at over 200 metres tall, including the Shun Hing Square
(the 8th tallest building in the world).
Shenzhen is home to some of China's most successful quality brand high-tech companies, such as BYD
, Dingoo
, G'Five
, Hasee, Huawei
, JXD
, Konka, Netac, Skyworth
, Tencent
and ZTE
. BYD
, Hasee and Huawei
are headquartered in the Longgang District. TCL Corporation
, best known as China's number one TV brand, has a presence in the city. Taiwan's largest company Hon Hai Group has a manufacturing plant based in Shenzhen. Many foreign high-tech companies have their operations in the Science and Technology park in Nanshan District or outside the core districts where labor and land are much cheaper.
CSG Holding
is the largest architectural glass manufacturer in China. Vanke is the largest residential real estate developer in China. In the financial sector, Shenzhen Development Bank
, China Merchants Bank
and Shenzhen City Commercial Bank
are some of the largest banks in China, with headquarters in Shenzhen.
Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center is a super large public construction with multi-functions of hosting business activities, celebrations, conferences, conventions, entertainment events, exhibitions, restaurants and all kinds of shows.
In 2010, the GDP reached a record high of 951 billion yuan
, an increase of 10.7% over 2009. Shenzhen's economic output is ranked fourth among the 659 Chinese cities (behind Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou), and it is comparable to that of a medium sized province in China. In 2010, Shenzhen's GDP per capita was 95,000 yuan (US$14,615), making it one of the richest of all Chinese cities.
On 1 July 2010 the Shenzhen special economic zone was expanded from 396 square kilometres (152.9 sq mi) to 1953 square kilometres (754 sq mi) and border controls with the rest of China relaxed.
(SZSE) is a mutualized national stock exchange
under the China Securities Regulatory Commission
(the CSRC) that provides a venue for securities
trading. A broad spectrum of market participants, including 540 listed companies, 35 million registered investors and 177 exchange members, create the market. Since its creation in 1990, the SZSE has grown with a market capitalization
around 1 trillion yuan (US$122 billion). On a daily basis, around 600,000 deals, valued at US$807 million, trade on the SZSE.
(Diwang Building). The city has 23 buildings over 200 metres, mostly concentrated in Luohu
and Futian
districts. The second tallest building in Shenzhen is SEG Plaza
at a height of 356 meters (292 meters to roof-top), located in the popular electronics district of Hua Qiang Bei
.
Shenzhen has some of the largest public projects in China. The International Trade Center (国贸), built in 1985, was the tallest building in China when built, and the Shun Hing building was also the tallest in Asia when it was built (still the tallest steel building in the world).
Shenzhen is also the site for many tall building projects. Some of the supertalls that have been either proposed or approved are well over 400 meters. The current tallest building under construction is the 439 metre tall Kingkey 100, which will be finished in 2011. Other proposed buildings would surpass the Kingkey 100's height by 2015.
For example, the 646 metre tall Pingan International Finance Centre
will be the tallest in China and second tallest building in the world upon completion in 2014, after the Burj Khalifa. See list of tallest buildings in Shenzhen.
Hong Kong and Shenzhen have very close business, trade and social links as demonstrated by the statistics presented below. Except where noted the statistics are taken from sections of the Hong Kong Government (HKG) website.
As of December 2007, there are six land crossing points on the boundary between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. From west to east these are Shenzhen Bay Port road crossing (opened 1 July 2007); Fu Tian Kou An to Lok Ma Chau rail connection linking Shenzhen Metro
Line 4 to the MTR
's East Rail Line Lok Ma Chau Spur Line
(opened 15 August 2007); Huanggang to Lok Ma Chau road connection; Futian to Man Kam To road connection; Luohu to Lo Wu rail connection linking the MTR East Rail Line to Shenzhen Metro Line 1, Shenzhen Rail Station and Luohu in general; and the Shatoujiao to Sha Tau Kok road connection. Both of the rail connections require the passengers to cross the Shenzhen River on foot as there is no direct rail connection between the two cities, although the Hong Kong intercity trains to other mainland cities pass through Shenzhen without stopping.
In 2006, there were around 20,500 daily vehicular crossings of the boundary in each direction. Of these 65 percent were cargo vehicles, 27 percent cars and the remainder buses and coaches. The Huanggang crossing was most heavily used at 76 percent of the total, followed by the Futian crossing at 18 percent and Shatoujiao at 6 percent. Of the cargo vehicles, 12,000 per day were container carrying and, using a rate of 1.44 teus/vehicle, this results in 17,000 teus/day across the boundary, while Hong Kong port handled 23,000 teus/day during 2006, excluding transshipment trade.
Trade with Hong Kong in 2006 consisted of US$333 billion of imports of which US$298 billion were re-exported. Of these figures 94 percent were associated with China. Considering that 34.5 percent of the value of Hong Kong trade is air freight (only 1.3 percent by weight), a large proportion of this is associated with China as well.
Also in 2006 the average daily passenger flow through the four connections open at that time was over 200,000 in each direction of which 63 percent used the Luohu rail connection and 33 percent the Huanggang road connection. Naturally, such high volumes require special handling, and the largest group of people crossing the boundary, Hong Kong residents with Chinese citizenship, use only a biometric ID card (Home Return Permit
) and a thumb print reader. As a point of comparison, Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok Airport, the 5th busiest international airport in the world, handled 59,000 passengers per day in each direction.
Hong Kong conducts regular surveys of cross-boundary passenger movements, with the most recent being in 2003, although the 2007 survey will be reported on soon. In 2003 the boundary crossings for Hong Kong Residents living in Hong Kong made 78 percent of the trips, up by 33 percent from 1999, whereas Hong Kong and Chinese residents of China made up 20 percent in 2006, an increase of 140 percent above the 1999 figure. Since that time movement has been made much easier for China residents, and so that group have probably increased further yet. Other nationalities made up 2 percent of boundary crossings. Of these trips 67 percent were associated with Shenzhen and 42 percent were for business or work purposes. Of the non-business trips about one third were to visit friends and relatives and the remainder for leisure.
On 21 November 2007, the Shenzhen Government officially endorsed this policy and included it in the Shenzhen planning blueprint for the period up to 2020. It was announced that Shenzhen mayor, Xu Zongheng, would visit Hong Kong in December 2007 to sign a metropolis agreement with the SAR government.
The plans were originally detailed by the Hong Kong non-governmental think tank, Bauhinia Research Foundation in August 2007, and covered such matters as financial services, hi-tech and high-end research and development, transport, environmental matters and ecology. It was claimed that Shenzhen-Hong Kong could be the third largest metropolis in the world in GDP terms by 2020, only behind New York City and Tokyo. The plan was also endorsed by the China Development Institute, a Shenzhen-based non-government think tank
.
Situated in the Pearl River Delta
in China’s Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Port is adjacent to Hong Kong. The city’s 260 km coastline is divided by the Kowloon Peninsula
into two halves, the eastern and the western. Shenzhen’s western port area lies to the east of Lingdingyang in the Pearl River Estuary and possesses a deep water harbour with superb natural shelters. It is about 20 nautical miles (37 km) from Hong Kong to the south and 60 nautical miles (111.1 km) from Guangzhou to the north. By passing Pearl River system, the western port area is connected with the cities and counties in Pearl River Delta networks; by passing On See Dun waterway, it extends all ports both at home and abroad. The eastern port area lies north of Dapeng Bay where the harbour is wide and calm and is regarded as the best natural harbour in South China.
Shenzhen handled a record number of containers
in 2005, ranking as the world's fourth-busiest port, after rising trade increased cargo shipments through the southern Chinese city. China International Marine Containers
, and other operators of the port handled 16.2 million standard 20 feet (6.1 m) boxes last year, a 19 per cent increase. Investors in Shenzhen are expanding to take advantage of rising volume.
Yantian International Container Terminals, Chiwan Container terminal
s, Shekou
Container Terminals, China Merchants Port and Shenzhen Haixing (Mawan port) are the major port terminals in Shenzhen.
and Jade Cargo International
are located at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
. The airport is 35 kilometers from central Shenzhen and connects the city with many other parts of China, and serves domestic and international destinations.
is located at the junction of Jianshe Lu, Heping Lu and Renmin Nan Lu and provides links to different parts of China. There are frequent high speed
trains to Guangzhou, plus long-distance trains to Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha, Jiujiang, Maoming, Shantou and other destinations. The train from Hong Kong's Hung Hom
MTR
station to the Lo Wu
and Lok Ma Chau
border crossings take 43 minutes and 45 minutes respectively.
There is another railway station located in Nanshan District, Shenzhen Xi, which is used for a small number of long distance trains, such as the one to Hefei.
system opened on 27 December 2004. In phase I, there are only two lines (Luobao line & Longhua line). Luobao line is from Luohu (Lo Wu & Shenzhen railway stations) to The window of the world (Oversees Chinese Town), and the Longhua line is from Futian Kouan (Futian checkpoint) to Shaonian Gong (Children's Palace). In June 2011, the Shenzhen Metro extended the previous Luobao and Longhua line. Right now Luobao line is from Luohu to Shenzhen Bao'an Airport and Longhua line (now operated by MTR
) is from Futian Kouan to Qinghu. Also in June 2011, three lines of the second phase opened before the 26th summer Universiade
. They are Shekou line (from Chiwan to Xinxiu), Longgang Line (from Yitian to Shuanglong), and Huanzhong line(from Qianhaiwan to Huangbeiling).
, Hong Kong International Airport
, Kowloon
, and Hong Kong Island
.
Shenzhen has shorelines in its southwest and southeast. Beaches like Dameisha and Xiaomeisha are often crowded with locals and tourists. The Xichong
beach, is just one hour drive from downtown Shenzhen, and it still retains its age old natural beauties.
and Lok Ma Chau
in Hong Kong has been open 24 hours a day. The journey can be made by private vehicle or by bus. On 15 August 2007, the Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang pedestrian border crossing opened, linking Lok Ma Chau Station with Huanggang. With the opening of the crossing, shuttle buses between Lok Ma Chau transport interchange and Huanggang were terminated.
Taxis are metered and come in three colors. Red taxis may travel anywhere; green ones are restricted to outside the SEZ, and yellow ones are restricted to inside the SEZ.
There are also frequent bus and van services from Hong Kong International Airport to Huanggang and most major hotels in Shenzhen. A bus service operated by Chinalink Bus Company operates from Kowloon Station
on the Airport Express
MTR
line (below Elements Mall
) direct to the Shenzhen International airport
.
Shenzhen's major tourist attractions include the Chinese Folk Culture Village, the Window of the World
, Happy Valley
, Splendid China, the Safari Park
in Nanshan district, the Dameisha Promenade, Xiaomeisha Beach Resort in Yantian district, Zhongying Jie/Chung Ying Street
, Xianhu Lake Botanical Garden, and Minsk World
. The city also offers free admission to a number of public parks including the Lianhuashan Park, Lizhi Park, Zhongshan Park and Wutongshan Park.
There are over twenty public city parks in Shenzhen.
Some tourists, however, choose to stay in a largely expatriate and exotic residential community called Shekou
, home to a large French cruise liner cemented into the ground called Sea World. Shekou was expanded and renovated in recent years, including claiming additional land from the sea.
Shenzhen's central music hall and library are located in the Shenzhen Cultural Center
.
In recent years, the East Coast (shoreline) of Shenzhen has attracted more and more tourists, including backpackers
. One of the most famous beaches is Xichong in the south of Dapeng Peninsula
.
is a multi-purpose stadium that hosts many events. The 26th Summer Universiade
, the latest one to take place, was held in Shenzhen on 12 August 2011. Shenzhen has constructed the sports venues for this first major sporting event in the city.
with: Houston, United States, March 1986 Brescia
, Italy, November 1991 Brisbane
, Australia, June 1992 Poznań
, Poland, July 1993 Vienne
, France, October 1994 Kingston, Jamaica
, March 1995 Lomé
, Togo, June 1996 Nuremberg
, Germany, May 1997 Walloon Brabant
, Belgium, October 2003 Tsukuba, Japan, June 2004 Gwangyang
, South Korea, October 2004 Johor Bahru
, Malaysia, July 2006 Perm
, Russia, 2006 Turin
, Italy, January 2007 Timişoara
, Romania, February 2007 Rotherham
, England, United Kingdom, November 2007 Reno, Nevada
, United States, 30 April 2008 Montevideo
, Uruguay February 2009
South Central China
South Central China is a region of the People's Republic of China defined by governmental bureaus that includes the provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, and Hunan, and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, however excluding the 2 special administrative regions : Hong Kong and...
's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones (SEZs). It currently also holds sub-provincial administrative status, with powers slightly less than a province.
Shenzhen's modern cityscape is the result of the vibrant economy made possible by rapid foreign investment since the institution of the policy of "reform and opening" establishment of the SEZ in the late 1970s. Before this, Shenzhen was a small village. Both Chinese and foreign nationals have invested enormous sums in the Shenzhen SEZ. More than US$30 billion in foreign investment has gone into both foreign-owned and joint ventures, at first mainly in manufacturing but more recently in the service industries as well. Shenzhen is now reputedly one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.
Being southern mainland China's major financial centre, Shenzhen is home to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
Shenzhen Stock Exchange
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange is one of the People's Republic of China's two stock exchanges, alongside the Shanghai Stock Exchange. It is based in Shenzhen, China...
as well as the headquarters of numerous high-tech companies. Shenzhen is also the third-busiest container port in China, after Shanghai
Port of Shanghai
The Port of Shanghai, located in the vicinity of Shanghai, comprises a deep-sea port and a river port.In 2010, Shanghai port overtook Singapore port to become the world's busiest container port...
and Hong Kong.
History
Human habitation in Shenzhen dates back to ancient times. The earliest archaeological remains so far unearthed are shards from a site at Xiantouling on Mirs Bay, dating back to 5000 BC. This was described as one of China’s six greatest archaeological discoveries of 2006. From the Han Dynasty (third century BC) onwards, the area around Shenzhen was a centre of the salt monopoly, thus meriting special Imperial protection. Salt pans are still visible around the Pearl River area to the west of the city and are commemorated in the name of the Yantian container terminal (盐田, meaning “salt fields”).The settlement at Nantou was the political centre of the area from early antiquity. In the year 331 AD, six counties covering most of modern south-eastern Guangdong were merged into one province or “jun” named Dongguan Jun with its centre at Nantou. As well as being a centre of the politically and fiscally critical salt trade, the area had strategic importance as a stopping off point for international trade. The main shipping route to India, Arabia and the Byzantine Empire started at Canton. As early as the eighth century, chronicles record the Nantou area as being a major commercial centre, and reported that all foreign ships in the Canton trade would stop there. It was also as a naval defence centre guarding the southern approaches to the Pearl River.
Shenzhen was also involved in the events surrounding the end of the Southern Song Dynasty (1276–79). The Imperial court, fleeing
Khubilai Khan's forces, established itself in the Shenzhen area and the last Emperor died strapped to the back of his chief Minister who preferred suicide to the possibility of the Emperor being captured and bringing shame to the dynasty. In the late 19th century the Chiu or Zhao (Zhao was the Song Imperial surname)clan in Hong Kong identified the Chiwan area as the final resting place of the Emperor and built a tomb to him. The tomb, since restored, is still in Chiwan.
Earliest known ancient records that carried the name of Shenzhen date from 1410 during the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
. Local people called the drains in paddy fields “zhen” (圳). Shenzhen (深圳) literally means “deep drains” as the area was once crisscrossed with rivers and streams, with deep drains within the paddy fields. The character 圳 is limited in distribution to an area of South China with its most northerly examples in Zhejiang Province which suggests an association with southwards migration during the Southern Song Dynasty (12th and 13th centuries). The County town at Xin'an in modern Nanshan dates from the Ming Dynasty where it was a major naval centre at the mouth of the Pearl River. In this capacity it was heavily involved in 1521 in the successful Chinese action against the Portuguese Fleet under Fernão Peres d’Andrade。 This battle is usually called the Battle of Tuen Mun but it was fought in the straits between Shekou and Lintin Island.
The Ming Dynasty gate and walls at Xin'an city remain extremely well preserved.
Shenzhen was singled out to be the first of the five Special Economic Zones (SEZ). It was formally established in 1979 due to its proximity to Hong Kong. The SEZ was created to be an experimental ground for the practice of market capitalism within a community guided by the ideals of "socialism with Chinese characteristics
Socialist market economy
The socialist market economy or socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics is the official term used to refer to the economic system of the People's Republic of China after the reforms of Deng Xiaoping. It is also referred to as socialism with Chinese characteristics...
".
Shenzhen eventually became one of the largest cities in the Pearl River Delta
Pearl River Delta
The Pearl River Delta , Zhujiang Delta or Zhusanjiao in Guangdong province, People's Republic of China is the low-lying area surrounding the Pearl River estuary where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea...
region, which has become one of the economic powerhouses of China as well as the largest manufacturing base in the world.
In November 1979, Shenzhen, then known as Bao'an County (宝安县), was promoted to prefecture
Prefecture
A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...
level, directly governed by Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
province. In May 1980, Shenzhen was formally nominated as a "special economic zone", the first one of its kind in China. It was given the right of provincial-level economic administration in November 1988.
For five months in 1996, Shenzhen was home to the Provisional Legislative Council
Provisional Legislative Council
The Provisional Legislative Council or the PLC was the interim legislature of Hong Kong from 1997 to 1998. The legislature was founded in Guangzhou and sat in Shenzhen from 1996 until the handover in 1997 and moved to Hong Kong to serves as the temporary replacement of Legislative Council of Hong...
and Provisional Executive Council of Hong Kong.
Geography
Shenzhen is located in the Pearl River Delta
Pearl River Delta
The Pearl River Delta , Zhujiang Delta or Zhusanjiao in Guangdong province, People's Republic of China is the low-lying area surrounding the Pearl River estuary where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea...
, bordering Hong Kong to the south, Huizhou to the north and northeast and Dongguan to the north and northwest. The municipality covers an area of 2050 square kilometres (792 sq mi) including urban and rural areas, with a total population of 14 million in 2008.
The city was originally a hilly area, with fertile agrarian land. However, after becoming a special economic zone in 1979, Shenzhen underwent tremendous change in landscape. The once hilly fishing village is now replaced by mostly flat ground in downtown area, with only Lianhua Shan (Lotus Hill), Bijia Shan (Bijia Mountain) and Wutong Shan the only three places that have some kind of elevation viewed from satellites. With the influx of migrants from inland China, Shenzhen is experiencing a second stage boom, and it is now expanding peripherally and the hills in surrounding areas such as Mission Hills are now being toppled over to make land for more development.
Shenzhen is located on the border with the Hong Kong SAR across the Sham Chun River
Sham Chun River
Sham Chun River serves as the natural border between Hong Kong and Mainland China, together with the Sha Tau Kok River....
and Sha Tau Kok River
Sha Tau Kok River
The Sha Tau Kok River , along with Sham Chun River, serves as the natural border between Hong Kong and mainland China. It is situated at the northeastern corner of North District, Hong Kong and the southeastern corner of Shenzhen, Guangdong...
, 100 km southeast of the provincial capital of Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, and 60 km south of the industrial city of Dongguan
Dongguan
Dongguan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.An important industrial city located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, Shenzhen to the south, and the Pearl River to...
. To the southwest, the resort city of Zhuhai
Zhuhai
Zhuhai is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones...
is 60 km away.
Climate
Shenzhen is situated in the subtropicalSubtropics
The subtropics are the geographical and climatical zone of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropical zone, which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at latitudes 23.5°N and 23.5°S...
part of China, located at about the Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...
, yet due to the Siberian anticyclone, has a warm, monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
-influenced, humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cwa). Winters are mild and relatively dry, due in part to the influence of the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
, and frost is very rare. Spring begins somewhat dry, but rainfall begins to dramatically increase in April, and the rainy season lasts until early to mid October. The monsoon reaches its peak intensity in the summer months, when the city also experiences very humid, and hot, but moderated, conditions. The region is prone to torrential rain as well, with 10 days that have 50 millimetres (1.97 in) or more of rain.
The latter portion of fall is dry. The annual precipitation averages at over 1900 millimetres (75 in), some of which is delivered in typhoons that strike from the east during summer and early fall.
Administrative divisions
Shenzhen is a sub-provincial citySub-provincial city
A sub-provincial divisions in the People's Republic of China, is like a prefecture-level city that is ruled by a province, but is administered independently in regard to economy and law....
. It has direct jurisdiction over eight districts (区 qu):
| Map | # | Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Population (2010 census) |
Area (km²) | Density (/km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Core | 3,538,275 | 412 | 8,588 | ||||
| 1 | Futian District | 福田区 | Fútián Qū | 1,318,055 | 79 | 16,756 | |
| 2 | Luohu District | 罗湖区 | Luóhú Qū | 923,423 | 79 | 11,726 | |
| 3 | Nanshan District Nanshan District, Shenzhen Nanshan District is one of the seven districts comprising Shenzhen. It encompasses the southwest area of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, with a population of 0.9 million... |
南山区 | Nánshān Qū | 1,087,936 | 182 | 5,877 | |
| 6 | Yantian District Yantian District Yantian District is one of the seven districts of the Shenzhen City in Guangdong province of China. It is adjacent to Shenzhen River in the south, and is surrounded by Luohu and Longgang districts in Shenzhen. Until March 1998, Yantian was part of Luohu District.The size of Yantian district is... |
盐田区 | Yántián Qū | 208,861 | 72 | 2,798 | |
| Suburban Districts | 6,029,032 | 1,253 | 4,812 | ||||
| 4 | Bao'an District | 宝安区 | Bǎo'ān Qū | 4,017,807 | 577 | 7,059 | |
| 5 | Longgang District | 龙岗区 | Lónggǎng Qū | 2,011,225 | 676 | 2,945 | |
| Management Districts | 790,631 | 324 | 2,440 | ||||
| 7 | Guangming New District | 光明新区 | Guāngmíng Xīn Qū | 481,420 | 156 | 3,097 | |
| 8 | Pingshan New District Pingshan New District Pingshan New District is a industrial and technology development area in a district of Longgang District, Shenzhen city, Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.-History:... |
坪山新区 | Píngshān Xīn Qū | 309,211 | 168 | 1,852 | |
| Total | 10,357,938 | 1,989 | 5,201 | ||||
The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) comprised only Luohu, Futian, Nanshan
Nanshan District, Shenzhen
Nanshan District is one of the seven districts comprising Shenzhen. It encompasses the southwest area of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, with a population of 0.9 million...
, and Yantian
Yantian District
Yantian District is one of the seven districts of the Shenzhen City in Guangdong province of China. It is adjacent to Shenzhen River in the south, and is surrounded by Luohu and Longgang districts in Shenzhen. Until March 1998, Yantian was part of Luohu District.The size of Yantian district is...
districts until 1 July 2010, when the SEZ was expanded to include all districts, a fivefold increase over its pre-expansion size.
Adjacent to Hong Kong, Luohu is the financial and trading centre of Shenzhen. Futian, at the heart of the SEZ, is the seat of the Municipal Government. West of Futian, Nanshan is the centre for high-tech industries. Formerly outside the SEZ, Bao'an and Longgang are located to the north-west and north-east, respectively, of central Shenzhen. Yantian is the location of Yantian Port, the second busiest container terminal
Container terminal
A container terminal is a facility where cargo containers are transshipped between different transport vehicles, for onward transportation. The transshipment may be between container ships and land vehicles, for example trains or trucks, in which case the terminal is described as a maritime...
in mainland China and the fourth busiest in the world.
Demographics
Shenzhen has seen its population and activity develop rapidly since the establishment of the SEZ. However, many people think there are far more residents, mostly because they are commuters from DongguanDongguan
Dongguan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.An important industrial city located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, Shenzhen to the south, and the Pearl River to...
.
There had been migration into southern Guangdong and what is now Shenzhen since the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279) but the numbers increased dramatically since Shenzhen was established in the 1980s. In Guangdong, it is the only city where Mandarin
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
is mostly spoken, with migrants from all over China. At present, the average age in Shenzhen is less than 30. Among the total, 8.49 percent are between the age of 0 and 14, 88.41 percent between the age of 15 and 59, one-fifth between 20 and 24 and 1.22 percent are aged 65 or above.
The population structure polarizes into two opposing extremes: intellectuals with a high level of education, and migrant workers with poor education. It was reported in June 2007 that over 20 percent of China's PhD's worked in Shenzhen.
According to the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1861. It is a self-funding, non-profit organization whose mission is to safeguard and represent trade, service and industry in Hong Kong...
, in 2002, 7,200 Hong Kong residents commuted daily to Shenzhen for work, and 2,200 students from Shenzhen commuted to school in Hong Kong. Though neighbouring each other, daily commuters still need to pass through customs and immigration checkpoints, as travel between the SEZ and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) is restricted.
In late July 2003, China relaxed travel restrictions to allow individuals from the southern cities of Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
and Shenzhen, as well as Beijing and Shanghai, to visit Hong Kong. Previously, mainland
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
travelers could only visit the city as part of tour groups. (See Individual Visit Scheme
Individual Visit Scheme
The Individual Visit Scheme began on July 28, 2003. It allowed travelers from Mainland China to visit Hong Kong and Macau on an individual basis...
.)
Immigration into Shenzhen from the Chinese interior was previously restricted by the hukou system. One consequence is that just outside of Shenzhen, there exist large towns consisting of now settled migrants who had previously attempted to enter the city.
Economy
In 2001, the working population reached 3.3 million. Though the secondary sector of industrySecondary sector of industry
The secondary sector of the economy or industrial sector includes those economic sectors that create a finished, tangible product: production and construction.-Function:...
had the largest share (1.85 million in 2001, increased by 5.5%), the tertiary sector of industry
Tertiary sector of industry
The tertiary sector of the economy is one of the three economic sectors, the others being the secondary sector and the primary sector .The service sector consists of the "soft" parts of the economy, i.e...
is growing fast (1.44 million in 2001, increased by 11.6%). Shenzhen's GDP totaled CNY
Renminbi
The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC...
820.1 billion in 2009, up by 10.7 percent over the previous year, with a GDP per capita of US$13,581 as of 2009. Its economy grew by 16.3 percent yearly from 2001 to 2005 on average. The proportion of the three industries to the aggregate of GDP was 0.1:46.7:53.2 in 2009. The proportion of the primary industry to GDP was down by 13.4%, and the tertiary industry was up by 12.5%. Shenzhen is in the top ranks among mainland Chinese cities in terms of comprehensive economic power. It ranked fourth in GDP among mainland Chinese cities in 2001, while it ranked the top in GDP per capita during the same period. Its import and export volumes have been first for the last nine consecutive years. It is the second in terms of industrial output. For five consecutive years, its internal revenue within local budget ranks third. It also ranks third in the use of foreign capital.
Shenzhen is a major manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
centre in China. In the 1990s, Shenzhen was described as constructing "one highrise a day and one boulevard every three days". The Shenzhen skyline has 13 buildings at over 200 metres tall, including the Shun Hing Square
Shun Hing Square
Shun Hing Square , also named "Di Wang" in Shenzhen, is a 384m tall skyscraper in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China.It is currently the second tallest in Shenzhen, 7th tallest building in mainland China, and the 15th tallest in the world. It was the tallest building in China from its completion...
(the 8th tallest building in the world).
Shenzhen is home to some of China's most successful quality brand high-tech companies, such as BYD
BYD
BYD could refer to:* BYD Company , a rechargeable battery producer in the People's Republic of China** BYD Automobile, subsidiary company of BYD Company and an automobile manufacturer in China...
, Dingoo
Dingoo
The Dingoo A320 is a gaming handheld that supports music and video playback and open game development. The system features an on-board radio and recording program. It is available in two colors—white and black—with a third color, pink, announced for future release. It was released in February 2009...
, G'Five
G'Five
G'Five is a consumer electronics company registered in Hong Kong, based in the People's Republic of China. Founded in 2003, the company specialises in manufacturing mobile phones to emerging markets under G'Five brand....
, Hasee, Huawei
Huawei
Huawei is a Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China...
, JXD
JXD
JinXing Digital CO.Ltd is a specialized manufacturer of MP3,MP4,MP5,Mobile etc.based in Shenzhen, China.In 2005, the company started manufacturing of flash MP4 players, HD MP4 and PMPs....
, Konka, Netac, Skyworth
Skyworth
Skyworth , viz. Hong Kong Skyworth Digital Holdings Co Ltd is a Chinese holding company whose subsidiaries manufacture and sell consumer electronics and upstream components Skyworth (创维), viz. Hong Kong Skyworth Digital Holdings Co Ltd is a Chinese holding company whose subsidiaries manufacture...
, Tencent
Tencent Holdings Ltd
Tencent Holdings Limited is a publicly owned holding company whose subsidiaries provide Internet and mobile phone value-added services and operate online advertising services in the People's Republic of China. Its headquarters are in Nanshan District, Shenzhen....
and ZTE
ZTE
ZTE Corporation formerly Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment Corporation is a Chinese multinational telecommunications equipment and systems company headquartered in Shenzhen, China...
. BYD
BYD
BYD could refer to:* BYD Company , a rechargeable battery producer in the People's Republic of China** BYD Automobile, subsidiary company of BYD Company and an automobile manufacturer in China...
, Hasee and Huawei
Huawei
Huawei is a Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China...
are headquartered in the Longgang District. TCL Corporation
TCL Corporation
TCL Corporation is a multinational electronics company headquartered in Huizhou, Guangdong, China. In 2010 it was the world's 25th-largest consumer electronics producer and sixth-largest television producer .TCL comprises three listed companies: TCL Corporation , which is listed on the Shenzhen...
, best known as China's number one TV brand, has a presence in the city. Taiwan's largest company Hon Hai Group has a manufacturing plant based in Shenzhen. Many foreign high-tech companies have their operations in the Science and Technology park in Nanshan District or outside the core districts where labor and land are much cheaper.
CSG Holding
CSG Holding
CSG Holding Limited , , formerly China Southern Glass Holding Limited, is the largest architectural glass manufacturer in China...
is the largest architectural glass manufacturer in China. Vanke is the largest residential real estate developer in China. In the financial sector, Shenzhen Development Bank
Shenzhen Development Bank
Shenzhen Development Bank Co., Ltd. is a bank based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. It is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.-External links:*...
, China Merchants Bank
China Merchants Bank
China Merchants Bank is a bank headquartered in Shenzhen, China. Founded in 1987, it is the first share-holding commercial bank wholly owned by corporate legal entities.CMB has over five hundred branches in mainland China and one in Hong Kong...
and Shenzhen City Commercial Bank
Shenzhen City Commercial Bank
Shenzhen City Commercial Bank is a commercial bank based in Shenzhen in the People's Republic of China....
are some of the largest banks in China, with headquarters in Shenzhen.
Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center is a super large public construction with multi-functions of hosting business activities, celebrations, conferences, conventions, entertainment events, exhibitions, restaurants and all kinds of shows.
In 2010, the GDP reached a record high of 951 billion yuan
Renminbi
The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC...
, an increase of 10.7% over 2009. Shenzhen's economic output is ranked fourth among the 659 Chinese cities (behind Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou), and it is comparable to that of a medium sized province in China. In 2010, Shenzhen's GDP per capita was 95,000 yuan (US$14,615), making it one of the richest of all Chinese cities.
On 1 July 2010 the Shenzhen special economic zone was expanded from 396 square kilometres (152.9 sq mi) to 1953 square kilometres (754 sq mi) and border controls with the rest of China relaxed.
Industrial zones
- Shenzhen Hi-Tech Industrial Park (SHIP) was founded in September 1996. It covers an area of 11.5 km². Industries encouraged in the zone include Biotechnology/Pharmaceuticals, Building/Construction Materials, Chemicals Production and Processing, Computer Software, Electronics Assembly & Manufacturing, Instruments & Industrial Equipment Production, Medical Equipment and Supplies, Research and Development, Telecommunications Equipment.
- Shenzhen Software Park is integrated with Shenzhen Hi-Tech Industry Park, an important vehicle established by Shenzhen Municipal Government to support the development of software industry. The Park was approved to be the base of software production of the National Plan in 2001. The distance between the 010 National Highway and the zone is 20.8 km. The zone is situated 22 km from the Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport.
Shenzhen Stock Exchange
The Shenzhen Stock ExchangeShenzhen Stock Exchange
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange is one of the People's Republic of China's two stock exchanges, alongside the Shanghai Stock Exchange. It is based in Shenzhen, China...
(SZSE) is a mutualized national stock exchange
Stock exchange
A stock exchange is an entity that provides services for stock brokers and traders to trade stocks, bonds, and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for issue and redemption of securities and other financial instruments, and capital events including the payment of income and...
under the China Securities Regulatory Commission
China Securities Regulatory Commission
The China Securities Regulatory Commission is an institution of the State Council of the People's Republic of China , with ministry-level rank...
(the CSRC) that provides a venue for securities
Security (finance)
A security is generally a fungible, negotiable financial instrument representing financial value. Securities are broadly categorized into:* debt securities ,* equity securities, e.g., common stocks; and,...
trading. A broad spectrum of market participants, including 540 listed companies, 35 million registered investors and 177 exchange members, create the market. Since its creation in 1990, the SZSE has grown with a market capitalization
Market capitalization
Market capitalization is a measurement of the value of the ownership interest that shareholders hold in a business enterprise. It is equal to the share price times the number of shares outstanding of a publicly traded company...
around 1 trillion yuan (US$122 billion). On a daily basis, around 600,000 deals, valued at US$807 million, trade on the SZSE.
Cityscape
Shenzhen is home to the world's 14th tallest building, the Shun Hing SquareShun Hing Square
Shun Hing Square , also named "Di Wang" in Shenzhen, is a 384m tall skyscraper in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China.It is currently the second tallest in Shenzhen, 7th tallest building in mainland China, and the 15th tallest in the world. It was the tallest building in China from its completion...
(Diwang Building). The city has 23 buildings over 200 metres, mostly concentrated in Luohu
Luohu
Luohu District is a district of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.-Geography:The size of Luohu district is about 78.9 km² and contains 10 subdistricts....
and Futian
Futian
Futian District is one of seven districts of the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, China. It is home to many high-rises, with some of the most important buildings in Shenzhen, such as the SEG Tower, China Merchants Bank, Shenzhen Library and Concert Hall, Shenzhen Development Bank and the...
districts. The second tallest building in Shenzhen is SEG Plaza
SEG Plaza
SEG Plaza is a skyscraper located at the junction of Shennan Boulevard and Hua Qiang Bei in Shenzhen, People's Republic of China. Completed in 2000, it is 356m high and has 70+ storeys. It is the 13th tallest in China and the 22nd tallest in the world...
at a height of 356 meters (292 meters to roof-top), located in the popular electronics district of Hua Qiang Bei
Hua Qiang Bei
Huaqiangbei is an area in Shenzhen. It runs from Shennan Boulevard at SEG Plaza near Huaqianglu Station on the Shenzhen Metro for one kilometer north to the Pavilion Hotel. It is the spine of a concentrated shopping and restaurant area, with cross streets Zhen Zhong Lu, Zhen Hua Lu and Zhen Xing Lu...
.
Shenzhen has some of the largest public projects in China. The International Trade Center (国贸), built in 1985, was the tallest building in China when built, and the Shun Hing building was also the tallest in Asia when it was built (still the tallest steel building in the world).
Shenzhen is also the site for many tall building projects. Some of the supertalls that have been either proposed or approved are well over 400 meters. The current tallest building under construction is the 439 metre tall Kingkey 100, which will be finished in 2011. Other proposed buildings would surpass the Kingkey 100's height by 2015.
For example, the 646 metre tall Pingan International Finance Centre
Pingan International Finance Centre
The Pingan International Finance Center is a 115-storey supertall skyscraper that is under construction in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China. The tower was commissioned by Ping An Insurance, and designed by the American architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox...
will be the tallest in China and second tallest building in the world upon completion in 2014, after the Burj Khalifa. See list of tallest buildings in Shenzhen.
Gallery
Integration with Hong Kong
As of December 2007, there are six land crossing points on the boundary between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. From west to east these are Shenzhen Bay Port road crossing (opened 1 July 2007); Fu Tian Kou An to Lok Ma Chau rail connection linking Shenzhen Metro
Shenzhen Metro
The Shenzhen Metro is the subway or underground system for the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, China. The system opened on 28 December 2004, making Shenzhen the seventh city in mainland China to have a subway after Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Dalian, and Wuhan. The Shenzhen...
Line 4 to the MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
's East Rail Line Lok Ma Chau Spur Line
Lok Ma Chau Spur line
The Lok Ma Chau Spur Line is the second railway link between Hong Kong and Mainland China, relieving passenger congestion at Lo Wu Station. The alignment branches off the existing MTR East Rail Line north of Sheung Shui Station and then runs to the Lok Ma Chau Station where customs and...
(opened 15 August 2007); Huanggang to Lok Ma Chau road connection; Futian to Man Kam To road connection; Luohu to Lo Wu rail connection linking the MTR East Rail Line to Shenzhen Metro Line 1, Shenzhen Rail Station and Luohu in general; and the Shatoujiao to Sha Tau Kok road connection. Both of the rail connections require the passengers to cross the Shenzhen River on foot as there is no direct rail connection between the two cities, although the Hong Kong intercity trains to other mainland cities pass through Shenzhen without stopping.
In 2006, there were around 20,500 daily vehicular crossings of the boundary in each direction. Of these 65 percent were cargo vehicles, 27 percent cars and the remainder buses and coaches. The Huanggang crossing was most heavily used at 76 percent of the total, followed by the Futian crossing at 18 percent and Shatoujiao at 6 percent. Of the cargo vehicles, 12,000 per day were container carrying and, using a rate of 1.44 teus/vehicle, this results in 17,000 teus/day across the boundary, while Hong Kong port handled 23,000 teus/day during 2006, excluding transshipment trade.
Trade with Hong Kong in 2006 consisted of US$333 billion of imports of which US$298 billion were re-exported. Of these figures 94 percent were associated with China. Considering that 34.5 percent of the value of Hong Kong trade is air freight (only 1.3 percent by weight), a large proportion of this is associated with China as well.
Also in 2006 the average daily passenger flow through the four connections open at that time was over 200,000 in each direction of which 63 percent used the Luohu rail connection and 33 percent the Huanggang road connection. Naturally, such high volumes require special handling, and the largest group of people crossing the boundary, Hong Kong residents with Chinese citizenship, use only a biometric ID card (Home Return Permit
Home Return Permit
A ‘Home Return Permit’ , also referred to as a ‘Home Visit Permit’ or ‘China Back Home Pass’ , is the colloquial name for the national identity document officially known as the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents issued to PRC citizens who are permanent residents of Hong Kong...
) and a thumb print reader. As a point of comparison, Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok Airport, the 5th busiest international airport in the world, handled 59,000 passengers per day in each direction.
Hong Kong conducts regular surveys of cross-boundary passenger movements, with the most recent being in 2003, although the 2007 survey will be reported on soon. In 2003 the boundary crossings for Hong Kong Residents living in Hong Kong made 78 percent of the trips, up by 33 percent from 1999, whereas Hong Kong and Chinese residents of China made up 20 percent in 2006, an increase of 140 percent above the 1999 figure. Since that time movement has been made much easier for China residents, and so that group have probably increased further yet. Other nationalities made up 2 percent of boundary crossings. Of these trips 67 percent were associated with Shenzhen and 42 percent were for business or work purposes. Of the non-business trips about one third were to visit friends and relatives and the remainder for leisure.
Future integration plans
In Section 114(1) of the policy address on 10 October 2007, Donald Tsang, Hong Kong Chief Executive, stated:Jointly developing a world-class metropolis with Shenzhen: In my Election Platform, I have put forward the vision of developing the Hong Kong-Shenzhen metropolis and undertaken to strengthen our co-operation. My proposals met with positive responses from the Shenzhen authorities. We share a common goal and have had some preliminary exchange of views. Currently, we are discussing airport collaboration and the development of the Lok Ma Chau Loop.
On 21 November 2007, the Shenzhen Government officially endorsed this policy and included it in the Shenzhen planning blueprint for the period up to 2020. It was announced that Shenzhen mayor, Xu Zongheng, would visit Hong Kong in December 2007 to sign a metropolis agreement with the SAR government.
The plans were originally detailed by the Hong Kong non-governmental think tank, Bauhinia Research Foundation in August 2007, and covered such matters as financial services, hi-tech and high-end research and development, transport, environmental matters and ecology. It was claimed that Shenzhen-Hong Kong could be the third largest metropolis in the world in GDP terms by 2020, only behind New York City and Tokyo. The plan was also endorsed by the China Development Institute, a Shenzhen-based non-government think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
.
Port
Pearl River Delta
The Pearl River Delta , Zhujiang Delta or Zhusanjiao in Guangdong province, People's Republic of China is the low-lying area surrounding the Pearl River estuary where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea...
in China’s Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Port is adjacent to Hong Kong. The city’s 260 km coastline is divided by the Kowloon Peninsula
Kowloon Peninsula
The Kowloon Peninsula is a peninsula that forms the southern part of the main landmass in the territory of Hong Kong. The Kowloon Peninsula and the area of New Kowloon are collectively known as Kowloon....
into two halves, the eastern and the western. Shenzhen’s western port area lies to the east of Lingdingyang in the Pearl River Estuary and possesses a deep water harbour with superb natural shelters. It is about 20 nautical miles (37 km) from Hong Kong to the south and 60 nautical miles (111.1 km) from Guangzhou to the north. By passing Pearl River system, the western port area is connected with the cities and counties in Pearl River Delta networks; by passing On See Dun waterway, it extends all ports both at home and abroad. The eastern port area lies north of Dapeng Bay where the harbour is wide and calm and is regarded as the best natural harbour in South China.
Shenzhen handled a record number of containers
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
in 2005, ranking as the world's fourth-busiest port, after rising trade increased cargo shipments through the southern Chinese city. China International Marine Containers
China International Marine Containers
China International Marine Containers Co., Ltd is a Chinese company principally engaged in the manufacture and sale of transportation equipment, such as containers, road transport vehicles and airport ground-handling equipment....
, and other operators of the port handled 16.2 million standard 20 feet (6.1 m) boxes last year, a 19 per cent increase. Investors in Shenzhen are expanding to take advantage of rising volume.
Yantian International Container Terminals, Chiwan Container terminal
Container terminal
A container terminal is a facility where cargo containers are transshipped between different transport vehicles, for onward transportation. The transshipment may be between container ships and land vehicles, for example trains or trucks, in which case the terminal is described as a maritime...
s, Shekou
Shekou
Shekou is an area at the tip of Nantou Peninsula in Shenzhen, Guangdong, southern China, south of Nantou and facing Lau Fau Shan of Hong Kong across Deep Bay.It was formerly a customs station in Bao'an County and now belongs to Nanshan District of Shenzhen...
Container Terminals, China Merchants Port and Shenzhen Haixing (Mawan port) are the major port terminals in Shenzhen.
Air
Shenzhen AirlinesShenzhen Airlines
Shenzhen Airlines is a domestic and international airlines headquartered in Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China....
and Jade Cargo International
Jade Cargo International
Jade Cargo International is a cargo airline with its headquarters on the sixth floor of the Shenzhen Airlines Flight Operations Building on grounds of Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. It operates cargo services to Asia,...
are located at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
Shenzhen International Airport is located near Huangtian and Fuyong villages in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, the People's Republic of China. It is 32 km northwest of the city center. It is the hub for Shenzhen Airlines, and a focus city for China Southern Airlines. The airport also...
. The airport is 35 kilometers from central Shenzhen and connects the city with many other parts of China, and serves domestic and international destinations.
Railway
Shenzhen Railway StationShenzhen railway station
Shenzhen Railway Station or Shenzhen Luohu Railway Station is located across from Luo Hu Commercial City in the Luohu district of Shenzhen, Guangdong and is the southern terminus of the Guangshen Railway....
is located at the junction of Jianshe Lu, Heping Lu and Renmin Nan Lu and provides links to different parts of China. There are frequent high speed
China Railway High-speed
China Railway High-speed ; ) is the high-speed rail system operated by China Railways.Hexie Hao is the designation for high-speed trains running on this rail system. At the middle of the run, all trains were marked "CRH" on the centre of the head vehicle and the side of the walls of each vehicle...
trains to Guangzhou, plus long-distance trains to Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha, Jiujiang, Maoming, Shantou and other destinations. The train from Hong Kong's Hung Hom
Hung Hom
Hung Hom is an area of Kowloon, in Hong Kong, administratively part of the Kowloon City District, with a portion west of the railway in the Yau Tsim Mong District. Hung Hom serves mainly residential purposes though is mixed with some industrial buildings in the north.-Geography:Hung Hom is located...
MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
station to the Lo Wu
Lo Wu
Lo Wu or Lowu is an area in North District, New Territories, Hong Kong. It lies on the borders between Hong Kong and mainland China, specifically the Luohu District of Shenzhen in mainland China. The area is most notable as the location of the most heavily used immigration control point for...
and Lok Ma Chau
Lok Ma Chau
Lok Ma Chau or Lokmachau is a village in Hong Kong's New Territories and also a major pedestrian and road border crossing point between Hong Kong and mainland China. It lies just south of the Sham Chun River , which forms the border between Hong Kong and mainland China...
border crossings take 43 minutes and 45 minutes respectively.
There is another railway station located in Nanshan District, Shenzhen Xi, which is used for a small number of long distance trains, such as the one to Hefei.
Metro
The Shenzhen MetroShenzhen Metro
The Shenzhen Metro is the subway or underground system for the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, China. The system opened on 28 December 2004, making Shenzhen the seventh city in mainland China to have a subway after Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Dalian, and Wuhan. The Shenzhen...
system opened on 27 December 2004. In phase I, there are only two lines (Luobao line & Longhua line). Luobao line is from Luohu (Lo Wu & Shenzhen railway stations) to The window of the world (Oversees Chinese Town), and the Longhua line is from Futian Kouan (Futian checkpoint) to Shaonian Gong (Children's Palace). In June 2011, the Shenzhen Metro extended the previous Luobao and Longhua line. Right now Luobao line is from Luohu to Shenzhen Bao'an Airport and Longhua line (now operated by MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
) is from Futian Kouan to Qinghu. Also in June 2011, three lines of the second phase opened before the 26th summer Universiade
Universiade
The Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation . The name is a combination of the words "University" and "olympiad"...
. They are Shekou line (from Chiwan to Xinxiu), Longgang Line (from Yitian to Shuanglong), and Huanzhong line(from Qianhaiwan to Huangbeiling).
Sea
Shenzhen is also connected by fast ferries linking Shekou, on the west edge of the SEZ with Zhuhai, MacauMacau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial...
, Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, and Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
.
Shenzhen has shorelines in its southwest and southeast. Beaches like Dameisha and Xiaomeisha are often crowded with locals and tourists. The Xichong
Xichong, Shenzhen
Xichong is a scenic spot in Longgang District, Shenzhen, China. It is located in the south part of the Dapeng Peninsula, facing the South China Sea with Mirs Bay on the west and Daya Bay on the East....
beach, is just one hour drive from downtown Shenzhen, and it still retains its age old natural beauties.
Road
Since February 2003, the road border crossing at HuanggangHuanggang, Shenzhen
Huanggang Port is a port of entry on the border between mainland China and Hong Kong, in Huanggang of Shenzhen in mainland China. Its counterpart in Hong Kong is the Lok Ma Chau Control Point, located in Lok Ma Chau of Hong Kong's New Territories, across the Sham Chun River from Huanggang.-Border...
and Lok Ma Chau
Lok Ma Chau
Lok Ma Chau or Lokmachau is a village in Hong Kong's New Territories and also a major pedestrian and road border crossing point between Hong Kong and mainland China. It lies just south of the Sham Chun River , which forms the border between Hong Kong and mainland China...
in Hong Kong has been open 24 hours a day. The journey can be made by private vehicle or by bus. On 15 August 2007, the Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang pedestrian border crossing opened, linking Lok Ma Chau Station with Huanggang. With the opening of the crossing, shuttle buses between Lok Ma Chau transport interchange and Huanggang were terminated.
Taxis are metered and come in three colors. Red taxis may travel anywhere; green ones are restricted to outside the SEZ, and yellow ones are restricted to inside the SEZ.
There are also frequent bus and van services from Hong Kong International Airport to Huanggang and most major hotels in Shenzhen. A bus service operated by Chinalink Bus Company operates from Kowloon Station
Kowloon Station
Kowloon Station may refer to:*Kowloon Station, a station on the MTR Tung Chung Line and Airport Express, near West Kowloon Cultural district*Kowloon Station , the south terminus of the British Section of the Kowloon-Canton Railway at Tsim Sha Tsui , southmost of Kowloon, demolished in 1974*Former...
on the Airport Express
Airport Express (MTR)
The Airport Express is one of the lines of the Mass Transit Railway serving Hong Kong. It links the principal urban areas of Hong Kong to Hong Kong International Airport and the associated AsiaWorld-Expo exhibition and convention centre....
MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
line (below Elements Mall
Elements, Hong Kong
Elements is a large shopping mall located on 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is developed and managed by MTR Corporation through its subsidiary Premier Management Service.-Description and architectural themes:...
) direct to the Shenzhen International airport
Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
Shenzhen International Airport is located near Huangtian and Fuyong villages in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, the People's Republic of China. It is 32 km northwest of the city center. It is the hub for Shenzhen Airlines, and a focus city for China Southern Airlines. The airport also...
.
Tourist attractions
Window of the World
The Window of the World is a theme park located in the western part of the city of Shenzhen in the People's Republic of China. It has about 130 reproductions of some of the most famous tourist attractions in the world squeezed into 48 hectares...
, Happy Valley
Happy Valley, Shenzhen
Happy Valley is a tourist theme park in Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.Covering an area of 350,000 square meters , the park is composed of nine areas with different themes, including Spanish Square, Cartoon City, Mt. Adventure, Gold Mine Town, Shangri-la Woods, Sunshine Beach,...
, Splendid China, the Safari Park
Safari park
A safari park, sometimes known as a wildlife park, is a zoo-like commercial tourist attraction where visitors can drive in their own vehicles or ride in vehicles provided by the facility to observe freely roaming animals...
in Nanshan district, the Dameisha Promenade, Xiaomeisha Beach Resort in Yantian district, Zhongying Jie/Chung Ying Street
Chung Ying Street
Chung Ying Street is a street on the border between Hong Kong and mainland China, within the border town of Sha Tau Kok/Shatoujiao. One side of the street belongs to Hong Kong, and the other side the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen....
, Xianhu Lake Botanical Garden, and Minsk World
Minsk World
Minsk World is a military theme park located in Dapeng Bay, Shatoujiao, Shenzhen, China. It includes the huge former Soviet aircraft carrier Minsk, redesigned as a tourist attraction. The theme park opened on 10 May 2000...
. The city also offers free admission to a number of public parks including the Lianhuashan Park, Lizhi Park, Zhongshan Park and Wutongshan Park.
There are over twenty public city parks in Shenzhen.
Some tourists, however, choose to stay in a largely expatriate and exotic residential community called Shekou
Shekou
Shekou is an area at the tip of Nantou Peninsula in Shenzhen, Guangdong, southern China, south of Nantou and facing Lau Fau Shan of Hong Kong across Deep Bay.It was formerly a customs station in Bao'an County and now belongs to Nanshan District of Shenzhen...
, home to a large French cruise liner cemented into the ground called Sea World. Shekou was expanded and renovated in recent years, including claiming additional land from the sea.
Shenzhen's central music hall and library are located in the Shenzhen Cultural Center
Shenzhen Cultural Center
The Shenzhen Cultural Center is a building complex consisting of Shenzhen Concert Hall and Shenzhen library, located in Futian, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.The Shenzhen Cultural Center was designed by Arata Isozaki and Associates.-References:*...
.
In recent years, the East Coast (shoreline) of Shenzhen has attracted more and more tourists, including backpackers
Backpacking (wilderness)
Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...
. One of the most famous beaches is Xichong in the south of Dapeng Peninsula
Dapeng Peninsula
Dapeng Peninsula or Dapengbandao is a peninsula in the east of Longgang district, that lies in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Dapengbandao consists of the subdistricts Kuichong, Dapeng and Nan'ao. The peninsula is surrounded in the southwest by Mirs Bay and in the northeast by Daya Bay....
.
Sports
Shenzhen StadiumShenzhen Stadium
Shenzhen Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Futian District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 33,000 people, and is the home of Shenzhen Ruby F.C..It was built in June 1993, at a cost of 141 million RMB. It...
is a multi-purpose stadium that hosts many events. The 26th Summer Universiade
Universiade
The Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation . The name is a combination of the words "University" and "olympiad"...
, the latest one to take place, was held in Shenzhen on 12 August 2011. Shenzhen has constructed the sports venues for this first major sporting event in the city.
Colleges and universities
- Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen UniversityShenzhen University is a public university established in 1983 located in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. It is accredited by the State Council of the People's Republic of China and is funded by the Shenzhen government. The university took its first enrollment the same year at what Deng Xiaoping...
- Shenzhen PolytechnicShenzhen PolytechnicShenzhen Polytechnic is an educational institute in Shenzhen, China, founded in 1993.Shenzhen Polytechnic is located in Xili in Nanshan District. It has four campuses . According to its site, it has 21,000 full-time and 6,000 part-time students enrolled...
- Shenzhen Radio and TV UniversityShenzhen Radio and TV UniversityShenzhen Radio and TV University is an educational institute in Shenzhen, China, headquartered in Luohu district, with branches in 4 other districts.-External links:*...
- Shenzhen Institute of Information TechnologyShenzhen Institute of Information TechnologyShenzhen Institute of Information Technology is a university located in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. Its current president is Zhang Jihong.-Courses:SIIT provides courses in animation, online games, product design, and jewelry design.-Campus:...
- Shenzhen Graduate School of Peking UniversityShenzhen Graduate School of Peking UniversityThe Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School was established as a satellite graduate campus of Peking University in 2001 via a joint venture with the Shenzhen Municipal Government...
- Shenzhen Graduate School of Tsinghua University
- Shenzhen Graduate School of Harbin Institute of TechnologyShenzhen Graduate School of Harbin Institute of TechnologyHIT Shenzhen Graduate School , was set up in 2002. Along with the graduate schools of Tsinghua and Peking University, HIT Shenzhen Graduate School occupies 17 hectares of space inside the Shenzhen University Town....
- South University of Science and Technology
Twin towns – Sister cities
Shenzhen is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Houston, United States, March 1986 Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
, Italy, November 1991 Brisbane
City of Brisbane
The City of Brisbane is the Local Government Area that has jurisdiction over the inner portion of the metropolitan area of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
, Australia, June 1992 Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, Poland, July 1993 Vienne
Vienne
Vienne is the northernmost département of the Poitou-Charentes region of France, named after the river Vienne.- Viennese history :Vienne is one of the original 83 departments, established on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Poitou,...
, France, October 1994 Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, March 1995 Lomé
Lomé
Lomé, with an estimated population of 737,751, is the capital and largest city of Togo. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, Lomé is the country's administrative and industrial center and its chief port. The city exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels...
, Togo, June 1996 Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Germany, May 1997 Walloon Brabant
Walloon Brabant
Walloon Brabant is a province of Wallonia in Belgium. It borders on the province of Flemish Brabant and the provinces of Liège, Namur and Hainaut . Its capital is Wavre...
, Belgium, October 2003 Tsukuba, Japan, June 2004 Gwangyang
Gwangyang
Gwangyang is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Gwangyang city is the home of POSCO's Gwangyang Steel Works, the largest facility of its kind in the world.The city is also home to K-League soccer side Chunnam Dragons....
, South Korea, October 2004 Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
, Malaysia, July 2006 Perm
Perm
Perm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
, Russia, 2006 Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy, January 2007 Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
, Romania, February 2007 Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, England, United Kingdom, November 2007 Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, United States, 30 April 2008 Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, Uruguay February 2009
See also
- Economy of the People's Republic of ChinaEconomy of the People's Republic of ChinaThe People's Republic of China ranks since 2010 as the world's second largest economy after the United States. It has been the world's fastest-growing major economy, with consistent growth rates of around 10% over the past 30 years. China is also the largest exporter and second largest importer of...
- Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China
- Special Economic ZoneSpecial Economic ZoneA Special Economic Zone is a geographical region that has economic and other laws that are more free-market-oriented than a country's typical or national laws...