Guangdong

Guangdong is a coastal province in South China, located on the north shore of the South China Sea with Guangzhou as its capital. It is China's most populous province, home to over 127 million people, and covers an area of about 179,800 square kilometers. Guangdong plays a vital role in China's economy, with the largest GDP of any provincial-level division in the country.

The province has a strong and diverse economy, contributing around 10.5 percent of mainland China's total economic output. It is known for its bustling trade fair, the Canton Fair, and the busy Pearl River Delta Economic Zone, which includes major cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen. This area is a hub for high tech, manufacturing, and international trade.

Guangdong has a rich cultural history, influencing regions across Southeast Asia and beyond through its unique Cantonese, Hakka, and Teochew traditions in language, music, cuisine, and more. It was also the birthplace of Sun Yat-sen, a key figure in modern Chinese history. Today, Guangdong remains a leader in research and education, hosting many institutions of higher learning and producing significant scientific advancements.

Name

"Guǎng" (traditional Chinese: 廣; simplified Chinese: 广) means "wide" or "vast" and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "Guang" came from Guangxin, an outpost established in the Han dynasty near modern Wuzhou. Together with Guangxi, it is called Two Guangs.

"Dōng" (traditional Chinese: 東; simplified Chinese: 东) means "east". The term "Canton" comes from the Portuguese word "Cantão" and usually refers to the provincial capital Guangzhou. Historically, it was also used for the province itself. The local people and their language are called Cantonese.

History

Main article: History of Guangdong

Guangdong has a long and rich history. During the Neolithic period, about 7,000 years ago, people began to settle in the Pearl River Delta. Later, the area was home to many different groups, including the Baiyue. During the Qin dynasty, the region became part of China and was named Nanhai Commandery near today’s Guangzhou.

Over the centuries, Guangdong grew into an important trading center. It was a busy port where people from many lands, such as Persians, Arabs, and Malays, came to trade goods like silk and chinaware. During the Tang dynasty and Song dynasty, the name “Guangdong” was created. In more recent times, Guangdong has been a key area for trade and growth, especially after reforms in the late 20th century, becoming China’s largest economy.

Geography

Guangdong is a coastal province in southern China, bordering the South China Sea. It has a long coastline of 4,300 km and includes the Leizhou Peninsula on its southwest. The Pearl River Delta is where three rivers—the East River, North River, and West River—meet, creating many small islands.

The province is separated from northern areas by mountain ranges known as the Nan Mountains. Its highest point is Shikengkong, rising 6,240 feet above sea level. Guangdong shares borders with Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, and Guangxi, as well as the special regions of Hong Kong and Macau. It also has a warm, humid climate with mild winters and hot, rainy summers.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Guangdong

Guangdong is one of the richest and most important places in China for money and business. In 2022, its total money made (called GDP) was very big—13.57 trillion RMB, which is more than some whole countries! This made Guangdong the place with the most money in China since 1989.

The big growth in Guangdong started in the early 1990s, mainly because of making lots of things to sell to other countries. Today, Guangdong makes and buys more things than any other part of China. It also has special areas where businesses can grow quickly, like Shenzhen, Shantou, and Zhuhai. Even though it is very rich, most of the money is made close to the Pearl River Delta.

Demographics

Guangdong became the most populous province in China in 2005. It has a large population, partly because many people from other areas move there for jobs. If Guangdong were its own country, it would be one of the biggest in the world by population.

Most people in Guangdong live in cities, and the province is home to many different groups of people. It is where many Chinese people who live outside of China come from. The most common language is Cantonese, but there are also many other languages spoken there.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Guangdong

For a more comprehensive list, see List of provincial leaders of the People's Republic of China.

Guangdong, like other areas in mainland China, operates under a system where the CCP Guangdong Provincial Committee Secretary holds more power than the Governor. The CCP Guangdong Provincial Committee leads in making important decisions and oversees the Guangdong Provincial People's Government.

Law enforcement and safety services in Guangdong are managed by the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department. The People's Armed Police Guangdong Corps handles special law enforcement tasks, while the Guangdong Provincial Fire and Rescue Department focuses on firefighting and emergency rescues. The Guangdong Provincial state security department works on protecting security interests. Corrections are overseen by the Guangdong Prison Administrative Bureau.

Guangdong has special relationships with Hong Kong and Macau, which are special administrative regions. These areas handle their own local matters, and any agreements between them and Guangdong are made through discussions between their governments and the Guangdong provincial government.

Media

Guangdong and the Guangzhou area have several radio and television stations, including Radio Guangdong, Guangdong Television, Southern Television Guangdong, Shenzhen Television, and Guangzhou Television. These stations share news and stories about the region. Radio Guangdong even creates an English program that reaches listeners worldwide through the WRN Broadcast.

Culture

Main article: Lingnan culture

Further information: Cantonese cuisine and Music of Guangdong

Guangdong has many different cultures because many people from many places live there. Most people in the middle of Guangdong speak a language called Yue Chinese and enjoy eating Cantonese cuisine, which includes tasty small dishes called dim sum. They also love watching Cantonese opera, a special kind of Chinese opera.

In the eastern coast, places like Chaozhou, Shantou, and Jieyang have their own culture called Chaoshan. People there, known as the Teochew people, speak a language called Haklau and have their own style of food called Teochew cuisine and a unique kind of opera called Teochew opera.

The Hakka people live in many parts of Guangdong. They have their own special food, music, and songs.

People also play a game called Xiangqi, or Chinese chess, and Guangdong has produced many great players.

Education and research

Guangdong is a leading region for education and research in China. As of 2022, it had 160 institutions of higher education, the most in the South Central China region. The province is home to many universities and colleges, especially in major cities like Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Guangzhou alone hosts 83 institutions of higher education, tying for second place nationwide.

By 2025, two of Guangdong’s cities—Guangzhou and Shenzhen—were among the top 20 cities worldwide for scientific research output, according to the Nature Index. The province supports a wide range of educational institutions, from technology and science to medicine and the arts.

Colleges and universities

For a more comprehensive list, see List of universities and colleges in Guangdong.

Provincial

• Dongguan Institute of Technology
• Dongguan University of Technology
• Foshan University
• Guangdong Education and Research Network
• Guangdong General Hospital
• Guangdong Institute of Education
• Guangdong Institute of Science and Technology
• Guangdong Medical College
• Guangdong Ocean University
• Guangdong Petrochemical Academy
• Guangdong Pharmaceutical University
• Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University
• Guangdong Radio and TV University
• Guangdong University of Finance & Economics
• Guangdong University of Finance
• Guangdong University of Technology
• Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts
• Guangzhou Education College
• Guangzhou Normal University
• Guangzhou Sports University
• Guangzhou University
• Hanshan Teachers College
• Huizhou University
• Panyu Polytechnic
• Shaoguan University
• Shenzhen Party School
• Shantou University
• Shenzhen University
• Shenzhen Technology University
• Shenzhen Polytechnic
• Shunde University
• Southern Medical University
• Wuyi University
• Xijiang University
• Xinghai Conservatory of Music
• Zhanjiang Normal University
• Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering
• Zhaoqing University

Sports

Guangdong has many professional sports teams that play in different sports. You can find teams here that compete in basketball, football, and other popular games. These teams bring excitement to the province and attract fans from all over.

Tourism

Guangdong has many famous places to visit. Some popular spots include Danxia Mountain in Shaoguan, Yuexiu Hill, and Baiyun Mountain in Guangzhou. Other notable attractions are Star Lake and the Seven Star Crags, Dinghu Mountain in Zhaoqing, and the Huangmanzhai waterfalls in Jieyang. In Shenzhen, you can explore the Window of the World, visit Happy Valley theme park, or relax at Rose Beach and Xiaomeisha Beach. The Zhongshan Sun Wen Memorial Park in Zhongshan honors Sun Yat-sen, an important historical figure.

Administrative divisions

For a more comprehensive list, see List of administrative divisions of Guangdong and List of township-level divisions of Guangdong.

Guangdong is divided into twenty-one prefecture-level divisions, all of which are prefecture-level cities, including two sub-provincial cities. These twenty-one Prefecture are further divided into 122 county-level divisions, which include 65 districts, 20 county-level cities, 34 counties, and 3 autonomous counties. For more details on county-level divisions, see the list of administrative divisions of Guangdong.

International relations

Guangdong has partnerships with several places around the world. It is twinned with Aichi Prefecture in Japan, Caruaru in Brazil, Hawaiʻi in the United States of America, New South Wales in Australia, Gujarat, India, and California in the United States of America. These partnerships help the regions work together and share knowledge.