Shenzhen (深圳)

1. Introduction

Shenzhen, abbreviated as Shen and also known as Pengcheng, is a sub-provincial city in Guangdong Province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of China's four first-tier cities, a central city in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and one of China's megacities. Located on the eastern bank of the Pearl River Estuary, it borders Daya Bay and Dapeng Bay to the east, the Lingdingyang Sea to the west, Hong Kong to the south, and Huizhou and Dongguan to the north. Additionally, the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone is situated in Haifeng County, Shanwei City.

In January 1979, Shenzhen was established on the basis of the former Bao'an County. In August 1980, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress approved the establishment of China's first special economic zone—the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. Shenzhen experienced rapid development due to reform and opening-up, transforming from a remote agricultural county into a national first-tier city. In 2016, Shenzhen surpassed Guangzhou to become the third-largest city in mainland China by economic output. In the 2020 GaWC global city rankings, Shenzhen re-entered the Alpha- category, ranking 46th, and was also one of the six world-class cities (Alpha level) selected from Greater China. The Shenzhen metropolitan area, comprising Shenzhen (including the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone), the entire Dongguan City, and parts of Huizhou City, is one of the most economically powerful metropolitan areas in South China and even the entire country.

High-tech industries, finance, modern logistics, and cultural and creative industries are the four pillar industries of Shenzhen. Shenzhen is a major high-tech research, development, and manufacturing base in southern China, often referred to as the "Silicon Valley of China." The container throughput of Shenzhen Port has ranked third in the world for many consecutive years, and its total foreign trade exports have ranked first in mainland China for over 20 years. Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport is the fifth-largest civil aviation airport in China. The number of initial public offerings on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ranked first in the world from 2009 to 2015, making it an important financing platform for Chinese enterprises. In May 2008, Shenzhen was designated as one of the National Comprehensive Supporting Reform Pilot Zones. In 2019, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council supported Shenzhen in building a pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics, undertaking the important mission of testing and demonstrating institutional innovation and expanding openness in China.

2. Explanation and Symbolism of the Name

The character "圳" in Shenzhen is a variant of "甽," referring to irrigation ditches that channel water into farmlands. The name "Shenzhen" first appeared as a place name in the eighth year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1410). In the traditional understanding of the original inhabitants, it referred only to the area around today's Dongmen Market, known as the "Shenzhen Market." After the opening of the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway, a station was established here, gradually transforming it into a commercial center adjacent to Hong Kong. On March 5, 1979, with approval from the State Council, Bao'an County was restructured into Shenzhen City, becoming the earliest special economic zone in China's reform and opening-up. Before July 2010, the name "Shenzhen" had two meanings: one referred to the "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone," which included only the area within the "Second Line" and excluded Longgang and Bao'an districts outside the line. After July 2010, Bao'an and Longgang districts were incorporated into the "Special Economic Zone," making the meanings of "Shenzhen" and "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone" identical.

In December 1994, Shenzhen designated its city flower and city tree as the bougainvillea and litchi tree, respectively. In July 2007, the mangrove was designated as the second city tree, forming the unique urban symbol of "two trees and one flower."

3. History

3.1 Ancient Times

Archaeological evidence indicates that indigenous inhabitants thrived in Shenzhen as early as the mid-Neolithic period, with a history of human activity exceeding 6,700 years. Documented historical records show that Shenzhen's history as a county or commandery spans over 1,700 years. Historical remnants such as the Nantou City and the Dapeng Fortress in eastern Nan'ao are both over 600 years old. The immigration history of the Hakka people also dates back more than 300 years.

In the 33rd year of Qin Shi Huang's reign (214 BCE), the area became part of the Qin Dynasty's territory under Nanhai Commandery. During the Han Dynasty, it belonged to Boluo County of Nanhai Commandery, with a salt official stationed in Nantou, referred to as "Dongguan." This administrative structure continued during the Nanyue Kingdom period. The Eastern Wu state during the Three Kingdoms period established a Salt Commissioner. In the sixth year of the Xianhe era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (331 CE), Emperor Cheng of Jin divided part of Nanhai Commandery to establish Dongguan Commandery and concurrently set up Bao'an County, marking the beginning of Bao'an's establishment as a county. During the Sui Dynasty, it was reverted to the jurisdiction of Nanhai Commandery. In the second year of the Zhide era of the Tang Dynasty (757 CE), Bao'an County was abolished and merged into Dongguan County under the jurisdiction of Guangzhou, with a military garrison, Tunmen Junzhen, established in Nantou. During the Southern Han (Da Yue Kingdom) period, the Meichuan Du was set up for pearl diving, under the jurisdiction of Xingwang Fu. After the fall of the Southern Song Dynasty, legend has it that the body of Emperor Bing of Song drifted to Chiwan following his death by drowning and was buried at the foot of Nanshan Mountain. Today, the Mausoleum of the Young Emperor of Song in Shenzhen's Nanshan stands as a testament.

After the Ming Dynasty unified the country, it established guard posts and built fortifications at Nantou Wei City and Dapeng Suocheng, responsible for coastal defense along Guangdong's shores under Guangzhou's command. Nantou City thus earned the title "Gateway to All Guangdong." In the early Ming Dynasty, Shenzhen was part of Dongguan County. In the 16th year of the Zhengde era (1521), Portuguese forces invaded Nantou City, triggering the Battle of Tunmen. In the first year of the Wanli era (1573), a county administration was established in Nantou, named Xin'an, meaning "renewal for stability, turning danger into safety." Its seat was in Nantou, governing present-day Shenzhen and Hong Kong, with a regional commander appointed at its peak. In the first year of the Kangxi era (1662), to prevent coastal residents from contacting Koxinga's forces, the Qing government implemented a maritime ban and a coastal evacuation order, prohibiting residents from going to sea. This policy greatly impacted Xin'an County, leading to population decline and abandoned farmland. Xin'an County was temporarily merged back into Dongguan County. In the eighth year of the Kangxi era (1669), the boundaries of Xin'an County were redrawn from Dongguan, and the county administration was restored.

3.2 Republican Period

In the 22nd year of the Daoguang era (1842), the Qing government signed the Treaty of Nanjing with Britain, ceding Hong Kong Island. In the 10th year of the Xianfeng era (1860), the Treaty of Beijing was signed, ceding the Kowloon Peninsula. In the 24th year of the Guangxu era (1898), the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory was signed, leasing the New Territories to Britain for 99 years. From then on, Hong Kong was separated from Xin'an County. In May 1899, British troops advanced north from the New Territories and occupied Shenzhen Market and Puji but were forced to retreat south of the Shenzhen River after encountering resistance from Dongguan's military and civilians. In the 26th year of the Guangxu era (1900), Sun Yat-sen launched an uprising in the area around Sanzhoutian Village, historically known as the "Huizhou Uprising" or "Sanzhoutian Uprising." In October 1911, the people of Xin'an responded to the Wuchang Uprising, captured the Qing government's county office, and Xin'an County came under the control of the Republican government. In the same year, the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway was completed and opened to traffic, with a station at Shenzhen Market. The area around the railway station became Shenzhen's early economic center, and the name "Shenzhen" began to enter the international stage.

In the third year of the Republic of China (1914), to avoid having the same name as Xin'an County in Henan Province, Guangdong's "Xin'an County" was renamed "Bao'an County." In June 1925, the Canton-Hong Kong strike broke out. The All-China Federation of Trade Unions set up a reception station for Hong Kong strikers in Shenzhen, with assistance from both the Chinese Nationalist Party and the Chinese Communist Party for the strike movement. A Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway Shenzhen Traffic Department was established to provide free travel for striking workers. Worker pickets and an armored vehicle unit were also stationed in Shenzhen to blockade the then British-ruled Hong Kong. During the War of Resistance against Japan, the county seat was temporarily relocated to Shima Town in Dongguan County. In 1941, Japanese forces attempted to cross the Lo Wu Bridge from Shenzhen to occupy Hong Kong. The British garrison in Hong Kong subsequently destroyed the bridge to prevent the Japanese advance. After Japan's surrender in 1945, the Bao'an County government moved back to Nantou from Dongguan. On October 19, 1949, the People's Liberation Army entered Nantou, Bao'an County. In 1950, the British Hong Kong government began controlling the entry of mainland personnel into Hong Kong, ending the free movement of people across the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border. In 1953, considering that Shenzhen Market was connected to the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway and had convenient transportation, the Bao'an County government relocated the county seat from Nantou to Shenzhen Market.

3.2 People's Republic Period

3.2.1 Pre-Reform and Opening-Up

From the 1950s to the late 1970s, due to factors such as political and economic issues and natural disasters in mainland China, several large-scale escape events to Hong Kong occurred in the border areas between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, involving up to 560,000 people (some sources say 1 million). The escapes were most concentrated in Bao'an County and also included people from other counties and cities in Guangdong, as well as regions like Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Guangxi. This is considered "the longest-lasting and largest mass escape event during the Cold War." Subsequently, senior Chinese Communist Party leaders began reflecting on problems in their policies, concluding that armed prevention could not solve the escape issue, and they chose not to pursue the escapees. Some media believe that the large-scale escape events were one of the factors that prompted the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. After the establishment of the Shenzhen SEZ, the economy grew rapidly. Coupled with the British Hong Kong government's implementation of a "catch and repatriate" policy in the same year the SEZ was established, the number of escapees began to plummet, nearly disappearing by 1997.

In January 1978, a State Council joint working group conducted research on establishing a foreign trade base in Bao'an County. In May, the investigation team produced the "Report on the Investigation of Hong Kong and Macao Economies," recommending that Bao'an and Zhuhai be built into commodity export bases. Against this backdrop, in August 1978, the Huizhou Prefectural Committee submitted the "Request Report on Changing Bao'an County to Shenzhen City" to the Provincial Committee. On October 18, 1978, the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Committee decided to change Bao'an County to Bao'an City, establishing a medium-sized prefecture-level city to serve as a foreign trade base. The Huizhou Prefectural Committee and Bao'an County Committee proposed, "For the name change to a city, 'Shenzhen' is preferable because the Shenzhen port is already well-known worldwide, while Bao'an County is known by very few."

3.2.2 Post-Reform and Opening-Up

The landmark Electronics Building located on Shennan Middle Road in Futian District. Constructed and completed in 1982, it was once Shenzhen's first skyscraper. Over the next 30 years, China's famous 'Electronics Street,' Huaqiangbei, grew up around this building, witnessing Shenzhen's development from nothing. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in December 1978, Deng Xiaoping replaced Party Chairman and Premier Hua Guofeng as the de facto paramount leader and initiated the Reform and Opening-Up policy. On January 23, 1979, Bao'an County was changed to Shenzhen City, under the dual leadership of Guangdong Province and Huizhou Prefecture. The first development site in Shenzhen was the Shekou Industrial Zone undertaken by China Merchants Group, also the first export processing industrial zone in mainland China. On March 5, 1979, the State Council approved the change of Bao'an County to Shenzhen City, with six districts under its jurisdiction: Luohu, Nantou, Songgang, Longhua, Longgang, and Kuichong. In early April 1979, the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party discussed and suggested to the central government to designate areas in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Shantou to establish "trade cooperation zones." That same month, a central work conference decided to approve the trial establishment of "export zones" in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, and Xiamen. When discussing supporting funds, Deng Xiaoping replied to Provincial Party Committee First Secretary Xi Zhongxun and others: "The central government has no money, but we can give you some policies. You go and figure it out yourselves, blaze a new trail."

On August 26, 1980, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress approved the "Regulations on Special Economic Zones in Guangdong Province," stating, "Certain areas shall be designated in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Shantou cities of Guangdong Province respectively to establish special economic zones. The zones encourage foreign citizens, overseas Chinese, compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao, and their companies and enterprises to invest in setting up factories or establish joint ventures with our side." Shenzhen City formulated a series of preferential policies to attract foreign investment. Through processing with supplied materials, compensation trade, joint ventures, cooperative operations, wholly foreign-owned enterprises, and leasing, it attracted substantial foreign capital, leading to the rapid development of the special economic zone. In March 1981, Shenzhen was elevated to a sub-provincial city. Economic development gradually flourished, with skyscrapers replacing farmland. Various surrounding development zones attracted outside investment, particularly from Hong Kong. Commerce within the city gradually took shape, and early tourist spots such as Xili Lake and Xiangmi Lake began to be developed. During this period, Shenzhen had plans to issue Shenzhen Special Economic Zone currency, but these were later shelved for various reasons and never formally issued.In July 1982, under the orders and deployment of the State Council and the Central Military Commission, over 20,000 members of the People's Liberation Army's Capital Construction Engineering Corps entered Shenzhen and joined the ranks of the special economic zone's construction. By the end of June 1983, all deployments were completed, bringing the total number, including family members of the engineering corps, to 40,000–50,000 people. In December 1983, to maintain order in the special economic zone, barbed wire fences were erected along the administrative line of the zone, dividing Shenzhen into two parts, and "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Checkpoints" were established at major transportation routes entering and exiting the zone. In January 1984, Deng Xiaoping, then Chairman of the Central Advisory Commission of the Communist Party of China, inspected Shenzhen for the first time, affirming the "Shenzhen Speed," the slogan "Time is money, efficiency is life," and the development model of the special economic zone. In September 1987, Shenzhen took the lead in piloting the paid transfer of land use rights, leasing a plot of over 5,000 square meters for 50 years, marking the beginning of reforms to the state-owned land use system. On September 27, with approval from the People's Bank of China, twelve financial institutions in Shenzhen funded the establishment of China's first securities company—Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Securities Company. In November, the State Council approved a report from the State Land Administration and other departments, designating Shenzhen, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Xiamen, and Fuzhou as pilot cities for land use system reforms. In December, Shenzhen publicly auctioned the use rights of a state-owned land plot, the first land auction conducted since the founding of the People's Republic of China. In 1987–88, driven by individuals such as Yuan Geng, China's first enterprise-founded joint-stock commercial bank—China Merchants Bank—and its first enterprise-founded commercial insurance institution—Ping An Insurance—were successively established in Shekou, Shenzhen. In November 1988, Shenzhen became a city with independent planning status.

In December 1990, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange was established, providing a platform for centralized securities trading under the jurisdiction of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. In January 1992, Deng Xiaoping embarked on a southern tour and delivered an important speech in Shenzhen, rescuing China's emerging capital market and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and re-accelerating reform and opening-up. In February 1992, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress authorized the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone to exercise legislative power over local laws and regulations. In October 1999, Shenzhen, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and other ministries, hosted the first "China High-Tech Fair," which has since been held annually in Shenzhen.

3.2.3 The 21st Century

In May 2008, the State Council approved Shenzhen as a National Comprehensive Supporting Reform Pilot Zone, promoting innovations in six major areas: administrative management system, economic system, social sectors, independent innovation mechanisms, systems for opening-up and regional cooperation, and resource-saving and environmentally friendly mechanisms.

On June 12–13, 2008, Shenzhen was hit by an exceptionally heavy rainstorm, with rainfall intensity exceeding the 50-year return period and approaching the 100-year return period. The storm caused severe flooding in many parts of Shenzhen, disrupted traffic to varying degrees, resulted in six deaths, and required the safe evacuation of over 100,000 people. Primary and secondary schools, as well as kindergartens, suspended classes for half a day on the afternoon of June 13.

In July 2010, the "second-line" checkpoint of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone was phased out, and the State Council designated the entire city of Shenzhen as part of the special economic zone. On August 26, 2010, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, the State Council approved the "Overall Development Plan for the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone." In August 2011, Shenzhen successfully hosted the 26th Summer Universiade.

In April 2015, the Qianhai-Shekou Area of the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone was officially established. At 11:40 a.m. on December 20, 2015, a massive landslide occurred at the Hengtaiyu Industrial Park in Hong'ao Village, Fenghuang Community, Guangming New District (now Guangming District), Shenzhen, resulting in 73 deaths, four missing persons, and direct economic losses exceeding 880 million yuan.

In December 2017, the Guangdong Statistical Information Network released an "Announcement on Reforming R&D Expenditure Accounting Methods and Revising Regional GDP Accounting Data." After supplementary accounting, Shenzhen's GDP exceeded that of Guangzhou for the first time, with Shenzhen ranking first with a GDP exceeding 2 trillion yuan (2,007.859 billion yuan), an increase of 58.598 billion yuan from previous statistics and a GDP growth rate of 9.1%. On January 6, 2018, the "second-line" checkpoint of Shenzhen was officially abolished by the State Council. On August 18, 2019, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council decided to support Shenzhen in building a "Pilot Demonstration Zone of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics," indicating that Shenzhen would be the first to enter the socialist stage in the theory of production modes.

On October 11, 2020, according to Xinhua News Agency, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Implementation Plan for Comprehensive Reform Pilot of Shenzhen's Construction as a Pilot Demonstration Zone of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (2020–2025)." On October 14, a celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone was held in Shenzhen, where Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, delivered a speech encouraging Shenzhen to continue upholding reform and opening-up.

On the evening of September 7, 2023, affected by the remnants of Typhoon "Haikui" and monsoon conditions, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall occurred in districts such as Longgang, Yantian, and Luohu. Luohu, Yantian, Longgang, Nanshan, and other areas became disaster zones. The heavy rainfall triggered severe flooding, causing water levels in many rivers to rise sharply. Drainage systems in many places were unable to handle the immense volume of water, leading to severe road flooding and near-paralysis of traffic.

4. Geography

4.1 Location and Scope

Shenzhen is located south of the Tropic of Cancer, between 113°46′ to 114°37′ east longitude and 22°27′ to 22°52′ north latitude. It is situated in the central-southern coastal area of Guangdong Province, northeast of the Pearl River estuary. The city stretches 81.4 kilometers from east to west and is 10.8 kilometers wide at its narrowest point from north to south, with a total area of 1,996.78 square kilometers. To the east, it borders Daya Bay and Dapeng Bay, adjacent to Huizhou City. To the west and southwest, it connects with the Lingdingyang and the Pearl River Estuary, facing Zhuhai, Macau, Guangzhou, and Zhongshan across the water. The Shenzhen River and Shenzhen Bay to the south connect with Hong Kong's New Territories, while the north borders Dongguan City. Before July 2010, Shenzhen was divided into two parts by the "Second Line" boundary, with the area inside the line being the Special Economic Zone, covering 396 square kilometers. After the "Second Line" was abolished, integration between the areas inside and outside the line was achieved.

4.2 Topography and Products

Shenzhen is backed by mountains and faces the sea, with its mountains connected to those in Hong Kong's New Territories. Most of the urban area lies on the northern shore of Shenzhen Bay. The coastal areas along the Pearl River Estuary in the western Bao'an and Nanshan Districts are part of the Pearl River Delta Plain, featuring large areas of reclaimed land and relatively flat terrain. The overall topography of the city is higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest, with most areas consisting of low hills interspersed with gentle terraces. Wutong Mountain in the eastern part of the urban area is Shenzhen's highest peak, with an elevation of 943.7 meters. Other notable peaks include Bijia Mountain, Maluan Mountain, Lianhua Mountain, Da Nanshan, Qiniang Mountain, Yangtai Mountain, and Tanglang Mountain. The Pearl River, Guangdong Province's largest river, flows through western Shenzhen into the sea, with a broad river surface. Other rivers in Shenzhen are relatively small, such as the Shenzhen River, Danshui River, Maozhou River, Futian River, Xinzhou River, Puji River, and Sha River.

Shenzhen's territory is characterized by extensive mountains, lush vegetation, and a rich variety of agricultural and sideline products. Within the city, there are 14,300 hectares of various orchards and 81,000 hectares of forest land. Longgang District in the north is known for producing Sanhuang chickens. Nantou in Nanshan District has large areas of lychee and peach forests. Shiyan and Longhua in Bao'an District are known for producing sand pears, Jingui oranges, and persimmons, while Shengjing's oysters have long been famous. The mountainous areas in the north and east are home to many nationally protected wild animals, such as tiger-striped frogs, pythons, macaques, large civets, leopards, and pangolins.

4.3 Climate and Water Resources

Shenzhen has a South Asian subtropical monsoon climate, characterized by simultaneous rain and heat, long summers, short winters, mild temperatures, ample sunshine, and abundant rainfall. The annual average temperature is 23.0°C. January has the lowest average monthly temperature at 15.4°C, while July has the highest at 28.9°C. The historical extreme maximum temperature is 38.7°C (July 10, 1980), and the historical extreme minimum temperature is 0.2°C (February 11, 1957). The average annual sunshine duration is 1,837.6 hours. The average annual precipitation is 1,935.8 mm, with 86% of the annual rainfall occurring during the flood season (April to September). Spring weather is variable, often featuring "sudden warmth and cold," with prevailing easterly winds. Summer lasts over six months (averaging 196 days), with prevailing southerly winds, high temperatures, and abundant rainfall. Autumn and winter are dominated by northeast monsoons, with dry and less rainy weather. The period from July to September each year is the typhoon season, with an average of 4–5 typhoons per year. The urban area is directly hit by typhoons approximately once every two years. Shenzhen is rich in climatic resources, ranking among the top in the province for solar energy, heat, and precipitation resources. However, it is also prone to severe weather events. Spring often brings low temperatures, overcast rain, strong convection, and spring droughts, with occasional cold waves in some years. Summer is influenced by weather systems such as frontal troughs, tropical cyclones, and monsoon cloud clusters, leading to frequent heavy rain, thunderstorms, and typhoons. Autumn typically features clear and pleasant weather, but due to low rainfall and high evaporation, autumn droughts are common. Some years may also experience typhoons and cold waves. Winter sees scarce rainfall, with most years experiencing consecutive autumn and winter droughts. Cold waves and low-temperature frost are also major severe weather hazards in winter. In 1993, Shenzhen's urban area experienced waterlogging.

Shenzhen's average annual rainfall exceeds 1,900 mm, with rainfall concentrated from April to September. The total freshwater resources amount to 1.93 billion cubic meters. Although numerous rivers are distributed within the city, their runoff is generally small, water retention capacity is poor, and natural freshwater resources are limited. The per capita water resource availability is only 1/17 of the national average. Due to severe pollution, the water quality of the five major rivers fails to meet the Class V surface water standard. As of 2014, 70% of Shenzhen's water supply needed to be imported from external sources, making it one of China's seven severely water-scarce cities.

The rivers in Shenzhen belong to the Dongjiang River, bay, and Pearl River systems. There are a total of 310 rivers in the Shenzhen region, with the five largest being the Shenzhen River, Maozhou River, Guanlan River, Longgang River, and Pingshan River. Shenzhen has numerous reservoirs, totaling 247, including 9 medium-sized reservoirs with a total storage capacity of 525 million cubic meters. Well-known reservoirs include Tiegang Reservoir, Xili Reservoir, Shenzhen Reservoir, and Meilin Reservoir. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual | |-----------------|-----------|-----------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|-----------|-----------|------------|------------| | Record High °C | 29.1 | 28.9 | 32.0 | 34.0 | 35.8 | 36.9 | 38.7 | 37.1 | 36.9 | 35.2 | 33.1 | 29.8 | 38.7 | | Record High °F | 84.4 | 84.0 | 89.6 | 93.2 | 96.4 | 98.4 | 101.7 | 98.8 | 98.4 | 95.4 | 91.6 | 85.6 | 101.7 | | Avg High °C | 19.8 | 20.8 | 23.2 | 26.7 | 29.7 | 31.3 | 32.3 | 32.2 | 31.5 | 29.2 | 25.7 | 21.5 | 27.0 | | Avg High °F | 67.6 | 69.4 | 73.8 | 80.1 | 85.5 | 88.3 | 90.1 | 90.0 | 88.7 | 84.6 | 78.3 | 70.7 | 80.6 | | Daily Mean °C | 15.7 | 16.8 | 19.4 | 23.1 | 26.4 | 28.3 | 29.0 | 28.8 | 27.9 | 25.5 | 21.7 | 17.4 | 23.3 | | Daily Mean °F | 60.3 | 62.2 | 66.9 | 73.6 | 79.5 | 82.9 | 84.2 | 83.8 | 82.2 | 77.9 | 71.1 | 63.3 | 74.0 | | Avg Low °C | 13.0 | 14.2 | 17.0 | 20.7 | 24.0 | 26.0 | 26.6 | 26.3 | 25.5 | 22.9 | 19.0 | 14.5 | 20.8 | | Average Low °F | 55.4 | 57.6 | 62.6 | 69.3 | 75.2 | 78.8 | 79.9 | 79.3 | 77.9 | 73.2 | 66.2 | 58.1 | 69.5 | | Record Low °C | 0.9 | 0.2 | 3.4 | 8.7 | 14.8 | 19.0 | 20.0 | 21.1 | 16.9 | 9.3 | 4.9 | 1.7 | 0.2 | | Record Low °F | 33.6 | 32.4 | 38.1 | 47.7 | 58.6 | 66.2 | 68.0 | 70.0 | 62.4 | 48.7 | 40.8 | 35.1 | 32.4 | | Average Precipitation mm | 35.2 | 36.8 | 64.0 | 140.1 | 237.1 | 368.7 | 309.5 | 364.3 | 242.5 | 73.4 | 31.7 | 29.6 | 1,932.9 | | Average Precipitation inches | 1.39 | 1.45 | 2.52 | 5.52 | 9.33 | 14.52 | 12.19 | 14.34 | 9.55 | 2.89 | 1.25 | 1.17 | 76.12 | | Monthly Sunshine Hours | 137.3 | 101.6 | 99.7 | 115.2 | 153.0 | 169.8 | 214.8 | 178.6 | 170.7 | 188.7 | 168.8 | 155.4 | 1,853.6 |

6. Administrative Divisions

The area now known as Shenzhen was originally Bao'an County. On March 5, 1979, the State Council abolished Bao'an County and established Shenzhen City, which was initially divided into six districts: Luohu, Nantou, Songgang, Longhua, Longgang, and Kuichong. In October 1981, the administrative structure of Bao'an County was restored to govern the areas outside the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone (SEZ), while the Luohu District was given jurisdiction over the entire SEZ. In June 1983, Luohu District was abolished and replaced by five management districts: Shekou, Nantou, Shangbu, Luohu, and Shatoujiao.

In January 1990, the Shekou and Nantou Management Districts merged to form Nanshan District; the Shangbu Management District was restructured into Futian District; and the Luohu and Shatoujiao Management Districts merged to re-establish Luohu District. In December 1992, Bao'an County was abolished again, leading to the establishment of Bao'an District and Longgang District. At this point, Shenzhen consisted of five districts: Bao'an, Longgang, Nanshan, Futian, and Luohu. Among these, Luohu, Futian, and Nanshan were part of the SEZ, while Longgang and Bao'an were non-SEZ areas, separated by the "Second Line" boundary that divided the SEZ from non-SEZ areas. In March 1998, the area centered around Shatoujiao was separated from Luohu District to form Yantian District, which remained within the SEZ.

On May 31, 2007, the Guangming New Area functional district was established. On June 30, 2009, the Pingshan New Area functional district was established. On July 1, 2010, the scope of the Shenzhen SEZ was expanded to cover the entire city. On October 27, 2011, two more functional districts, Longhua New Area and Dapeng New Area, were established and officially inaugurated on December 30, 2011. On October 11, 2016, following approval by the State Council of China, Shenzhen adjusted its administrative divisions, establishing Longhua District and Pingshan District. On May 24, 2018, after another approval by the State Council of China, Shenzhen further adjusted its divisions, establishing Guangming District as the city's ninth municipal district.

On February 18, 2011, the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Provincial Government approved the establishment of the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone, with a cooperation period from 2011 to 2040, lasting 30 years. On May 21, 2011, the Guangdong Provincial Committee and Government delegated the management of the Special Zone to be jointly administered by Shenzhen and Shanwei cities. After being renamed the "Shenzhen Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone" in 2017, a dispatched agency of the Shenzhen Municipal Government took full charge of its affairs, with Shanwei responsible for coordination. Subsequently, various construction projects began to be implemented under the name of "Shenzhen City," residents within the zone were to become registered as Shenzhen households, and the status of the Special Zone became an exclave of Shenzhen.

As of May 2020, Shenzhen comprises nine municipal districts—Futian, Luohu, Nanshan, Yantian, Bao'an, Longgang, Longhua, Pingshan, and Guangming—and one functional district, Dapeng New Area. These are further divided into 74 subdistricts (jiedao) and 810 neighborhood committees (juweihui).

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (Nov 1, 2020) | Population Density (per km²) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Neighborhood Committees | |-------------------|---------------------|----------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|----------------------------| | 440300 | Shenzhen City | Shenzhen Shi | 1997.30 | 17,560,061 | 8792 | Futian District | 518000 | 74 | 810 | | 440303 | Luohu District | Luohu Qu | 78.75 | 1,143,801 | 14524 | Huangbei Subdistrict| 518000 | 10 | 112 | | 440304 | Futian District | Futian Qu | 78.66 | 1,553,225 | 19746 | Fubao Subdistrict | 518000 | 10 | 115 | | 440305 | Nanshan District| Nanshan Qu | 187.47 | 1,795,826 | 9579 | Nantou Subdistrict | 518000 | 8 | 107 | | 440306 | Bao'an District | Bao'an Qu | 396.64 | 4,476,554 | 11286 | Xin'an Subdistrict | 518100 | 10 | 140 | | 440307 | Longgang District| Longgang Qu | 388.59 | 3,979,037 | 10240 | Longcheng Subdistrict| 518100 | 11 | 119 | | 440308 | Yantian District| Yantian Qu | 74.91 | 214,225 | 2860 | Haishan Subdistrict | 518000 | 4 | 23 | | 440309 | Longhua District| Longhua Qu | 175.58 | 2,528,872 | 14403 | Guanhu Subdistrict | 518110 | 6 | 108 | | 440310 | Pingshan District| Pingshan Qu | 165.94 | 551,333 | 3322 | Pingshan Subdistrict | 518118 | 6 | 30 | | 440311 | Guangming District | Guangming District | 155.44 | 1,095,289 | 7046 | Guangming Subdistrict | 518107 | 6 | 31 | | 440312 | Dapeng New District | Dapeng New District | 295.32 | 156,236 | 529 | Meiyong Subdistrict | 518116 | 3 | 25 |

7. Economy

Shenzhen is located in the economically developed Pearl River Delta of China, adjacent to Hong Kong. It boasts well-developed high-tech industries, financial services, foreign trade exports, and maritime transportation, holding a pivotal position in the Chinese mainland's economy. The Shenzhen Stock Exchange, located in the city center of Futian District, is one of only three stock markets in the Chinese mainland, offering trading varieties such as A-shares, B-shares, the SME Board, and the ChiNext Board. The People's Bank of China has a dispatched institution in Shenzhen, namely the Shenzhen Central Sub-branch, whose main functions include managing the implementation of monetary policy and maintaining financial order within its jurisdiction. In February 2006, this sub-branch also established a "Renminbi Issuance Fund Custody Vault" in Hong Kong, with the custodian institution located at Bank of China (Hong Kong).

In 2000, Shenzhen's local Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 218.7 billion yuan, with a per capita GDP of 32,800 yuan. By 2005, it had increased to 495.1 billion yuan, a growth rate of 15%, with a per capita GDP of 60,800 yuan. According to rankings by the Brookings Institution, Shenzhen's economic output ranked 27th among global cities in 2012. Over the ten years from 2004 to 2014, Shenzhen's economy sustained growth, achieving a GDP growth rate of 10% even during the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009. In 2021, Shenzhen's GDP reached 3,066.485 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.7%, with a per capita GDP of 173,663 yuan, close to the per capita level of Estonia during the same period. Shenzhen's GDP was higher than that of Shaanxi and Jiangxi provinces combined for the same period. Among Chinese mainland cities, it is second only to Shanghai and Beijing, making it the third-largest economic powerhouse on the Chinese mainland and ranking first in Guangdong Province. Converted at international exchange rates, Shenzhen's 2021 GDP exceeded that of Nigeria and approached that of Austria. In 2017, Shenzhen's macro tax burden was around 25%. Shenzhen's four pillar industries are high technology, finance, logistics, and culture. In 2018, Shenzhen's GDP, calculated in US dollars, officially surpassed that of Hong Kong, making it the top-ranked city by GDP in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

7.1 Agriculture

Shenzhen's agriculture has undergone a developmental journey from traditional agriculture, suburban agriculture, export-oriented agriculture, and urban agriculture to modern agriculture. In 2004, Shenzhen became the first city in China without rural areas or farmers, resulting in agriculture's output value constituting a very small proportion of its GDP. In 2019, the total output value of Shenzhen's agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, sideline industries, and fisheries was 4.816 billion yuan, accounting for less than 0.2% of the city's GDP. This included 1.217 billion yuan from agriculture, 333 million yuan from animal husbandry, and 3.039 billion yuan from fisheries. The total area of commonly used cultivated land was 72,700 mu, remaining relatively stable in recent years, with an average annual afforestation area of 3,000 mu. With a large population and limited land, Shenzhen promotes industrialized agricultural operations and modern agriculture. Shenzhen's biological breeding level ranks among the top in China, achieving significant results in scientific research, breeding, and commercialization of major crops like grains, cotton, and oilseeds. In 2015, leveraging its information industry advantages, Shenzhen promoted innovation in the "Internet + Modern Agriculture" production and operation model, vigorously promoting e-commerce for agricultural products. In December of the same year, Shenzhen's largest fruit supply chain enterprise, Shenzhen Xinfengmao Group, entered into a strategic partnership with Joyvio Group under Legend Holdings. The merged entity, "Joyvio Xinfengmao," became China's largest fruit company.

7.2 Industry

Shenzhen's industry is primarily focused on high-tech industries. In 2019, the industrial added value was 958.794 billion yuan, of which the high-tech industry contributed 923.085 billion yuan, an increase of 11.3%, accounting for 33.4% of the GDP and making it Shenzhen's largest pillar industry. Shenzhen regularly hosts the "China International High-Tech Fair" to showcase high-tech industrial products. Shenzhen's high-tech industry has reached a considerable scale, forming a high-tech industrial cluster led by the electronic information industry, making it a crucial base for the industrialization of high-tech achievements nationwide. It mainly encompasses three major fields: electronic information, biomedicine, and new energy/new materials.

In electronic information, Shenzhen has formed an industrial cluster represented by computers, communications, and microelectronics. In 2020, 21 Shenzhen enterprises were listed among China's Top 100 Electronic Information Enterprises. A large number of electronic information companies, such as Huawei, ZTE, Great Wall Computer, Skyworth, Huaqiang Group, DJI, Kingdee, and Han's Laser, have rapidly risen in Shenzhen, representing the overall strength of its electronic information industry. Shenzhen's internet industry is well-developed. Tencent, founded in Shenzhen, is a representative of Shenzhen's and even China's internet sector. Headquarters of internet companies like Xunlei are located in Shenzhen, while other internet giants like Alibaba, Baidu, and JD.com have established R&D bases or business divisions in the city. In biomedicine, Shenzhen's biotechnology industry boasts first-class domestic hardware in production technology, facilities, and testing conditions, with a large production scale and significant advantages within the domestic industry, establishing itself as a new high ground for biomedical industry development. BGI has completed several internationally advanced genomic research projects, including the "Chinese part" of the International Human Genome Project, the Yanhuang No.1 project, and the Rice Genome Project. As one of Shenzhen's three major high-tech pillar industries, the new energy and new materials industry has experienced rapid development, reaching the world's forefront in areas like graphene and flexible displays. The Shenzhen New Energy and New Materials Industry Alliance was officially established in 2013, aiming to promote technological advancement and industrialization in these fields, enhancing Shenzhen's leading position in the industry. BYD is a renowned enterprise with international competitiveness in the new energy vehicle business.

In traditional manufacturing, Shenzhen also hosts many well-known brands with significant market shares, such as "Konka" televisions, "Fiyta" watches, "CIMC" containers, "Southern" glass, and the "Seg" series of electronic products. Additionally, Shenzhen has numerous consumer goods brands, like "Kingway" beer, "Good Days" cigarettes, and "Jinlongyu" cooking oil. Shenzhen's machinery industry is most famous for BYD Auto, whose automobile production has risen rapidly. It has introduced environmentally friendly electric vehicles to the market, some of which have been deployed in batches in Shenzhen's taxi and bus markets. Its pure electric buses also operate widely worldwide. Shenzhen Energy Group is the city's main power company.

7.3 Service Industry

7.3.1 Retail and Consumption

Shenzhen enjoys commercial prosperity, with supermarkets and convenience stores遍布 throughout the city. In 2021, the city's total retail sales of consumer goods reached 949.8 billion yuan. Besides locally influential commercial brands like Renrenle supermarkets, Wanjia department stores, Sundan appliances, Good Century furniture, Rainbow department stores, and Suibao department stores, there are many foreign brands, such as Walmart (USA), Carrefour (France), AEON (Japan), B&Q (UK), and IKEA (Sweden). Furthermore, commercial brands from other domestic regions are also widely distributed in Shenzhen, like Suning and Gome appliance stores. Mature commercial districts in Shenzhen, which are also tourist attractions, include the Dongmen commercial area, Guomao commercial area, and Diwang commercial circle in Luohu District; and the Huaqiangbei commercial area, Futian Central Business District, and Chegongmiao in Futian District. Among these, the MixC mall in the Diwang commercial circle ranks fourth nationally and second in Guangdong Province by revenue. Additionally, bustling commercial areas with high customer traffic include Garden City Center in Shekou, Nanshan District; Coastal City in Houhai; and MixC World near the Software Park. In recent years, with the development of former "second-line" areas and improved transportation infrastructure, many developers have built and operated shopping malls in these areas. For example, the largest mall in Shenzhen by area, One Avenue, is located in Bao'an District.

7.3.2 Finance

Shenzhen is one of the two major financial centers in the Chinese mainland, home to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The financial services industry holds an important position in Shenzhen, covering banking, insurance, securities, etc. Headquarters of large financial enterprises like China Merchants Bank, China Merchants Securities, CITIC Securities, Ping An Insurance, and Southern Asset Management are all located in Shenzhen. The establishment of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone has enabled deeper development in Shenzhen's financial services. In 2021, Shenzhen's financial industry achieved an added value of 473.881 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.6%, accounting for 15.4% of the city's GDP for the same period. By the end of 2021, the total assets of Shenzhen's banking sector were 11.27 trillion yuan, securities companies' total assets were 2.65 trillion yuan, and insurance companies' total assets were 5.75 trillion yuan, summing to approximately 19.7 trillion yuan. Shenzhen's financial industry asset scale consistently ranks third in China.

Ping An Bank (formerly Shenzhen Development Bank) was one of China's earliest regional commercial banks and also one of the earliest listed companies in China. China Merchants Bank is one of the fastest-growing banks in Shenzhen, with its operating profit margin ranking among the top in the city. Other prominent domestic banks have all established branches in Shenzhen. Besides Chinese banks, Shenzhen also hosts a large number of foreign bank institutions, ranking third among Chinese cities in terms of quantity. In 1981, Hong Kong's Nanyang Commercial Bank set up a business office in the Shekou Industrial Zone, becoming the first foreign bank in the Chinese mainland. In 1982, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited established a representative office in Shenzhen, marking the formal entry of foreign banks into the Chinese mainland. After China's accession to the WTO, the pace of foreign banks entering Shenzhen accelerated. Many internationally renowned banks have established operations here, such as Hong Kong's Bank of East Asia, Hang Seng Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank; the USA's Citibank; and Japan's MUFG Bank.The Shenzhen Stock Exchange is one of the two stock exchanges in mainland China, with the Small and Medium Enterprise Board and the ChiNext Board launched in Shenzhen in 2004 and 2009, respectively. Shenzhen’s securities institutions rank among the top in China, with the total assets of local securities companies ranking first nationwide. The number of fund companies and the scale of asset management are second only to Shanghai, placing second nationally. In 2021, securities companies in the Shenzhen region achieved operating revenue of 124.653 billion yuan, while futures companies generated operating revenue of 5.358 billion yuan. By the end of 2021, the public fund management scale of Shenzhen’s fund management companies reached 6.73 trillion yuan, and the asset scale of private funds amounted to 2.27 trillion yuan, ranking third nationwide.

Shenzhen’s insurance business development is among the top in the country. In 1988, Ping An Insurance was established in Shekou, Shenzhen, becoming the first joint-stock insurance enterprise in mainland China. In 2021, Shenzhen’s total premium income reached 142.65 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.2%, ranking fourth among large and medium-sized cities in China. The total number of insurance legal entities reached 27, with 80 insurance branch institutions. The total assets of insurance legal entities amounted to 5.75 trillion yuan, accounting for over a quarter of the national total. Currently, insurance companies headquartered in Shenzhen include Ping An Property & Casualty Insurance, Ping An Life Insurance, Cigna & CMC, Fude Life Insurance, and Qianhai Life Insurance.

7.3.3 Exhibition Economy

Shenzhen boasts excellent infrastructure and mature, efficient management experience, often serving as a platform for hosting large-scale exhibition events. Examples include the Universiade, the China Hi-Tech Fair, the Cultural Industries Fair, the China Charity Fair, the International Conference on Exchange of Professionals, the Marine Economy Expo, the Agricultural Expo, the Electronics Expo, the Tea Expo, the Garden Expo, the Art Expo, the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture, auto shows, and fashion weeks.

The "Cultural Industries Fair," officially known as the "China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair," is the only national-level cultural industries fair in China. First held in November 2004, the fair takes place annually over four days, with its main venue at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center and additional venues such as Dafen Oil Painting Village. The main activities of the fair include "exhibition and trade," "cultural industries forums," and "awards." The 13th edition of the fair featured over 2,400 exhibitors from China and 40 foreign countries and regions, with a transaction volume of 224.08 billion yuan and over 6.66 million participants.

The Shenzhen Hakka Culture Festival is a brand cultural activity initiated by Shenzhen. Organized by the Shenzhen Folk Literature and Art Association, the festival emphasizes coordination between the city and districts, actively involves relevant cultural institutions and units, integrates resources, encourages multi-party participation, and promotes shared benefits, ensuring the festival remains vibrant and innovative. Hakka culture is an important part of Shenzhen’s local culture. To promote Hakka culture, Shenzhen has established the Hakka Museum, founded the Hakka Cultural Exchange Association, and actively engages in cross-strait and international Hakka cultural exchange activities. Since 2006, Shenzhen has held multiple editions of the Hakka Culture Festival, achieving fruitful results and vigorously promoting the development of Hakka cultural tourism.

The Shenzhen Fashion Week, launched in 2015, is organized by the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, coordinated by the Shenzhen Municipal Industry and Information Technology Bureau, and hosted by the Shenzhen Garment Industry Association. Fashion shows are typically held in large commercial districts. Hundreds of fashion brands and designers participate in runway shows and static displays, aiming to connect with the global fashion week release and operation system.

7.3.4 Cultural Industries

The cultural and creative industries have become a key focus for support after the 13th Five-Year Plan. The Shenzhen Fashion Cultural and Creative Association was subsequently established, hosting the Shenzhen Fashion Cultural and Creative Festival every December. The municipal government has planned a 4.6-square-kilometer Dalang Fashion Creative City dedicated to brand incubation. The EACHWAY New Art Museum integrates works by installation artists, modern artists, oil painting artists, photography artists, architectural artists, and fashion designers. Guanlan Printmaking Village, transformed from a suburban rural area, serves as both an artists’ village and a tourist attraction. The Creative Bonded Park, built on the basis of the Futian Bonded Zone, has become a base for art auctions, exhibitions, transactions, and cultural collection bonding. Shenzhen’s fashion industry developed early in mainland China, attracting designers and buyers from across the country and abroad.

The OCT-LOFT Creative Culture Park, the Special Economic Zone 1980 Cultural and Creative Industrial Park, the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art, the Guan Shanyue Art Museum, and the Artron Art Center have been renovated and revitalized. Many artists from the Lingnan School have begun exploring the possibilities of modernizing and commercializing traditional culture and art. Subsequently, the "Tianmian Design Capital Creative Industrial Park," transformed from old factory buildings in the Tianmian Industrial Zone, was established, offering comprehensive functions such as creative design, manufacturing, trade exhibitions, exchange training, and early-stage incubation. On December 7, 2008, UNESCO approved Shenzhen’s inclusion in the Creative Cities Network, granting it the title of "UNESCO City of Design," like other cities.

Shenzhen is one of China’s major cities for handicraft manufacturing, with over 1,900 handicraft manufacturers and more than 200,000 practitioners, making it the largest handicraft production base in the country. Its design and production standards are leading, positioning handicrafts as an emerging cultural industry in Shenzhen. The handicraft sector is comprehensive and diverse, including sculpture categories such as metal, resin, crystal, and glass crafts; art and landscape categories such as craft paintings, bamboo and wood art, artificial plants, and flowers; traditional handmade categories such as embroidery, ceramics, leather crafts, and imitation antiques; and additionally, large-scale production of electronic crafts, simulation models, gold and silver jewelry crafts, tourism souvenirs, and stationery crafts.

Dafen Oil Painting Village is Shenzhen’s oil painting industry base, integrating oil painting creation, wholesale, and customization. It attracts a large number of domestic and international buyers, with oil painting products even exported to many countries in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. The village gathers a large number of artistic talents, and its thriving oil painting industry has driven the economy of the entire Dafen Village. The village houses the "Dafen Art Museum," the only village-level art museum in the city. Dafen oil painting is a distinctive cultural industry in Shenzhen, with significant influence nationwide.

7.3.5 Real Estate

Real estate is not among the four pillar industries designated by the Shenzhen Municipal Government, but it still accounts for a significant proportion of Shenzhen’s urban economy. In 2021, the added value of Shenzhen’s real estate sector was 255.477 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 2.9%, accounting for 8.33% of Shenzhen’s total economic output. Vanke and China Resources Land are representative real estate enterprises in Shenzhen.

8. Transportation

Shenzhen is one of the transportation hub cities in Guangdong Province and a key transportation center in South China, second only to Guangzhou in importance. Bordering Hong Kong, Shenzhen hosts the largest number of immigration checkpoints in China (such as Futian Port, Luohu Port, and Shenzhen Bay Port), handling the highest volume of passenger and vehicle border crossings in the country.

8.1 External Transportation

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport is China's first modern international airport to integrate sea, land, and air intermodal transportation and adopt transit transport methods. It is one of the busiest airports in China, with 35 domestic and international airlines operating 130 routes, including a helicopter service to Macau. In 2018, the airport handled 49.349 million passengers and 1.2185 million tons of cargo and mail. Passenger throughput ranked fifth in mainland China, while cargo and mail throughput ranked fourth.

Yantian Port, Chiwan Port, and Shekou Port are Shenzhen's major seaports. As of October 2018, Shenzhen had 155 port berths, including 78 berths capable of handling 10,000-ton vessels and 51 container berths.

Shekou Cruise Center and Shenzhen Airport Ferry Terminal are Shenzhen's passenger ports. The Shekou Cruise Center, opened on October 31, 2016, took over all passenger and cargo services from the former Shekou Ferry Terminal. Operated by China Merchants Shekou, a subsidiary of China Merchants Group, it is a core component of the China Merchants Shekou Prince Bay International Cruise Home Port. It currently operates passenger ferry routes to Zhuhai Jiuzhou, Macau Outer Harbour/Taipa, Hong Kong Airport, and Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, as well as cruise routes to Japan (Okinawa, Yaeyama Islands), the Philippines (Manila), and Vietnam (Da Nang). The Shenzhen Airport Ferry Terminal operates passenger ferry routes from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport to Hong Kong Airport, Tuen Mun, Macau Outer Harbour/Taipa, Zhongshan Port, and Zhuhai Jiuzhou. It also handles freight (including container) services for Hong Kong and domestic water routes, providing loading/unloading, warehousing, and land intermodal transportation services.

The Guangzhou-Shenzhen Railway and the Beijing-Kowloon Railway are important railway trunk lines in Shenzhen. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen Railway connects with the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, a major national artery, in Guangzhou. Via the Beijing-Guangzhou and Beijing-Kowloon lines, Shenzhen Railway Station provides direct connections to major cities along these routes. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway and the Xiamen-Shenzhen Railway are two other crucial external railway lines. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway is the southernmost section of the Beijing-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway and is now fully operational. Located in Longhua District, Shenzhen North Station is Shenzhen's high-speed rail hub and a key railway passenger hub in South China. After the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway opened, 110 trains daily run from Shenzhen North Station to Hong Kong West Kowloon Station.

Shenzhen's external road transportation primarily relies on expressways, supplemented by national highways, working in coordination to reduce traffic pressure. The G94 Pearl River Delta Ring Expressway provides access to cities within the Pearl River Delta. The G4 Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Expressway, G15 Shenyang-Haikou Expressway, and G25 Changchun-Shenzhen Expressway connect to Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities along their routes and beyond. Long-distance coach services extend to cities and counties within Guangdong Province and over 20 other provinces and municipalities, with direct services to Hong Kong and Macau. National Highways 107, 205, and 220 all have their start/end points in Shenzhen. National Highway 228 passes through Shenzhen.

8.2 Urban Transportation

Shenzhen has a well-developed public transportation system, including metro, buses, taxis, and ride-hailing services. In Longgang and Bao'an districts, a large number of private electric bicycles operate short-distance passenger services around bus stops, commercial areas, metro station exits, and industrial zones. Government authorities consider these vehicles to be operating illegally and they may be confiscated by traffic police.

As of 2015, the city had 960 bus routes with a total fleet of 15,100 vehicles, handling an average daily passenger volume of approximately 5.9 million. In 1992, Shenzhen pioneered driver-only bus operation in China. In 1996, it was the first to implement contactless IC cards (Shenzhen Tong) for bus fare payment. In 2017, Shenzhen had around 18,000 taxis, divided into red and green categories. In recent years, Shenzhen has introduced electric vehicles produced by the local company BYD into the taxi market. Due to preferential policies and cash subsidies from the Shenzhen municipal government, these vehicles account for nearly 30% of the taxi market. Most taxis in the city operate 24 hours a day, but hailing a taxi can be difficult during peak hours and in severe weather. In December 2017, the Shenzhen Municipal Transport Commission announced that all dedicated public buses in Shenzhen had been fully electrified, and 12,518 pure electric taxis accounted for 62.5% of the city's total taxi fleet.

The first phase of the Shenzhen Metro began construction in 1998, including the initial section of Line 1 and the southern section of Line 4. It commenced operation in December 2004, making Shenzhen the fifth city in mainland China, after Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, to have a metro system. The second phase began construction successively from 2007 and was fully operational by June 2011, adding 118 stations. By the end of 2022, the Shenzhen Metro had 16 lines and 369 stations in operation, with a total operational mileage of 559 kilometers. The average daily passenger flow was 5.54 million, accounting for about 50% of Shenzhen's public transportation passenger volume. Lines under construction include the western extension of Line 5, the eastern extension of Line 3, the branch line of Line 6, the eastern extension of Line 11, and the eastern extension of Line 8.

8.3 Border Checkpoints

Shenzhen's border checkpoints are among the busiest in China, handling the highest number of passenger crossings in the country, with 239 million border crossings in 2015. Major land checkpoints include Luohu, Huanggang, Shenzhen Bay, Shatoujiao, Futian, Wenjindu, and Liantang. Waterway checkpoints include Shekou Cruise Center, Shenzhen Airport Ferry Terminal, and Yantian Port. Luohu Port primarily handles passenger inspection, and cross-border direct trains between mainland China and Hong Kong (such as the Guangzhou-Kowloon Through Train) and freight trains supplying Hong Kong also pass through this port. Besides passenger inspection, Huanggang Port and Shenzhen Bay Port (via the Shenzhen Bay Bridge) handle most of the cross-border container trucks, tour buses, and private cars traveling between Hong Kong and mainland China. Huanggang Port operates 24-hour clearance, while Shenzhen Bay Port implements co-location of border control facilities ("one place, two checks").

Before 1949, Bao'an residents who owned farmland in the New Territories of Hong Kong could cross the border freely for farming. This was restricted during the 1950s to 1970s due to the Korean War but was later restored. In December 1980, the Shenzhen Border Defense Force of China and the Hong Kong government signed an agreement legalizing cross-border farming, issuing 2,000 "Shenzhen Cross-Border Farming Permits." Holders could use designated "farming crossings" near their villages to cross the border to farm their land. Today, along the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border from the mouth of the Shenzhen River to Yantian, six farming crossings remain: Luofang, Changling, Huanggang, Chiwei, Xinsha, and Shazui. Border residents can still enter and exit the New Territories of Hong Kong using their "farming permits," but their movement is restricted, and they must return on the same day without overnight stays.

9. Education and Scientific Research

Following the establishment of special economic zones in the 1980s, a large influx of migrants entered Shenzhen, and its education sector began to develop rapidly. As of 2019, Shenzhen had 14 regular institutions of higher education, 757 regular primary and secondary schools, and 1,836 kindergartens. Founded in 1983, Shenzhen University is the earliest full-time comprehensive institution of higher education in the city. In 1999, the Shenzhen Municipal Government established the "Shenzhen Virtual University Park" in the southern area of the Science and Technology Park, attracting several renowned Chinese universities such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, Nankai University, and Harbin Institute of Technology. In 2002, the Shenzhen Municipal Government established the Shenzhen University Town in Xili, Nanshan District. It subsequently attracted institutions and research organizations including Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute, Tianjin University. Its primary functions are postgraduate education and scientific research. In 2012, Southern University of Science and Technology was approved for establishment, positioned as a research-oriented university. In 2018, Shenzhen Technology University was approved for establishment, positioned as an application-oriented university. Furthermore, through cooperative ventures, Shenzhen has established institutions such as The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, and has founded the Shenzhen campuses of Jinan University and Sun Yat-sen University.

• Shenzhen University
• Southern University of Science and Technology
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
• Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen)

Nine-year compulsory education in Shenzhen is completely free. Well-known municipal secondary schools in Shenzhen include Shenzhen Middle School, Shenzhen Experimental School, Shenzhen Foreign Languages School, and Shenzhen Senior High School. All have a first-tier university admission rate exceeding 90% and are collectively known as the "Four Famous Schools of Shenzhen." Among them, the first three, due to their long history and prestigious reputation, were also called the "Three Red Banners of Shenzhen Education" in earlier years. Additionally, Bao'an Middle School (under Bao'an District), Hongling Middle School (under Futian District), Yucai Middle School (under Nanshan District), and Cuiyuan Middle School (under Luohu District) also possess considerable strength. Together with the Four Famous Schools, they constitute the Eight Famous Schools.

Due to factors such as the "universal two-child policy," the implementation of the college entrance examination policy for non-local students, and Shenzhen's rapid population growth, the demand for high school placements in Shenzhen has increased significantly. In January 2020, Shenzhen held a press conference on high school construction and released the Shenzhen High School Construction Plan (2020-2025). The plan mentioned that, in addition to regular high school construction, four "High School Clusters" were planned. Each cluster would contain several high schools sharing infrastructure within the campus. The four clusters are located in Pingshan District, Longgang District, Guangming District, and the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone. In September 2022, the Shenzhen Experimental School High School Cluster in Pingshan District, the Shenzhen Senior High School High School Cluster in Longgang District, and the Shenzhen Foreign Languages School High School Cluster in Guangming District officially opened. In September 2023, the Shenzhen Middle School High School Cluster began small-scale early enrollment and opened, temporarily using the facilities of Shenzhen Middle School Pingshan Innovation School. Its permanent campus under construction is located in the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone.

• Shenzhen Middle School Nigang Campus
• Shenzhen Experimental School High School Department Comprehensive Building
• Shenzhen Foreign Languages School High School Cluster
• Shenzhen Senior High School East Campus

Shenzhen possesses strong scientific research capabilities. In 2011, the journal Nature ranked Shenzhen ninth among China's top ten cities for scientific research strength, with the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) Shenzhen ranking tenth among China's top ten research institutions. Shenzhen Science and Technology Park is the area with the highest concentration of research institutions in the city, hosting organizations such as the China Development Institute, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Industry-Academia-Research Base, and the Virtual University Park. In 2006, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Shenzhen Municipal Government collaborated to establish the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenzhen. By 2013, Shenzhen had over 3,000 certified high-tech enterprises and 49,756 authorized scientific and technological patents. The China International High-Tech Fair, held annually at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, is currently the largest and most influential exhibition in China related to scientific and technological achievements.

10. Population

According to the results of the Seventh National Population Census, as of midnight on November 1, 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 17,560,061. Compared with the 10,423,973 people from the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the permanent resident population increased by 7,136,088 over the past ten years, a growth of 68.46%, with an average annual growth rate of 5.35%. In 2021, the permanent resident population was 17.6816 million. Among them, the permanent registered population was 5.5639 million, accounting for 31.5% of the permanent resident population; the permanent non-registered population was 12.1177 million, accounting for 68.5%. The male population in Shenzhen was 9.6652 million, accounting for 55.04%; the female population was 7.8948 million, accounting for 44.96%, with a sex ratio of 122.43. Among the permanent resident population, 5.0659 million people had a college degree or above; 3.6341 million had a secondary specialized school education; 5.4822 million had a junior high school education; and 2.0215 million had a primary school education.

Shenzhen is the city with the fastest-growing population in China. Since the establishment of the Special Economic Zone, residents from various regions within the province (Chaoshan people and Hakka people from eastern Guangdong) and residents from other provinces across China (migrant populations from provinces such as Hunan, Guangxi, Hubei, Sichuan, Jiangxi, and Chongqing in southern China) have successively migrated to Shenzhen, making it a typical emerging immigrant city with extremely rapid population growth. It took only about 15 years for the population to grow from 600,000 in the former Bao'an County to 3 million, and less than 10 years to increase from 3 million to 10 million. Currently, Shenzhen has joined the ranks of global megacities and is one of the cities with the highest population density in China, reaching 6,234 people per square kilometer (2017). Among them, Futian District has a density of 19,847 people per square kilometer. By the end of 2021, Shenzhen had a total permanent resident population of 17.6816 million, of which 5.5639 million were local registered residents, with migrants constituting the vast majority.

10.1. Ethnic Groups

The ethnic composition of Shenzhen's population includes all of China's ethnic minorities, making it one of the cities with the most complete range of ethnic minorities in China. This is also a rare phenomenon in the history of China's urban development. The China Folk Culture Village in Nanshan District is the area with the highest concentration of ethnic minorities in Shenzhen. In September 2002, two Lhoba people joined the China Folk Culture Village, enabling Shenzhen to gather all of China's ethnic minorities. In 2010, the ethnic minority population in Shenzhen was 433,000, accounting for approximately 4% of the city's total population. The top five ethnic minorities were the Zhuang, Miao, Tujia, Yao, and Dong. With the acceleration of China's floating population, changes have also occurred in Shenzhen's ethnic minority population. In 2015, the ethnic minority population in Shenzhen reached 453,000, accounting for about 4% of the city's total population, with a growth rate lower than that of the Han ethnic group.

11. Religion

Although Shenzhen is a newly developed industrial and commercial city, religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestant Christianity are all present across the city. Buddhism and Taoism are primarily represented by the Hongfa Temple and the Fenghuang Grand Temple. Additionally, Christian churches, mosques, or Catholic churches are generally established in each administrative district of Shenzhen, such as the Shenzhen Mosque in Futian District (built with government funding), the Meilin Christian Church, St. Anthony's Church, the Nanshan Christian Church, and the Bao'an Christian Church. Furthermore, in Chiwan in western Shenzhen, there is the Tianhou Temple, where local residents worship Mazu. This temple has a long history and holds significant influence among the local population. In 2015, Shenzhen had 43 religious activity sites with a total of approximately 600,000 followers, including 400,000 Buddhists, over 60,000 Muslims, over 30,000 Catholics, over 50,000 Protestant Christians, over 20,000 Taoist believers, and tens of thousands of foreign followers.

12. Culture

Shenzhen is a young city with a history of just over thirty years, resulting in a diverse cultural landscape. From 1981 to 2000, large-scale public cultural facilities such as museums, libraries, and art galleries were successively constructed; various magazines, including Special Zone Economy, were also launched. On November 19, 2008, Shenzhen was designated by UNESCO as the world's sixth and China's first "City of Design." In 2007, public cultural facilities in Shenzhen, including libraries, art galleries, and museums, began offering free admission to the public. Additionally, Shenzhen possesses a vibrant, grassroots side. Urban villages stand amidst its skyscrapers, with Shuiwei being the most popular among tourists, while the "Sanhe Gods" represent a marginalized group in Shenzhen's transition into a new era.

12.1 Cultural Facilities

Shenzhen's municipally-operated bookstore chain, "Book City," is large-scale, dealing in cultural goods such as books, audiovisual products, and musical instruments. "Book City" outlets are distributed across all districts of the city. The largest are the Shenzhen Central Book City in Futian District, the Jinshan Building Book City in Luohu District, and the Nanshan Book City. Others include Bao'an Book City, Longgang Book City, and Yantian Book City. Located in the Futian CBD, Shenzhen Central Book City is the city's largest book sales center, known as "the largest single bookstore in Asia."

Shenzhen has over 620 public libraries of various sizes. The largest include the Shenzhen Library and the Shenzhen Library North Branch. Art exhibition institutions include the Shenzhen Art Museum, He Xiangning Art Museum, and Guan Shanyue Art Museum.

The Shenzhen Grand Theatre was constructed in 1984 and opened in May 1989. It was Shenzhen's largest early center for film screenings and artistic performances and one of the city's eight major cultural facilities at the time. Since 1992, the Grand Theatre has hosted the annual "Shenzhen Grand Theatre Art Festival."

12.2 Literature

After the 1980s, a large influx of migrants arrived in Shenzhen, bringing ideas more avant-garde than those in inland China. Some literary works were bold and open, such as Liu Xihong's short story "You Cannot Change Me" and Liu Xueqiang's prose "Red Dust, New Tide: Records of Shenzhen Youth's Changing Concepts," which caused a sensation in Chinese literary circles. In 1993, the journal Special Zone Literature was founded, featuring works reflecting urbanization trends and characteristics of migrant worker literature. Writer Li Lanni's urban realist work "Wilderness Without People: A Mental Archive of a Depressive Patient," which uses the continuous medical records of a depression patient to explore human self-salvation consciousness from a literary perspective, received high acclaim. Migrant worker writer Liu Shuquan's "Shenzhen Temporary Worker" is a documentary literary work depicting the growth and hardships of hundreds of thousands of Shenzhen migrant workers, written in straightforward and vivid language. The long-form reportage "Heaven and Earth, Sons of Men," describing the changes in Nanling Village, carries political themes and is endorsed by the authorities. Other literary works such as "The Mystery of Shenzhen's Venus," "Fierce Battle in the Northwest," and "City of Youth: Shenzhen" also enjoy high recognition in Shenzhen's literary and artistic circles. Additionally, lyrical poems like "The Story of Spring" and "Entering the New Era" are imbued with a strong political atmosphere.

12.3 Entertainment

Shenzhen offers a rich variety of entertainment activities, ranging from free, publicly accessible municipal parks and leisure squares to high-end, expensive movie theaters and nightclubs; from community-initiated singing and instrumental performances to professional-level music concerts and theatrical performances. The city boasts numerous entertainment venues distributed across all administrative districts. Major cinema chains include MixC Cinema, Shenzhen Broadway Film Center, Shenzhen CGV Cinemas, and CINESKY New Sky Cinema. By the end of 2018, Shenzhen had 277 cinemas, with 69 achieving box office revenues exceeding ten million yuan. Comprehensive venues for opera and theater include Shenzhen Theatre, Shenzhen Grand Theatre, Shenzhen Concert Hall, and Shenzhen Poly Theatre. Shenzhen Concert Hall is the city's largest music performance venue, primarily for symphonic music. Designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, it features an elegant and unique structure, housing a concert hall, a small theater, and other auxiliary facilities. The concert hall can accommodate 1,800 audience members.

Game Science's Black Myth: Wukong achieved success and is hailed as China's first AAA video game masterpiece.

12.4 Historical Sites

Although Shenzhen is a newly developed migrant city, it still possesses numerous historical sites. Existing historical sites include Hehu Residential Houses, Datian Shiju, Nantou Ancient City, Dapeng Fortress, and Dawan Shiju. Among these, Dapeng Fortress is listed as a "Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level" and a "Famous Historical and Cultural Village of China." Additionally, the Boundary Stone on Chung Ying Street and the former site of the East River Column Headquarters are also national-level protected historical sites. Nantou Ancient City, also known as "Xin'an Ancient City," was built during the Ming Dynasty and served as the seat of Xin'an County. Remaining historical relics within the ancient city include the city gate, Guandi Temple, Dongguan Guild Hall, and Coastal Defense Office, along with traditional Qing Dynasty residences and ancestral halls featuring Lingnan regional characteristics. Dapeng Fortress, fully named "Dapeng Garrison Thousand-Household Fortress," was built in the early Ming Dynasty to defend against Japanese pirates and served as a military stronghold, with a history of over 600 years. The buildings within the fortress largely maintain their original layout and appearance. Shenzhen's nickname "Pengcheng" (Roc City) originates from this site.

The Shekou Peninsula in Nanshan District houses well-known historical sites such as Chiwan Left Fort, Emperor Bing of Song's Mausoleum, and Tin Hau Temple. Chiwan Left Fort, built in 1669, features well-preserved ancient cannons and ruins of barracks from the Qing army garrison period and is a key historical and cultural site protected by Shenzhen City. Chung Ying Street in Shatoujiao, Yantian District, is a historical street with a boundary stone in the middle, jointly established by the Qing government and the British government, now marking the border between mainland China and Hong Kong.

• Gate of Dapeng Fortress
• Boundary Stone on Chung Ying Street
• Gate of Nantou Ancient City (Xin'an Ancient City)
• Chiwan Left Fort

12.5 Folk Customs

The local residents of Shenzhen have rich cultural customs. In addition to traditional Chinese folk festivals, locals have unique regional customs, some of which have been passed down for a considerable time, such as "Xixiang Cannon Grabbing," "Fuyong Dragon and Lion Dance," "Longgang Bridal Lament," "Pingshan Dajiao Ritual," and "Nan'ao Grass Dragon Dance." Women in Dapeng, Longgang, also traditionally wore "hats of shyness." Furthermore, Shenzhen's indigenous people adhere to certain folk taboos, such as: residents of Shajing and Gongming in Bao'an District observing "vegetarian fasting and deity worship" on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month; and Dapeng people in Longgang District practicing "evil avoidance for weddings" and "ritual bathing for purification."

In early Shenzhen, the population was sparse, and residential housing structures were relatively simple, broadly categorized into "longitudinal-style houses" and "large flat-roof houses." Indigenous people mostly used the longitudinal-style structure, with the layout from the entrance gate sequentially being the kitchen, courtyard, main hall, and bedrooms; wealthier families would have an additional courtyard. Building materials primarily consisted of yellow mud, sand, and lime, resulting in poor lighting. Hakka residences were mostly of the large flat-roof style, with the layout from outside to inside being the hall, side rooms, bedrooms, and kitchen. Small windows were opened in the walls or "mingwa" (translucent tiles) were installed for lighting, but overall lighting was also poor. The building materials used were the same as those of the indigenous Weitou people. Some Hakka people built enclosed houses (Weiwu) according to the architectural styles of their places of origin, often two-story structures. The representative Dawan Shiju is a key historical and cultural site protected by Shenzhen City. Fishermen who made a living from fishing mostly lived on boats. Those with larger families and smaller boats would build thatched huts on higher ground along the coast, using bamboo and wood for structural support and thatch for walls and roofs. These huts were easily destroyed by typhoons. After Shenzhen became a Special Economic Zone, housing structures changed significantly. Some rural houses were built up to 5 or 6 stories, and old-style residences were phased out. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, the clothing worn by Shenzhen's indigenous people was mostly simple Tang suits made from self-produced "shizhangwu" fabric. Men's clothing had seven buttons and four pockets or five buttons and two pockets, with an open-front style. Women's clothing had right-opening buttons and a large front panel. Most women wore their hair in braids or buns. Weitou women typically wore headscarves, aprons, and coolie hats when going out. Trousers were similar for men and women, both with wide waistbands and legs. Western-style clothing like Zhongshan suits and Western suits also existed but were mostly worn by students, teachers, and government employees. When going out, both men and women mostly wore cloth shoes or embroidered shoes, while wooden clogs were commonly worn indoors. After 1949, Zhongshan suits and youth suits became popular, but rural clothing remained largely unchanged. Fabrics during this period were mostly cotton, khaki, and woolen cloth. The variety of shoes increased, including cloth shoes, rubber shoes, synthetic leather shoes, and leather shoes, with few people wearing wooden clogs.

12.6 Media and Publishing

Local media in Shenzhen cover newspapers, radio, television, and the internet. External media like Southern Daily and Southern Metropolis Daily also have daily Shenzhen-specific sections. Besides news media, Shenzhen has cultural dissemination platforms such as Haitian Publishing House, Special Zone Press Publishing House, and Shenzhen Culture Network.

On May 24, 1982, Shenzhen Special Zone News was founded, affiliated with the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China. In August 2003, Special Zone News merged with local print media like Shenzhen Commercial News to form the Shenzhen Press Group. Its media outlets include newspapers such as Shenzhen Special Zone News, Shenzhen Commercial News, Hong Kong Commercial News, Crystal News, Shenzhen Daily, and Bao'an Daily; magazines and periodicals such as Auto Guide, Travel Around the World, Special Zone Education, and True Life; the mainstream online media "Shenzhen News Network" also belongs to the Shenzhen Press Group.

Shenzhen Radio began broadcasting in 1986. Currently, its radio frequencies include News Channel FM89.8, Music Channel FM97.1, Life Channel FM94.2, and Traffic Channel 106.2. In June 2004, Shenzhen Radio was merged into the Shenzhen Radio, Film and Television Group. Shenzhen Television was established in 1983 and began broadcasting in January 1984. It merged with Shenzhen Radio in 2004 and is now part of the Shenzhen Media Group.### 12.7 Culinary Features Shenzhen's cuisine originally belonged to the Cantonese culinary tradition. However, with the continuous influx of a large number of migrants, its food culture has become incredibly diverse. A wide variety of dishes can be found, encompassing almost all the major Chinese regional cuisines, and even introducing many international food brands. In the early days, Chinese cuisine in Shenzhen was primarily represented by Guangdong's own Cantonese cuisine, Hakka cuisine, and Chaozhou cuisine. In larger Cantonese restaurants, it is common to find morning tea service with distinctive Guangdong characteristics, which is not only popular among locals but also enthusiastically enjoyed by many migrants. The large influx of people from other provinces has also brought their respective regional cuisines, most of which tend to be spicy, such as Hunan's Xiang cuisine, Sichuan's Chuan cuisine, and Chongqing hot pot. However, to accommodate the milder tastes of Guangdong and Hong Kong diners, these provincial cuisines have introduced mildly spicy or non-spicy options. Nevertheless, unless specifically requested otherwise, these restaurants typically add chili during cooking.

14. Sister Cities

In March 1986, Shenzhen and Houston signed the "Shenzhen-Houston Sister City Agreement," establishing Shenzhen's first international sister city relationship. As of October 2016, Shenzhen had officially established sister city relationships with 21 international provinces and cities. Additionally, as of November 2016, Shenzhen had also established friendly exchange city relationships with 60 foreign cities, including Barcelona, Spain. | Country | City/Region | Date Established | |---------------|-------------------------------------|----------------------| | United States | Houston (Texas) | 1986 | | Italy | Brescia Province (Lombardy) | 1991 | | Australia | Brisbane (Queensland) | 1992 | | Poland | Poznań (Greater Poland Voivodeship) | 1993 | | France | Vienne Department (Nouvelle-Aquitaine) | 1994 | | Jamaica | Kingston (Surrey County) | 1995 | | Togo | Lomé (Maritime Region) | 1996 | | Germany | Nuremberg (Bavaria) | 1997 | | Belgium | Walloon Brabant (Wallonia) | 2003 | | Japan | Tsukuba (Ibaraki Prefecture) | 2004 | | South Korea | Gwangyang (South Jeolla Province) | 2004 | | Malaysia | Johor Bahru (Johor) | 2007 | | Egypt | Luxor (Luxor Governorate) | 2007 | | Russia | Samara Oblast (Volga Federal District) | 2008 | | Israel | Haifa (Haifa District) | 2012 | | Belarus | Minsk | 2014 | | Bulgaria | Plovdiv (Plovdiv Province) | 2014 | | Switzerland | Canton of Bern | 2015 | | Samoa | Apia | August 2015 | | Netherlands | Almere | May 2016 | | Portugal | Porto | October 2016 |

5. 城市规划与建设

深圳作为第一个经济特区，其规划建设具有较高的起点。1980年深圳所在的整个宝安县人口为33万，而所辖的“深圳墟”人口只有3万人，仅有三条街道。成立经济特区后，深圳的城市发展迅猛，截至2022年底，建成区面积达962平方公里，形成了罗湖、福田、南山、宝安中心区等密集的城市建筑群，建成区绿化率为45%，获得过多项国内外奖项，如“联合国人居奖”、“花园城市”等。

5.1 总体规划

2010年8月，深圳制定的《深圳市城市总体规划（2010—2020）》获得国务院批准，明确了两个城市主中心，即福田—罗湖中心和前海-南山中心。根据规划，深圳在2020年将常住人口控制在1100万之内，城建用地控制在890平方公里以内，强化同香港的联系，继续完善交通等基础设施体系和强化环保意识等。2016年5月的《深圳市实施东进战略行动方案（2016—2020年）》提出建设龙岗—坪山东部中心，成为未来深圳发展第三极。 深圳城市发展总目标（2010-2020）：

“ 1、继续发挥改革开放与自主创新的优势，担当我国落实科学发展观、构建和谐社会的先锋城市。 2、实现经济、社会和环境协调发展，建设经济发达、社会和谐、资源节约、环境友好、文化繁荣、生态宜居的中国特色社会主义示范市和国际性城市。 3、依托华南，立足珠江三角洲，加强深港合作，共同构建世界级城市区。” ——深圳市人民政府

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13. 知名人物

深圳原为宝安县，古代的人物有：东晋孝子黄舒，南宋进士曾宋珍，南宋进士黄石，明代诗人侯琚，而近现代的著名人物有：淸代抗英名将赖恩爵，中国林业学者暨崇基学院第二任校长凌道扬，民国政治家郑毓秀，活跃在广东省的中共早期工人运动领导人陈郁，负责蛇口工业区开发的中共老干部袁庚、原广东省副省长曾生等。

1980年代，中国中央政府设立深圳经济特区，大量外来人口涌入。在此高速发展的期间，深圳诞生了许多商界顶尖人物，如王石、马化腾、马蔚华、任正非、马明哲和王传福等。另外，义工丛飞、篮球运动员易建联、歌手周笔畅等也是较有高知名度的非原住深圳人。而在此获得教育的年轻人也获得杰出的表现，2000年，正在深圳艺术学校就读的李云迪获得第十四届萧邦国际钢琴比赛第一名，在深圳艺术界引起轰动。 另外，韩国组合Seventeen成员Jun和韩国组合宇宙少女成员程潇都是出生于深圳。

据2017年福布斯中国400富豪榜，共46名次（其中11名次为夫妇或家族）居住在深圳，全国前20名的富豪（排名、公司）如下：许家印（恒大集团）、马化腾（腾讯）、王卫（顺丰控股）、王文银（正威集团）、张志东（腾讯）、潘政民夫妇（瑞声科技）。

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Municipal Government: Civic Center, Fuzhong 2nd Road, Futian District
Municipal Party Committee: Municipal Party Committee Compound, 1018 Shennan Middle Road, Futian District

Bao'an District

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Lychee (1984 - Present)
Mangrove (2007 - Present)

Bougainvillea