guangzhou

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Guangzhou (; Jyutping: Gwong2zau1; Yale: Gwngjaū) is the capital of the Guangdong Province in southern China. Its international name was formerly Canton, after a French language corruption of Guangdong. As of 1999, the population of the city is about 6.85 million while the urban population is about 4.05 million.

Name

The Chinese abbreviation of Guangzhou is Sui (穗; pinyin: si; Jyutping: seoi6; Yale: seuīh). This city has the nicknames of Wuyangcheng (city of five rams), Yangcheng (city of rams), Huacheng (city of flowers), or Suicheng.

Administration

Guangzhou has direct jurisdiction over twelve districts: Yuexiu, Dongshan, Liwan, Haizhu, Tianhe, Baiyun, Huangpu, Fangcun, Huadu, Conghua, Zengcheng, Panyu.

History

It is believed that the first city was built in 214 BC, named Panyu (番禹; the locals pronounced this in Cantonese as Poon Yu) and have had a continuous occupation since that time. In 206 BC, it became the capital of Kingdom Nanyue (南越), and the city was expanded. Han Dynasty annexed Nanyue in 111 BC, and Panyu became a provincial capital and remains so until this day. Panyu was renamed Guangzhou in AD 226. Guangzhou was sacked by Arabs ¹ and Persians in AD 758, ² based on a local Guangzhou government report on October 30 758, which corresponded to the day of Guisi (癸巳) of the ninth lunar month in the first year of the Qianyuan era of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty. ³ During the Song Dynasty, Su Shi, a celebrated poet, visited Baozhuangyan Temple (founded in AD 537), and left his hand-writing "liu rong" (six banyan trees) to the temple, so the name "Liu Rong Temple". In 1711, the British East India Company established a trading post in Guangzhou. Guangzhou was one of the five Chinese treaty ports opened by the Treaty of Nanjing (signed in 1842) at the end of the First Opium War between United Kingdom and China. The other ports were Fuzhou, Xiamen, Ningbo and Shanghai.

Geography

Guangzhou is located at 11257'E to 1143'E and 2226'N to 2356'N. The Municipality is part of the Pearl River Delta.

Economy

The Pearl River Delta is one of mainland China's leading economic regions and a massive manufacturing centre. The GDP per capita was 38568 (ca. US$4660) in 2003, ranked no. 8 among 659 Chinese cities. The Chinese Export Commodities Fair, also called Canton Fair, is held twice a year in Spring and Autumn. It was inaugurated in the Spring of 1957. It is a major event for the city.

Transportation

Guangzhou's main airport is Baiyun International Airport, a hub for China Southern Airlines. The New Baiyun International Airport in Huadu District opened on 5 August 2004. The Guangzhou Metro opened in 1999. Guangzhou is connected to Hong Kong by train and bus services. Express trains leave Hong Kong from the Hung Hom KCR station. They cover the 182km route in approximately two hours.