MISSION
Shenzhen was established in March 1979. In August the following year, the city was turned into the country’s first special economic zone. Over the past four decades, Shenzhen has transformed from a small backward border town into an international metropolis with global influence, creating a miracle in the history of world development. In August 2019, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the Guidelines on Supporting Shenzhen in Building a Pilot Demonstration Area of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, and the city was once again presented with a new major opportunity and a powerful mission. In accordance with the requirements of building “a model city of high-quality development,” “a model city under the rule of law,” “a model city of urban civilization,” “a beacon for people’s wellbeing” and “a vanguard of sustainable development,” Shenzhen is striving to continue to create new and greater miracles that will impress the world.
By 2025, Shenzhen will be among the top global cities in terms of economic strength and quality of development, possessing world-class R&D investment intensity and industrial innovation capacity. The city will see a significant increase in cultural soft power with its level of public services and ecological environment quality reaching internationally advanced levels, and the city will become a modern, international and innovative city. By 2035, Shenzhen’s high-quality development will be a national model, and it will lead the world in comprehensive economic competitiveness. Shenzhen will become an innovative, entrepreneurial and creative city with global influence, becoming an exemplary city for building a modern socialist country. By the middle of this century, Shenzhen will stand out as one of the world’s advanced cities and become a global benchmark city with outstanding competitiveness, innovation and influence.
GEOGRAPHY
Adjacent to Hong Kong, Shenzhen is a coastal city in southern Guangdong Province located on the east bank of the Pearl River Estuary. To the east of the city are Daya Bay and Dapeng Bay, while the Pearl River Estuary and Lingding Bay lie to its west. Shenzhen River connects Hong Kong to the south, and to the north of Shenzhen are the cities of Dongguan and Huizhou. Its longitude lies between 113.43 and 114.38 degrees east, and its latitude lies between 22.24 and 22.52 degrees north. Covering a total area of 1,997.47 square kilometers, its subtropical monsoon climate brings warmth and plenty of precipitation to the city.
City area: 1,997.47 sq km
Total marine water area: 1,145 sq km
Coastline: 260.5 km
Annual average temperature: 23.0℃
City trees: litchi tree and mangrove tree
City flower: bougainvillea
DIVISION
Shenzhen has nine administrative districts and one new area: Futian District, Luohu District, Yantian District, Nanshan District, Bao’an District, Longgang District, Longhua District, Pingshan District, Guangming District, and Dapeng New Area. On December 16, 2018, the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone in Shanwei City was officially inaugurated.
POPULATION
As of the end of 2021, Shenzhen had 17.68 million permanent residents. As a young immigrant city, Shenzhen has been a magnet for innovative, entrepreneurial and creative talents from all over the world. According to the seventh national population census, the average age of Shenzhen residents was 32.5.
LANGUAGE
The mainstream language in Shenzhen is Mandarin Chinese, also known as Putonghua. Cantonese and English are also widely used. Some public service institutions may provide multilingual services. Citizens from all over the country also use local dialects for communication.
ECONOMY
In 2021, Shenzhen’s total economic volume exceeded 3 trillion yuan, ranking fourth among Asian cities. Its general public budget revenue reached 425.8 billion yuan. The total output value of industrial enterprises above designated scale in the city has topped all Chinese cities for three consecutive years, and its export scale has ranked first in the country for 29 years running.
GDP
GDP exceeded 3 trillion yuan in 2021.
FOREIGN TRADE
Shenzhen’s export volume has taken first place among cities on the Chinese mainland for 29 years running.