Editing Guangdong

{{Short description|Province in South China}}
{{use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{confuse|Dongguan}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Guangdong
| other_name         = Canton, Kwangtung
| native_name        = {{lang|zh-Hans-CN|广东}}
| settlement_type    = [[Provinces of China|Province]]
| translit_lang1     = Chinese
| translit_lang1_type = {{nobold|[[Simplified Chinese]]}}
| translit_lang1_info = {{lang|zh-Hans|广东省}}
| translit_lang1_type1 = {{nowrap|{{nobold|[[Hanyu Pinyin]]}}}}
| translit_lang1_info1 = {{tlit|zh|Guǎngdōng shěng}}
| translit_lang1_type2 = {{nowrap|{{nobold|[[Jyutping]]}}}}
| translit_lang1_info2 = {{tlit|yue|Gwong2 dung1 saang2}}
| translit_lang1_type3 = {{nobold|Abbreviation}}
| translit_lang1_info3 = GD{{\}}{{linktext|lang=zh|粤}} ({{tlit|zh|Yuè}}{{\}}{{tlit|yue|jyut6}})
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image| border = infobox| total_width = 290| image_style = border:1;
  |perrow = 2/2
  |image1 = Canton Tower 20220626 (cropped 2).jpg
  |image2 = China Resources Headquarters&Shenzhen Bay gymnasium in Nanshan District2020.jpg
  |image3 = Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (Zhuhai section).jpg
  |image4 = Huangmanzhai.jpg
  |image5 = 广东省台山下川岛的海湾 - panoramio.jpg
}}
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = From top to bottom, left to right: [[Canton Tower]] in [[Guangzhou]], [[Shenzhen Bay]], [[Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge]], [[Huangmanzhai waterfalls|Huangmanzhai Waterfall]], Taishan Xiachuan Island
| image_map          = Guangdong in China (+all claims hatched).svg
| mapsize            = 275px
| map_caption        = Location of Guangdong in China
| coordinates        = {{coord|23.4|N|113.5|E|type:adm1st|format=dms|display=it}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[China]]
| named_for          = {{ubli
 | {{lang|zh|{{linktext|广}}}}{{snd}}'vast', 'expanse'
 | {{lang|zh|{{linktext|东}}}}{{snd}}'east'
}}Literally, 'east of the expanse'
| seat_type          = {{unbulleted list|Capital|{{nobold|(and largest city)}}}}
| seat               = [[Guangzhou]]
| parts_type         = Divisions
| parts              = {{ubli|[[List of administrative divisions of Guangdong|21 prefectures]]|122 counties|1609 towns and subdistricts}}
| government_type    = [[Provinces of China|Province]]
| governing_body     = [[Guangdong Provincial People's Congress]]
| leader_title       = [[Party Secretary of Guangdong|Party Secretary]]
| leader_name        = [[Huang Kunming]]
| leader_title1      = Congress Chairman
| leader_name1       = [[Huang Chuping (politician)|Huang Chuping]]
| leader_title2      = [[Governor of Guangdong|Governor]]
| leader_name2       = [[Wang Weizhong]]
| leader_title3      = [[Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference|Provincial CPPCC]] Chairman
| leader_name3       = [[Lin Keqing]]
| leader_title4      = [[National People's Congress]] Representation
| leader_name4       = 169 deputies
| area_footnotes     = <ref name=mofcom />
| area_total_km2     = 179800
| area_rank          = [[List of Chinese administrative divisions by area|15th]]
| elevation_max_m    = 1902
| elevation_max_point = [[Shikengkong]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="stats.gov.cn">{{Cite web |date=11 May 2021 |title=Communiqué of the Seventh National Population Census (No. 3) |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202105/t20210510_1817188.html |access-date=11 May 2021 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]]}}</ref>
| population_total   = 126,012,510
| population_as_of   = 2020
| population_rank    = [[List of Chinese administrative divisions by population|1st]]
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_rank = [[Province-level divisions of China#List of provincial level divisions|7th]]
<!--
| demographics_type1 = Demographics
for references: use <ref>tags
| demographics1_title1 = Ethnic composition
| demographics1_info1 = {{unbulleted list|[[Han Chinese|Han]] – 99%|[[Zhuang people|Zhuang]] – 0.7%|[[Yao people|Yao]] – 0.2%
| demographics1_title2 = Languages and dialects
| demographics1_info2 = [[Cantonese]] and [[Yue Chinese|other Yue languages]], [[Hakka Chinese|Hakka]], [[Chaoshan Min]], [[Leizhou Min]], [[Shaozhou Tuhua|Tuhua]], [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]], [[Zhuang languages|Zhuang]], [[Mienic languages|Yao]], [[Biao language|Biao]], [[Jizhao]]
 -->

| demographics_type2   = [[GDP]] {{normal|(2023)}}<ref name="GDPdata">{{cite web |url=https://data.stats.gov.cn/english/easyquery.htm?cn=E0103 |title=National Data |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China|China NBS]] |date=March 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2024}} see also {{cite web |url=https://www.gd.gov.cn/attachment/0/546/546406/4399833.pdf |script-title=zh:2023年广东省国民经济和社会发展统计公报 |publisher=guangdong.gov.cn |date=April 1, 2024 |access-date=June 12, 2024}} The average exchange rate of 2023 was CNY 7.0467 to 1 USD dollar {{cite press release |url=https://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202402/t20240228_1947918.html |title=Statistical communiqué of the People's Republic of China on the 2023 national economic and social development |publisher=China NBS |date=February 29, 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2024}}</ref>
| demographics2_title1 = Total
| demographics2_info1 = {{CNY|13.57&nbsp;trillion}} ([[List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP|1st]];&nbsp;US$1.93&nbsp;trillion)
| demographics2_title2 = Per capita
| demographics2_info2 = {{CNY|106,986|link=no}} ([[List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP per capita|7th]];&nbsp;US$15,182)
| iso_code           = CN-GD
| blank4_name_sec2   = [[HDI]] (2022)
| blank4_info_sec2   = 0.813<ref name="SHDI">{{cite web |title=Human Development Indices (8.0)- China |url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/table/shdi/CHN/?levels=1+4&years=2022&interpolation=0&extrapolation=0 |access-date=23 September 2024 |website=Global Data Lab}}</ref> ([[List of Chinese administrative divisions by HDI|6th]]) – {{color|green|very high}}
| website            = {{Official URL}} {{in lang|zh}}
| population_demonym = [[Cantonese people|Cantonese]], Guangdongese<ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44289777 |jstor=44289777 |title=Seven-Veiled Ethnicity: A Hong Kong Chinese Folk Model |last1=Guldin |first1=Gregory E. |journal=Journal of Chinese Studies |year=1984 |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=139–156}}</ref>
}}{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = Guangdong (Chinese characters).svg
| piccap="Guangdong" in simplified (top) and traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
| picsize = 115px
| t = 廣東
| s = 广东
| l="Eastern expanse"
| p = {{Audio|zh-Guangdong.ogg|Guǎngdōng|help=no}}
| bpmf = ㄍㄨㄤˇ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄉㄨㄥ
| w = {{tonesup|Kuang3-tung1}}
| tp = Guǎngdong
| myr = Gwǎngdūng
| mps = Guǎngdūng
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|g|wang|3|.|d|ong|1}}
| wuu = kuaon ton (T2)
| h = {{unbulleted list|{{tonesup|Gong3dung1}}|''or''|Kóng-tûng}}
| y = {{unbulleted list|Gwóngdùng|''or''|Gwóngdūng}}
| ci = {{unbulleted list|{{IPAc-yue|gw|ong|2|.|d|ung|7}}|''or''|{{IPAc-yue|gw|ong|2|.|d|ung|1}}}}
| j = Gwong2 dung1
| gd = {{tonesup|Guong2-dung1}}
| toi = Kwong˧˥ tung˥
| poj = Kńg-tang
| tl = Kńg-tang
| hain = Kèng-dang
| lizu = Gèng-tang
| buc = Guōng-dĕ̤ng
| mc = kwang<sup>X</sup> tung
| showflag = yp
| altname = Abbreviation
| t2 = 粵
| s2 = 粤
| p2 = Yuè
| bpmf2 = ㄩㄝˋ
| w2 = {{tonesup|Yüeh4}}
| tp2 = Yuè
| myr2 = Ywè
| mps2 = Yuè
| mi2 = {{IPAc-cmn|yue|4}}
| h2 = {{tonesup|Yet6}} ''or'' Ye̍t
| y2 = Yuht
| ci2 = {{IPAc-yue|j|yut|6}}
| j2 = jyut6
| gd2 = {{tonesup|Yüd6}}
| toi2 = Yut ˨
| poj2 = Oa̍t
| tl2 = Ua̍t
| lizu2 = O̍et
| order = st
| psp = Kwangtung
}}

'''Guangdong'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|UK|g|w|æ|ŋ||ˈ|d|ʊ|ŋ}}, {{IPAc-en|US|g|w|ɑː|N|-}};<ref>{{Cite dictionary |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Guangdong |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518054317/https://www.lexico.com/definition/Guangdong |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 May 2021 |title=Guangdong |dictionary=[[Lexico]] UK English Dictionary |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref><!-- Chinese characters and pronunciation details in infobox --> [[Chinese postal romanization|previously romanized]] as '''Kwangtung''' or '''Canton'''}} is a coastal [[Provinces of China|province]] in [[South China]], on the north shore of the [[South China Sea]].<ref name="SNA2008" /> The provincial capital is [[Guangzhou]]. With a population of 126.84{{nbsp}}million (as of 2021)<ref name="data2022">{{cite web |url=https://data.stats.gov.cn/english/easyquery.htm?cn=E0103 |title=National Data |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |date=1 March 2022 |access-date=23 March 2022}}</ref> across a total area of about {{convert|179,800|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}},<ref name="mofcom">{{cite web |title=Doing Business in China – Survey |url=http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/zt_business/lanmub/ |publisher=Ministry Of Commerce, People's Republic Of China |access-date=5 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130805091244/http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/zt_business/lanmub/ |archive-date=5 August 2013}}</ref> Guangdong is [[List of Chinese administrative divisions by population|China's most populous province]] and its [[List of Chinese administrative divisions by area|15th-largest]] by area, as well as the [[List of first-level administrative divisions by population|third-most populous country subdivision in the world]].

Guangdong's economy is the largest of any [[List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP|provincial-level division]] in China, with a GDP of {{CNY|13.57&nbsp;trillion}} ($1.9&nbsp;trillion in GDP nominal) in 2023, contributing approximately 10.6&nbsp;percent of [[mainland China]]'s economic output. It has a diversified economy, and was known as the starting point of ancient China's [[Maritime Silk Road]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ye |first=Guo |date=2019-07-01 |title=Canton Kung Fu: The Culture of Guangdong Martial Arts |journal=SAGE Open |volume=9 |issue=3 |page=1 |doi=10.1177/2158244019861459 |s2cid=198668123 |issn=2158-2440 |doi-access=free}}</ref> It is home to the production facilities and offices of a wide-ranging set of Chinese and foreign corporations. Guangdong has benefited from its proximity to the financial hub of [[Hong&nbsp;Kong]], which it borders to the south. Guangdong also hosts the largest import and export fair in China, the [[Canton Fair]], in Guangzhou. The [[Pearl River Delta Economic Zone]], a [[Megalopolises in China|Chinese megalopolis]], is a core for [[high tech]], [[manufacturing]] and [[international trade]]. In this zone are two of the [[Chinese city tier system|four top Chinese cities]] and the [[List of top Chinese cities by GDP|top two Chinese prefecture-level cities by GDP]]: Guangzhou and [[Shenzhen]], the first [[Special economic zones of China|special economic zone]] in the country. These two are among China's most populous and important cities, and have become two of the world's most populous [[megacities]] and [[Global Financial Centres Index|leading financial centres]] in the [[Asia–Pacific]] region.<ref name="GFCI">{{cite web |date=September 2020 |title=The Global Financial Centres Index 28 |url=https://www.longfinance.net/media/documents/GFCI_28_Full_Report_2020.09.25_v1.1.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118104905/https://www.longfinance.net/media/documents/GFCI_28_Full_Report_2020.09.25_v1.1.pdf |archive-date=18 January 2021 |access-date=26 September 2020 |publisher=Long Finance}}</ref>

Guangdong surpassed [[Henan]] and [[Shandong]] to become China's [[List of Chinese administrative divisions by population|most populous province]] in January 2005, registering 79.1&nbsp;million permanent residents and 31&nbsp;million migrants who lived in the province for at least six months of the year;<ref name="Chinadaily.com">{{cite news |title=Guangdong becomes most populous province |date=29 January 2005 |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-01/29/content_413299.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004144351/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-01/29/content_413299.htm |archive-date=4 October 2012 |access-date=25 April 2012 |work=China Daily}}</ref> the total population was 126,012,510 in the [[2020 Chinese census]], accounting for 8.93&nbsp;percent of mainland China's population.<ref name="Census2020">{{cite web |date=2021-05-11 |title=Communiqué of the Seventh National Population Census (No. 3) |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202105/t20210510_1817188.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511104847/http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202105/t20210510_1817188.html |archive-date=2021-05-11 |access-date=2021-05-11 |website=National Bureau of Statistics of China}}</ref> This makes it the most populous first-level administrative subdivision of any country outside [[South Asia]]. The vast majority of the historical Guangdong Province is administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC). [[Pratas Island]] in the South China Sea is part of [[Cijin District]], [[Kaohsiung]], [[Taiwan]] (ROC); the island was part of Guangdong before the [[Chinese Civil War]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/commentary/the-china-post/joe-hung/2009/06/22/213223/Sovereignty-over.htm |title=Sovereignty over the Spratly Islands |magazine=The China Post |date=2009-06-22 |last1=Hung |first1=Joe |access-date=18 June 2018 |archive-date=9 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109042157/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/commentary/the-china-post/joe-hung/2009/06/22/213223/Sovereignty-over.htm |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Spratly Islands |encyclopedia=Encarta Online Encyclopedia |year=2008 |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761582978/Spratly_Islands.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029063837/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761582978/Spratly_Islands.html |archive-date=29 October 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

After the unification of [[Lingnan]] region during the [[Qin dynasty]], immigrants from the [[Zhongyuan|Central Plains]] moved in and formed a [[Lingnan culture|local culture]] with a unique style. With the outward movement of the [[Cantonese people|Guangdong people]], the [[Cantonese]], [[Hakka Chinese|Hakka]] and [[Teochew Min|Teochew]] [[Varieties of Chinese|languages]], [[Music of Guangdong|music]], [[Cantonese cuisine|cuisine]], [[Cantonese opera|opera]] and [[Gongfu tea ceremony|tea ceremony]] have spread throughout the nation, [[Southeast Asia]], and other countries. Guangdong was also the birthplace of the father of modern China and the founder of the Republic of China, [[Sun Yat-sen]]. He declared a [[Government of the Republic of China in Guangzhou|military government]] there in the [[Warlord Era]]. The two [[special administrative regions]] of Hong Kong and [[Macau]] fall within the scope of Guangdong's cultural influence, and its culture still has profound influences on the [[Overseas Chinese|Chinese]] in [[Chinese Singaporeans|Singapore]] and [[Malaysian Chinese|Malaysia]], with the vast majority of the Chinese diaspora in the two countries claiming ancestry from Guangdong.

Guangdong is also one of the leading provinces in research and education in China. It hosts 160 [[List of universities and colleges in Guangdong|institutions of higher education]], ranking first in the [[South Central China]] region and second among all Chinese provinces/municipalities, after [[Jiangsu]].<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=List of National Colleges and Universities |url=http://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xxgk/s5743/s5744/A03/202206/t20220617_638352.html |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Government Portal of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China}}</ref> As of 2023, two major cities in the province ranked in the world's top [[List of cities by scientific output|20 cities]] (Guangzhou 8th and Shenzhen 19th) by scientific research output.<ref name="nature.com">{{Cite web |title=Leading 200 science cities |url=https://www.nature.com/nature-index/supplements/nature-index-2023-science-cities/tables/overall |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Nature Index 2023 Science Cities}}</ref>

== Name ==
"''Guǎng''" ({{lang-zh|first=t|t=廣|s=广}}) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226.<ref>{{cite book |title=Regional China: A Business and Economic Handbook |year=2013 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |author=Rongxing Gao |page=77 |isbn=9781137287670}}</ref> The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ({{lang-zh|labels=no|first=t|t={{linktext|廣信}} |s=广信}}), an outpost established in [[Han dynasty]] near modern [[Wuzhou]], whose name is a reference to an order by [[Emperor Wu of Han]] to "widely bestow favors and sow trust". Together, Guangdong and Guangxi are called ''[[Liangguang|Loeng gwong]]'' ({{lang-zh|labels=no|first=t|t=兩廣|s=两广 |p=liǎng guǎng}}) During the Song dynasty, the Two Guangs were formally separated as ''Guǎngnán Dōnglù'' ({{lang-zh|first=t|t=廣南東路|s=广南东路|l=East [[Circuit (administrative division)|Circuit]] in Southern Guang |labels=no}}) and ''Guǎngnán Xīlù'' ({{lang-zh|first=t|t=廣南西路|s=广南西路|l=West [[Circuit (administrative division)|Circuit]] in Southern Guang |labels=no}}), which became abbreviated as ''Guǎngdōng Lù'' ({{lang-zh|first=t|t=廣東路|s=广东路 |labels=no}}) and ''Guǎngxī Lù'' ({{lang-zh|first=t|t=廣西路|s=广西路 |labels=no}}).

"Canton", though etymologically derived from ''{{lang|pt|Cantão}}'' (the Portuguese [[transliteration]] of "Guangdong"), usually by itself refers to the provincial capital [[Guangzhou]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NpyNH0UrKvUC&pg=PA116|title=The Treaty Ports of China and Japan |editor= Nicholas Belfield Dennys |publisher=Cambridge University Press|page=116|isbn= 978-1108045902|date=26 April 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite EB1911 |first=Robert Kennaway |last=Douglas |wstitle=Canton (China) |display=Canton |volume=5 |page=218}}</ref> Historically, Canton was also used for the province itself,<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_vHhMAAAAMAAJ |title=Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 4, Part 1|publisher=A. Bell and C. Macfarquhar |editor= Colin Macfarquhar, George Gleig |year=1797 |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_vHhMAAAAMAAJ/page/n254 126] |edition=3rd }}</ref> but often either specified as a province (e.g. Canton Province),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hamilton |first1=Alexander |title=A New Account of the East Indies. Chapter 51: Some Observations and Remarks on the Province and City of Canton or Quantung |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.503139/page/n135/mode/2up |website=Internet Archive |access-date=21 July 2021 |date=1688–1727}}</ref> or written as ''Kwangtung'' in the [[Wade–Giles]] system and now most commonly as ''Guangdong'' in [[Pinyin]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tw4wBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA345 |title=The Golden Ghetto: The American Commercial Community at Canton and the Shaping of American China Policy, 1784–1844 |author1= Jacques M. Downs |author2=Frederic D. Grant, Jr. |page=345 |publisher=Hong Kong University Press; Reissue edition |date= 2015|isbn= 978-9888139095}}</ref> The local people of the city of [[Guangzhou]] (Canton) and their language are called [[Cantonese language|Cantonese]] in English. Because of the prestige of [[Guangzhou|Canton]] and its accent, Cantonese can also be used, in a wider sense, for the phylogenetically related residents and Chinese dialects outside the provincial capital.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}}

== History ==
[[File:Kwangtung Provincial Government.jpg|thumb|Kwangtung Provincial Government of the [[Republic of China (1912–49)|Republic of China]]]]

===Prehistory===
The [[Neolithic]] era began in the [[Pearl River Delta]] ({{Lang|zh|珠江三角洲}}) 7,000 years before present (BP), with the early period from around 7000 to 5000 BP (c. 5050–3050 BC), and the late period from about 5000 to 3500 BP (c. 3050–1550 BC). In coastal Guangdong, the Neolithic was likely introduced from the middle Yangtze River area (Jiao 2013). In inland Guangdong, the Neolithic appeared in Guangdong 4,600 years before present (BP). The Neolithic in northern inland Guangdong is represented by the Shixia culture ({{Lang|zh|石峽文化}}), which occurred from 4600 to 4200 BP (c. 2650–2250 BC).<ref>{{cite book | last=Jiao | first=Tianlong | title=A Companion to Chinese Archaeology | chapter=The Neolithic Archaeology of Southeast China | publisher=Wiley | date=2013-04-08 | isbn=978-1-4443-3529-3 | doi=10.1002/9781118325698.ch29 | url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118325698.ch29 | access-date=2025-04-16 | pages=597–611 | editor-last=Underhill | editor-first=Anne P.}}</ref>

===Imperial===
Originally inhabited by a mixture of tribal groups known to the Chinese as the [[Baiyue]] ("Hundred Yue"), the region first became part of China during the [[Qin dynasty]]. Under the Qin Dynasty, Chinese administration began and along with it, reliable historical records about the region. After establishing the first [[Qin's wars of unification|unified Chinese empire]], the Qin expanded southwards and set up [[Nanhai Commandery]] at [[Panyu District|Panyu]], near what is now part of Guangzhou. The region was later controlled by an independent kingdom known as [[Nanyue]] between the fall of Qin and the reign of [[Emperor Wu of Han]]. The [[Han dynasty]] administered Guangdong, Guangxi, and northern Vietnam as [[Jiaozhou (region)|Jiaozhi Province]]; southernmost Jiaozhi Province was used as a gateway for traders from the west—as far away as the Roman Empire. Under the [[Eastern Wu|Wu Kingdom]] of the [[Three Kingdoms]] period, Guangdong was made its own province, the Guang Province, in 226 CE.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}}

Canton was a prosperous port city along a tropical frontier region beset by disease and wild animals, but rich in oranges, [[banyan]], bananas, and [[lychee]] fruits. They traded slaves, silk and [[chinaware]] with [[Persians]], [[Brahmans]] and [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malays]] in exchange for their renowned medicines and fragrant tropical woods. [[Shi'a Muslims]] who had fled persecution in [[Greater Khorasan|Khorasan]] and [[Buddhists]] from India lived side by side in the thriving town each erecting their own houses of worship. A foreign quarter sprang up along the [[Pearl River (China)|river]] where many traders of diverse backgrounds including Arabs and [[Sinhalese people|Singhalese]] took up residence.<ref name="University of California Press">{{cite book |last1=Schafer |first1=Edward H. |title=The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: A Study of Tang Exotics |date=1963 |publisher=University of California Press |page=15 |isbn=978-0-520-05462-2}}</ref>

The port's importance declined after it was raided by Arabs and Persians in 758 and the foreign residents were at times troubled by the corrupt local officials, sometimes responding violently. During one incident in 684, for example, a merchant vessel's captain murdered a corrupt governor who had used his position to steal from the merchant.<ref name="University of California Press"/>

Together with [[Guangxi]], Guangdong was made part of [[Lingnan culture|Lingnan]] Circuit (political division Circuit), or Mountain-South Circuit, in 627 during the [[Tang dynasty]]. The Guangdong part of Lingnan Circuit was renamed [[Guangnan East Circuit]] ({{lang|zh-Hant|廣南東路}}) in 971 during the [[Song dynasty]] (960–1279). "Guangnan East" ({{Zh-no-labels|t=廣南東}}) is the source of the name "Guangdong" ({{Zh-no-labels|t=廣東|s=广东|first=t}}).<ref>{{Cite book|script-title=zh:中国历史地名大词典|last1=史为乐 (Shǐ Wéilì)|last2=邓自欣 (Dèng Zìxīn)|last3=朱玲玲 (Zhū Línglíng)|publisher=China Social Sciences Press|year=2005|isbn=978-7500449294|editor-last=史为乐 (Shǐ Wéilì)|edition=1st|location=Beijing|language=zh-Hans-cn|trans-title=Large Dictionary of Chinese Historical Place Names|oclc=61167815}}</ref>{{Page reference|227}}
[[File:Dim Sum Breakfast.jpg|thumb|Cantonese food]]
As time passed, the demographics of what is now Guangdong gradually shifted to ([[Han people|Han]]){{when|date=February 2020}} Chinese dominance as the populations intermingled due to commerce along the great canals. From the fall of the Han dynasty onwards, it shifted more abruptly through massive migration from [[Northern China|the north]] during periods of political turmoil and nomadic incursions. For example, internal strife in northern China following [[An Lushan Rebellion|the rebellion]] of [[An Lushan]] resulted in a 75% increase in the population of Guangzhou prefecture between the 740s–750s and 800s–810s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhyz.org/yxx/jxzy/zy/zy48.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030529135953/http://www.nhyz.org/yxx/jxzy/zy/zy48.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 May 2003 |title=nhyz.org |publisher=nhyz.org |access-date=25 April 2012 }}</ref> As more migrants arrived, the local population was gradually [[Sinicization|assimilated to Han Chinese culture]]<ref>{{cite journal|pmid=11836649 |title=  Phylogeographic differentiation of mitochondrial DNA in Han Chinese|journal=  The American Journal of Human Genetics|date= March 2002|doi=10.1086/338999 |volume=70 |issue=3 |pmc=384943 |pages=635–51|last1=  Yao|first1=  Yong-Gang|last2=  Kong|first2=  Qing-Peng|last3=  Bandelt|first3=  Hans-Jürgen|last4=  Kivisild|first4=  Toomas|last5=  Zhang|first5=  Ya-Ping}}</ref> or displaced.

As [[Mongol conquest of the Song dynasty|Mongols]] from the north engaged in their [[Mongol conquest of China|conquest of China]] in the 13th century, the [[Southern Song]] court fled southwards from its capital in [[Hangzhou]]. The defeat of the Southern Song court by Mongol naval forces in The [[Battle of Yamen]] 1279 in Guangdong marked the end of the Southern Song dynasty (960–1279).<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://world.time.com/2013/06/15/exiled-in-hong-kong-famous-company-for-edward-snowden/slide/the-southern-sung-emperors/ |title=The Southern Song Emperors |magazine=Time |date=13 June 2013 |access-date=7 February 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829110014/http://world.time.com/2013/06/15/exiled-in-hong-kong-famous-company-for-edward-snowden/slide/the-southern-sung-emperors/ |archive-date=29 August 2017 |last1=Trivedi |first1=Anjani }}</ref>

During the Mongol [[Yuan dynasty]], large parts of current Guangdong belonged to [[Jiangxi]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Zhang Tingyu |display-authors=etal |year=1739|title=[[History of Ming]] |volume=45 |chapter=Records XXI, Geography VI |quote={{lang|zh-hant|廣東《禹貢》揚州之域及揚州徼外。元置廣東道宣慰使司，治廣州路。屬江西行中書省。|nocat=true}}|language=zh}}</ref> Its present name, "Guangdong Province" was given in early [[Ming dynasty]].

Since the 16th century, Guangdong has had extensive trade links with the rest of the world. European merchants coming northwards via the [[Straits of Malacca]] and the [[South China Sea]], particularly the [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] and [[British people|British]], traded extensively through Guangzhou. [[Macau]], on the southern coast of Guangdong, was the first European settlement in 1557.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}}

In the 19th century, the [[opium trade]]d through Guangzhou triggered the [[First Opium War]], opening an era of Western imperialists' incursion and intervention in China. In addition to [[Portuguese Macau|Macau]], which was then a [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese colony]], Hong Kong was ceded to the British, and [[Leased Territory of Guangzhouwan|Kouang-Tchéou-Wan]] (modern day area of [[Zhanjiang]]) to the [[French colonial empire|French]].{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}
[[File:中国广东省江门市台山上川岛 China Guangdong Province, Jiangmen City - panoramio (10).jpg|thumb|Jiangmen beaches, Guangdong]]
Due to the large number of people that emigrated out of the Guangdong province, and in particular the ease of immigration from Hong Kong to other parts of the [[British Empire]] (later [[British Commonwealth]]), many overseas Chinese communities have their origins in Guangdong and/or Cantonese culture. In particular, the [[Cantonese]], [[Hakka]], [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]] dialects have proportionately more speakers among overseas Chinese people than Mandarin-speaking Chinese. Additionally, many Taishanese-speaking Chinese [[Chinese emigration|emigrated]] to Western countries, with the results that many Western versions of Chinese words were derived from the Cantonese dialects rather than through the mainstream Mandarin language, such as "[[dim sum]]".   Some Mandarin Chinese words originally of foreign origin also came from the original foreign language by way of Cantonese. For example, the Mandarin word ''{{transliteration|zh|níngméng}}'' ({{lang-zh|s=柠檬|t=檸檬}}), meaning "Lemon", came from Cantonese, in which the characters are pronounced as ''{{transliteration|zh|lìng mung}}''.<ref>{{cite book
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h5e8Za8sEJAC&q=Shanghainese+origin+lemon+mm+ningmeng+Cantonese+origin:+lihngmung+lemonade+%23+MK*+ningmeng+shui+lemon+time+wmmw+ningmeng+shijian+lepton+w%26m+leibodun+Leveler+/+B%C2%BB%26:%C2%A3+niweila+dang+(political+party)+liaison+mm+lianyong+libido+Wc%26+laibiduo&pg=PA364
|title=Translingual practice: literature, national culture, and translated modernity—China, 1900–1937
|year=1995
|author=Lydia He Liu
|publisher=Stanford University Press
|edition=illustrated, annotated
|isbn=978-0-8047-2535-4
|quote=last car {{lang|zh-hant|拉斯卡|nocat=true}} lasi ka Shanghainese origin lemon {{lang|zh-hant|檸檬|nocat=true}} ningmeng Cantonese origin: lihngmung lemonade # MK* ningmeng shui lemon time wmmw ningmeng shijian lepton w&m leibodun Leveler / B»&:£ niweila dang (political party) liaison mm lianyong libido Wc& laibiduo
|page=364
|access-date=8 December 2011}}()</ref> In the United States, there is a large number of Chinese who are descendants of immigrants from the [[county-level city]] of [[Taishan, Guangdong|Taishan]] (Toisan in Cantonese), who speak a distinctive dialect related to Cantonese called [[Taishanese]] (or Toishanese).

During the 1850s, the [[Taiping Heavenly Kingdom]], whose leader [[Hong Xiuquan]] was born in Guangdong and received a pamphlet from a Protestant Christian missionary in Guangdong, was allied with a local Guangdong [[Red Turban Rebellion (1854–1856)]]. Because of direct contact with the West, Guangdong was the centre of anti-Manchu and anti-imperialist activity. The generally acknowledged founder of modern China, [[Sun Yat-sen]], was also from Guangdong.

===20th century===
During the early 1920s of the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]], Guangdong was the staging area for the [[Kuomintang]] (KMT) to prepare for the [[Northern Expedition (1926–1927)|Northern Expedition]], an effort to bring the various [[warlord era|warlords]] of China back under a unified central government. The [[Whampoa Military Academy]] was built near Guangzhou to train military commanders.
[[File:广东省台山下川岛的海湾 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|410x410px|Taishan Xiachuan Island, Guangdong]]
At the end of the [[Chinese Civil War]] Guangdong became one of the [[Nationalist government]]'s final footholds in [[Mainland China]], with Guangzhou temporarily serving as the [[Kuomintang]]'s provisional capitol. The [[People's Liberation Army]] seized control of the province after the [[retreat of the government of the Republic of China to Taiwan]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dikötter |first=Frank |title=The Tragedy of Liberation: A History of the Chinese Revolution, 1945–1957 |date=2013 |publisher=Bloomsbury Press |isbn=978-1-62040-347-1 |edition=1 |location=London |pages=31–32}}</ref>

The new [[Chinese Communist Party]] administration issued harsh taxes, requisitioning between 22 and 60 percent of grain annually. However, the local party boss Fang Fang tried to moderate [[Land Reform Movement (China)|Chinese land reform policy]] in order to protect successful businesses in the [[Pearl River Delta]], landholdings by [[overseas Chinese]] seeking to eventually return to the country, and commercial relations with [[British Hong Kong]]. In response [[Mao Zedong]] purged Fang and thousands of cadres from the province in 1952, sending [[Tao Zhu]] to implement a much harsher program under the slogan "Every Village Bleeds, Every Household Fights."{{Sfn|Dikötter|2013|p=76–81}}

During [[Reform and opening up|Reform and Opening Up]], Guangdong was supported by the central government to be "one step ahead" of the rest of the country.<ref name=":53">{{Cite book |last=Santos |first=Gonçalo |title=Chinese Village Life Today: Building Families in an Age of Transition |date=2021 |publisher=[[University of Washington Press]] |isbn=978-0-295-74738-5 |location=Seattle |pages=}}</ref>{{Rp|page=43}} Most major cities in Guangdong underwent liberalizing economic reforms in the mid-1980s.<ref name=":53" />{{Rp|page=43}} Since Reform and Opening Up, the province has seen extremely rapid economic growth, aided in part by its close trading links with [[Hong Kong]], which borders it. It is now the province with the highest gross domestic product in China.

In 1952, a small section of Guangdong's coastline ([[Qinzhou]], Lianzhou (now [[Hepu County]]), [[Fangchenggang]] and [[Beihai]]) was given to Guangxi, giving it access to the sea. This was reversed in 1955, and then restored in 1965. [[Hainan]] Island was originally part of Guangdong, but it was separated into its own province in 1988.

== Geography ==
[[File:广州最美乡村—红山村 - panoramio (32).jpg|left|thumb|A horse in Hongshan village]]
Guangdong faces the [[South China Sea]] to the south and has a total of {{convert|4,300|km|abbr=on}} of coastline. The [[Leizhou Peninsula]] is on the southwestern end of the province. There are a few inactive [[volcanoes]] on Leizhou Peninsula. The [[Pearl River Delta]] is the convergent point of three upstream rivers: the [[Dong Jiang|East River]], [[Bei Jiang|North River]], and [[Xi Jiang|West River]]. The [[river delta]] is filled with hundreds of small islands. The province is geographically separated from the north by a few [[mountain range]]s collectively called the [[Nan Mountains]] (Nan Ling). The highest peak in the province is [[Shikengkong]] with an elevation of {{convert|6,240|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above sea level.[[File:虎门大桥.JPG|{{center|[[Pearl River (China)|Pearl River]] and [[Humen Pearl River Bridge|Humen Bridge]]}}|right|thumb]]

Guangdong borders [[Fujian]] to the northeast, [[Jiangxi]] and [[Hunan]] to the north, [[Guangxi]] autonomous region to the west, and [[Hong Kong]] and [[Macau]] [[special administrative region (People's Republic of China)|Special Administrative Regions]] to the south. [[Hainan]] is offshore across from the [[Leizhou Peninsula]]. [[Pratas Island]], which were traditionally governed as part of Guangdong, are part of [[Cijin District]], [[Kaoshiung]], [[Taiwan]] (ROC).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/commentary/the-china-post/joe-hung/2009/06/22/213223/Sovereignty-over.htm |title=Sovereignty over the Spratly Islands – The China Post 22 June 2009 |publisher=Chinapost.com.tw |date=22 June 2009 |access-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924083855/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/commentary/the-china-post/joe-hung/2009/06/22/213223/Sovereignty-over.htm |archive-date=24 September 2012 }}</ref> The PRC continues to claim Pratas Island as part of Guangdong under the district of [[Chengqu, Shanwei]].<ref name="sws">{{cite web|url=http://smzt.gd.gov.cn/qhgk/gsqh/200505/sws/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103005408/http://smzt.gd.gov.cn/qhgk/gsqh/200505/sws/|archive-date=3 November 2020|url-status=live|script-title=zh:汕尾市|language=zh-hans|website=广东省民政厅网站|date=May 2005|quote=城区{...}（东沙群岛不是镇建制）}}</ref><ref name="chengqu">{{cite map|url=http://nr.gd.gov.cn/attachment/0/328/328278/2265301.jpg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707201843/http://nr.gd.gov.cn/attachment/0/328/328278/2265301.jpg|archive-date=7 July 2020|date=30 June 2018|language=zh-hans|script-title=zh:城区地图|website=Department of Natural Resources of Guangdong Province {{lang|zh-hans|广东省自然资源厅}}|author={{lang|zh-hans|广东省国土资源厅}}|via=[[Internet Archive]]|quote={{lang|zh-hans|东沙群岛{...}北卫滩{...}南卫滩{...}东沙岛{...}东沙礁}}}}</ref>

Cities around the [[Pearl River Delta]] include [[Dongguan]], [[Foshan]], [[Guangzhou]], [[Huizhou]], [[Jiangmen]], [[Shenzhen]], [[Shunde]], [[Taishan, Guangdong|Taishan]], [[Zhongshan]], and [[Zhuhai]]. Other cities in the province include [[Chaozhou]], [[Chenghai]], [[Nanhai District|Nanhai]], [[Shantou]], [[Shaoguan]], [[Zhanjiang]], [[Zhaoqing]], [[Yangjiang]], and [[Yunfu]].

Guangdong has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cfa'' inland, ''Cwa'' along the coast). Winters are short, mild, and relatively dry, while summers are long, hot, and very wet. Average daily highs in Guangzhou in January and July are {{convert|18|and|33|°C|°F}}, although the humidity makes it feel hotter in summer. Frost is rare on the coast but may happen a few days each winter.

== Economy ==
{{Main|Economy of Guangdong}}

In 2022, Guangdong's GDP was 13.57 trillion [[Renminbi|RMB]] ($1.9 trillion in GDP nominal, $3.78 trillion in [[Purchasing power parity|PPP]]), with a per capita GDP of {{CNY|102,465}} ({{US$|15,234}} in nominal or US$25,016 in [[Purchasing power parity|PPP]]).<ref name="data2022"/> It is the [[List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP per capita|richest province]] in [[South Central China]] region and the seventh richest among all provinces by GDP per capita. Guangdong has been the largest province by GDP since 1989 in [[Mainland China]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=省十三届人大五次会议开幕 李玉妹主持 王伟中作政府工作报告 李希黄楚平王荣等出席 广东省人民政府门户网站|url=http://www.gd.gov.cn/gdywdt/gdyw/content/mpost_3768737.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127080537/http://www.gd.gov.cn/gdywdt/gdyw/content/mpost_3768737.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 January 2022|access-date=2022-01-27|website=www.Guangdong Provincial People's Government}}</ref> Its GDP exceeded that of Australia ($1.70 trillion) and South Korea ($1.67 trillion), the world's 12th and 13th [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|largest economy]], respectively.<ref name="IMF">{{cite web| author = International Monetary Fund| url = https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2023/April| title = World Economic Outlook Database, April 2023| publisher = [[International Monetary Fund]]}}</ref> If it was a country, Guangdong would be the [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|12th-largest economy]] as of 2022 and the [[List of countries and dependencies by population|11th most populous]].<ref name="data2022"/> Compared to country subdivisions in dollar terms, Guangdong's GDP in nominal is larger than all but four [[List of country subdivisions by GDP over 200 billion US dollars|country subdivisions]]: [[California]], [[Texas]], [[New York State]], and [[England]]. Compared to country subdivisions in PPP terms, Guangdong's GDP is larger than all, except California.<ref name="IMF"/> By PPP terms, as of 2022, Guangdong's economy ranked between Turkey and Italy with a GDP of $3.35 trillion and US$3.06 trillion respectively, the [[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|11th and 12th largest in the world]] respectively.<ref name="IMF"/>
[[File:华强电子世界 2.jpg|thumb|upright|Shops in one of the electronic markets of [[Huaqiangbei]], [[Shenzhen]], specialize in selling various electronic components, supplying the needs of local and global consumer electronics manufacturers.]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"
| align=center colspan=10 | '''Historical GDP of Guangdong Province for 1978 –present''' (SNA2008)<ref name="SNA2008">China NBS / ''Bulletin on Reforming Guangdong's GDP Accounting and Data Release System'': [http://www.gdstats.gov.cn/tjzl/tjgb/201712/t20171209_377708.html gdstats.gov.cn (9-Dec-17)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222051233/http://www.gdstats.gov.cn/tjzl/tjgb/201712/t20171209_377708.html |date=22 December 2017 }} (Chinese)</ref><br />(purchasing power parity of Chinese Yuan, as [[Geary–Khamis dollar|Int'l.dollar]] based on IMF WEO October 2017<ref>'''Purchasing power parity''' (PPP) for Chinese yuan is estimate according to [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]] '''''[[World Economic Outlook|WEO]]''''' ([http://www.imf.org/external/ns/cs.aspx?id=28 '''October 2017'''] {{webarchive|url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110717100927/http://www.imf.org/external/ns/cs.aspx?id=28 |date=17 July 2011 }}) data; Exchange rate of CN¥ to US$ is according to State Administration of Foreign Exchange, published on [http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/Statisticaldata/AnnualData/ ''China Statistical Yearbook''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020062416/http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/Statisticaldata/AnnualData/ |date=20 October 2015 }}.</ref>)

|- align=center
| align=center rowspan=3| year
| align=center colspan=4| '''GDP'''
| align=center colspan=3| '''GDP per capita (GDPpc)<br />''' ''based on mid-year population ''
| align=center colspan=2| '''Reference index'''

|- align=center
| align=center colspan=3| GDP  ''in millions''
| align=center rowspan=2| real<br />growth<br />(%)
| align=center colspan=3| GDPpc
| align=center colspan=2| exchange rate<br />''1 foreign currency<br /> to CNY ''

|- align=center
||[[Renminbi|CNY]]
||[[United States dollar|USD]]
||[[Purchasing power parity|PPP]]<br />([[Geary–Khamis dollar|Int'l$.]])
||CNY
||USD
||PPP<br />(Int'l$.)
||USD 1
||Int'l$. 1<br />(PPP)

|- align=right
||2016||8,085,491||1,217,273||2,306,121||7.5||74,016||11,143||21,111||6.6423||3.5061

|- align=right
||2015||7,402,743||1,188,546||2,085,809||8.0||68,629||11,019||19,337||6.2284||3.5491

|- align=right
||2014||6,890,143||1,121,662||1,940,721||7.8||64,491||10,499||18,165||6.1428||3.5503

|- align=right
||2013||6,345,544||1,024,599||1,774,034||8.5||59,756||9,649||16,706||6.1932||3.5769

|- align=right
||2012||5,799,354||918,710||1,633,253||8.2||54,973||8,709||15,482||6.3125||3.5508

|- align=right
||2011||5,395,920||835,437||1,539,273||10.0||51,523||7,977||14,698||6.4588||3.5055

|- align=right
||2010||4,657,712||688,044||1,406,909||12.4||45,284||6,689||13,678||6.7695||3.3106

|- align=right
||2005||2,272,329||277,394||794,799||14.1||24,828||3,031||8,684||8.1917||2.8590

|- align=right
||2000||1,081,021||130,583||397,536||11.5||12,818||1,548||4,714||8.2784||2.7193

|- align=right
||1990||155,903||32,594||91,568||11.6||2,484||519||1,459||4.7832||1.7026

|- align=right
||1980||24,965||16,661||16,693||16.6||481||321||322||1.4984||1.4955

|- align=right
||1978||18,585||11,039||||1.0||370||220||||1.6836||
|}

After the [[Chinese Revolution (1949)|communist revolution]] and until the start of the [[Deng Xiaoping]] reforms in 1978, Guangdong was an economic backwater, although a large underground, service-based economy has always existed. Economic development policies encouraged industrial development in the interior provinces which were weakly joined to [[Transport in Guangdong|Guangdong via transportation links]]. The government policy of economic [[autarky]] made Guangdong's access to the ocean irrelevant.{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}}

Deng Xiaoping's open door policy radically changed the economy of the province as it was able to take advantage of its access to the ocean, proximity to Hong Kong, and historical links to [[overseas Chinese]]. Guangdong was one of the first provinces to receive permission from the central government to receive foreign investment.<ref name=":26">{{Cite book |last=Ang |first=Yuen Yuen |url= |title=How China Escaped the Poverty Trap |date=2016 |publisher=[[Cornell University Press]] |isbn=978-1-5017-0020-0 |doi= |jstor=10.7591/j.ctt1zgwm1j |author-link=Yuen Yuen Ang}}</ref>{{Rp|page=148}} In addition, until the 1990s when the [[Tax system in China|Chinese taxation system]] was reformed, the province benefited from the relatively low rate of taxation placed on it by the central government due to its post-Liberation status of being economically backward.{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}}
[[File:Shenzhen city montage.png|thumb|507x507px|Shenzhen famous building and tourist attractions]]
Guangdong's economic boom began with the early 1990s and has since spread to neighboring provinces, and also pulled their populations inward. The economic growth of Guangdong province owes much to the low-value-added manufacturing which characterized (and in many ways still defines) the province's economy following [[Deng Xiaoping]]'s reforms. Guangdong is not only China's largest exporter of goods, it is the country's largest importer as well.<ref name="thechinaperspective1">{{cite web |url=http://www.thechinaperspective.com/topics/province/guangdong-province/ |title=Guangdong Province: Economic News and Statistics for Guangdong's Economy |publisher=The China Perspective |access-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502105943/http://thechinaperspective.com/topics/province/guangdong-province/ |archive-date=2 May 2012 }}</ref>

The province is now one of the richest in the nation, with the most billionaires in mainland China,<ref>{{cite web|author=Zheng Huiyuan |url=http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?cid=1302&MainCatID=13&id=20101110000174 |title=Guangdong Has Most Billionaires in China  |publisher=WantChinaTimes.com |date=10 November 2010 |access-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314232138/http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?cid=1302&MainCatID=13&id=20101110000174 |archive-date=14 March 2012 }}</ref> the highest GDP among all the provinces, although wage growth has only recently begun to rise due to a large influx of migrant workers from neighboring provinces. By 2015, the local government of Guangdong hopes that the service industry will account for more than 50&nbsp;percent of the provinces GDP and high-tech manufacturing another 20&nbsp;percent.<ref name="thechinaperspective1"/>

In 2021, Guangdong's primary, secondary, and tertiary industries were worth 534 billion RMB (US$79.4 billion), 5.28 trillion RMB (US$785.6 billion), and 7.09 trillion RMB (US$1.05 trillion), respectively.<ref name="data2022"/> Guangdong contributes approximately 10.6% of the total national economic output.<ref name="data2022"/> Now, it has three of the six [[Special Economic Zones of the People's Republic of China|Special Economic Zones]]: [[Shenzhen]], [[Shantou]] and [[Zhuhai]]. The affluence of Guangdong, however, remains very concentrated near the [[Pearl River Delta]].

===Economic and technological development zones===
* [[Shenzhen]] Export Processing Zone
* Shenzhen [[Futian]] Free Trade Zone<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/shenzhen-futian-free-trade-zone/ |title=Shenzhen Futian Free Trade Zone |publisher=RightSite.asia |access-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426182059/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/shenzhen-futian-free-trade-zone |archive-date=26 April 2012 }}</ref>
* Shenzhen Hi-Tech Industrial Park
* [[Yantian]] Port Free Trade Zone
* [[Foshan]] National New & Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/foshan-hi-tech-development-zone/ |title=Foshan Hi-Tech Development Zone |publisher=RightSite.asia |access-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426182040/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/foshan-hi-tech-development-zone |archive-date=26 April 2012 }}</ref>
* [[Guangzhou]] Development District
* Guangzhou Export Processing Zone
* Guangzhou Free Trade Zone
* Guangzhou Nansha Economic and Technical Development Zone
* Guangzhou Nanhu Lake Tourist Holiday Resort (Chinese Version)
* Guangzhou New & Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone
* [[Huizhou]] Dayawan Economic and Technological Development Zone
* Huizhou Export Processing Zone
* Huizhou Zhongkai Hi-Tech Development Zone
* [[Nansha Subdistrict|Nansha]] Free Trade Zone
* [[Shantou]] Free Trade Zone
* [[Shatoujiao]] Free Trade Zone
* [[Zhanjiang]] Economic and Technological Development Zone (Chinese Version)
* [[Zhuhai]] National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone
* Zhuhai Free Trade Zone
* [[Zhongshan]] Torch High-tech Industrial Development Zone

== Demographics ==
{{Historical populations
|title       = Historical population
|footnote    = Hainan Province part of Guangdong Province until 1988.<br />Guangzhou part of Guangdong Province until 1947; dissolved in 1954 and incorporated into Guangdong Province.
|1912<ref>{{cite web |script-title=ja:1912年中国人口|url=http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo2.html|access-date=6 March 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032922/http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo2.html|archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref>  |28,011,000
|1928<ref>{{cite web |script-title=ja:1928年中国人口|url=http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo3.htm|access-date=6 March 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032924/http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo3.htm|archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> |32,428,000
|1936–37<ref>{{cite web |script-title=ja:1936–37年中国人口|url=http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo4.htm|access-date=6 March 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032925/http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo4.htm|archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> |32,453,000
|1947<ref>{{cite web |script-title=ja:1947年全国人口|url=http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo5.htm|access-date=6 March 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913053600/http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/discussionpapers/DP97.9/fhyo5.htm|archive-date=13 September 2013}}</ref> |27,210,000
|1954<ref name="census1954">{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16767.htm |script-title=zh:中华人民共和国国家统计局关于第一次全国人口调查登记结果的公报 |trans-title=People's Republic of China National Bureau of Statistics communiqué on the results of the first national population census|publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805174810/http://www.stats.gov.cn/TJGB/RKPCGB/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16767.htm |archive-date=5 August 2009 }}</ref> |34,770,059
|1964<ref name="census1964">{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16768.htm |script-title=zh:第二次全国人口普查结果的几项主要统计数字 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120914173158/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16768.htm |archive-date=14 September 2012 }}</ref> |42,800,849
|1982<ref name="census1982">{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16769.htm |script-title=zh:中华人民共和国国家统计局关于一九八二年人口普查主要数字的公报 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510075429/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16769.htm |archive-date=10 May 2012 }}</ref> |59,299,220
|1990<ref name="census1990">{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16772.htm |script-title=zh:中华人民共和国国家统计局关于一九九〇年人口普查主要数据的公报 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619002216/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020404_16772.htm |archive-date=19 June 2012 }}</ref> |62,829,236
|2000<ref name="census2000">{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020331_15435.htm |script-title=zh:现将2000年第五次全国人口普查快速汇总的人口地区分布数据公布如下 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829052024/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20020331_15435.htm |archive-date=29 August 2012 }}</ref> |85,225,007
|2010<ref name="census2010">{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/newsandcomingevents/t20110429_402722516.htm |title=Communiqué of the National Bureau of Statistics of People's Republic of China on Major Figures of the 2010 Population Census |publisher=[[National Bureau of Statistics of China]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727021210/http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/newsandcomingevents/t20110429_402722516.htm |archive-date=27 July 2013 }}</ref> |104,303,132
|2020<ref name="stats.gov.cn" />|126,012,510
}}
Guangdong officially became the [[List of People's Republic of China administrative divisions by population|most populous province]] in 2005.<ref name="English people.com.cn">{{Cite web|url=http://english.people.com.cn/200501/30/eng20050130_172366.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060310192937/http://english.people.com.cn/200501/30/eng20050130_172366.html|url-status=dead|website=People's Daily Online |title=Guangdong becomes most populous province |archivedate=10 March 2006}}</ref><ref name="Chinadaily.com"/> Official statistics had traditionally placed Guangdong as the fourth-most populous province of China with about 80&nbsp;million people, though an influx of migrants, temporary workers, and newly settled individuals numbered around 30&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://media.163.com/05/0201/11/1BGKCSFN0014183O.html |title=media163 |publisher=media163 |access-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625190924/http://media.163.com/05/0201/11/1BGKCSFN0014183O.html |archive-date=25 June 2012 }}</ref> The massive influx of migrants from other provinces, dubbed the "floating population", is due to Guangdong's booming economy and high demand for labor. If Guangdong were an independent nation, it would rank among the [[List of countries and dependencies by population|twelfth largest countries of the world by population]].

===Urbanization===
[[File:Guangzhou skyline.jpg|{{center|[[Guangzhou]] is one of the largest cities in the People's Republic of China.}}|left|thumb]]
In 2021, Guangdong's population is 74.6% urban and 25.4% rural.<ref name="data2022"/>

===Genealogy===
Guangdong is the ancestral home of large numbers of [[overseas Chinese]]. Most of the railroad laborers in [[Canada]], the [[Western United States]] and [[Panama]] in the 19th century came from Guangdong, especially the [[Siyi]] area. Many people from the region also traveled to [[California]] and other parts of the [[United States]] during the [[California Gold Rush|gold rush of 1849]], and also to [[Colonial Australia|Australia]] during its [[Australian gold rushes|gold rush]] a decade or so later.

===Languages and ethnicities===
The majority of the province's population is [[Han Chinese]], though the Han population is so diverse that the province has been called the "treasure trove of regional languages" ({{lang|zh|方言寶庫}}).<ref>{{citation|last=Li|first=Rong|title={{lang|zh|中國語言地圖集}}|author-link=Li Rong (linguist)|trans-title=Language Atlas of China|edition=2|publisher=The Commercial Press|language=zh|year=2012|isbn=978-7-100-07054-6|postscript=.}}</ref> Within the Han Chinese, the largest subgroup in Guangdong are the [[Cantonese people]], with significant [[Hakka people|Hakka]] and [[Teochew people|Teoswa]] populations east of the Pearl River Delta. Guangdong is also home to small [[Yao people|Mien]], [[She people|She]], [[Hmong people|Hmong]], [[Li Chinese|Li]], and [[Zhuang people|Zhuang]] minorities.

====Yue Chinese====
{{main|Yue Chinese}}
Guangdong is the traditional heartland of Yue Chinese ({{lang-zh|t=粵語|s=粤语|p=yuèyǔ|j=jyut<sup>6</sup> jyu<sup>5</sup>}}), which has a high degree of internal diversity. The vast majority of these speakers live at or west the [[Pearl River Delta]]. A total of {{sigfig|35810000|4}} Yue Chinese speakers live in Guangdong.{{sfnp|Li|2012|page=160}}

[[Cantonese]] and other Yue varieties spoken at the delta such as [[Weitou dialect|Waitaunese]] and [[Shiqi dialect|Shiqi Yue]] make up the greatest number of speakers, numbering at around {{sigfig|20720000|4}} speakers.{{sfnp|Li|2012|page=161}} Due to the large overseas population and cultural impact of [[Cantopop]] and Cantonese television shows, Cantonese is a well-known variety of Chinese throughout the world.

[[Siyi Yue|Siyi]] or Szeyap Yue, including [[Hoisanese]], is spoken in much of [[Jiangmen]] prefecture, numbering at around {{sigfig|3880000|3}} speakers.{{sfnp|Li|2012|page=161}} Siyi was once the representative variety of Chinese in many [[Chinese American]] communities.

====Hakka Chinese====
{{main|Hakka Chinese}}
The highlands of the [[Jiangxi]]-[[Fujian]]-Guangdong tripoint are the traditional heartland of the Hakka Chinese ({{lang-zh|s=客家话|t=客家話|p=kèjiāhuà|j=haak<sup>3</sup> gaa<sup>1</sup> waa<sup>6-2</sup>}}; [[Meizhou dialect|Moiyenese]]: ''hag<sup>5</sup> ga<sup>1</sup> fa<sup>4</sup>'')-speaking people, and [[Meizhou]] is often dubbed the capital of Hakka culture. Downhill Hakka migrations started in the [[early modern period]], and due to them being newcomers to the lowlands, they were dubbed "guest families" by the original inhabitants (the [[Punti]]s). There are around {{sigfig|20000000|4}} Neo-Hakka speakers in Guangdong, of which {{sigfig|2000000|3}} live significantly west of the traditional Hakka area.

====Min Chinese====
{{main|Teochew Min|Leizhou Min}}
Teoswa or Chaoshan Min ({{lang-zh|t=潮汕話|s=潮汕话|p=cháoshànhuà|j=ciu<sup>4</sup> saan<sup>3</sup> waa<sup>6-2</sup>}}; [[Peng'im]]: ''diê<sup>5</sup> suan<sup>1</sup> uê<sup>7</sup>'') is spoken primarily in the [[Chaoshan]] area, that is to say, [[Chaozhou]], [[Jieyang]], [[Shantou]], and [[Shanwei]] prefectures, by around {{sigfig|14120000|4}} speakers.{{sfnp|Li|2012|page=161}} It is a [[Southern Min]] branch, but has little mutual intelligibility with [[Hokkien]].

Leizhou Min ({{lang-zh|t=黎話|s=黎话|p=líhuà|j=leoi<sup>4</sup> waa<sup>6-2</sup>}}; Leizhounese: [{{IPA|lɔi˨ ue˧˥}}]) is spoken primarily in the Leizhou peninsula of [[Zhanjiang]] prefecture by around {{sigfig|4510000|3}} speakers.{{sfnp|Li|2012|page=161}} It is closely related to [[Hainanese]].

====Other Chinese====
Around {{sigfig|500000|2}} speakers of [[Shaozhou Tuhua]] live in small communities in [[Shaoguan]] prefecture, typically surrounded by Hakka speakers.{{sfnp|Li|2012|page=161}} These varieties have been observed to be similar to Hakka, and have been dubbed "Paleo-Hakka" by, for instance, [[W. South Coblin]].

There are also around {{sigfig|40000|2}} [[Southwestern Mandarin]] speakers in Guangdong, with around half of them being remnants of Northern ''[[juntun]]'' [<small>[[:zh:軍屯|zh]]</small>] that date back to the [[Ming dynasty]]. These communities largely live in small villages in coastal eastern Guangdong in places such as [[Haifeng]] and [[Huidong County, Guangdong|Huidong]] counties. The other half live in parts of [[Lechang]] close to [[Hunan]] province, which explains the Mandarin language they use.{{sfnp|Li|2012|page=161}}

===Gender ratio===
Guangdong has a highly unbalanced gender ratio that is among the highest of all provinces in China. According to a 2009 study published in [[The BMJ|''The British Medical Journal'']], in the 1–4 age group, there are over 130 boys for every 100 girls.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.bmj.com/content/338/bmj.b1211.full |title=China's excess males, sex selective abortion, and one child policy: analysis of data from 2005 national intercensus survey|journal=BMJ |date=9 April 2009 |volume=338 |pages=b1211 |publisher=bmj.com |doi=10.1136/bmj.b1211 |access-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120101005559/http://www.bmj.com/content/338/bmj.b1211.full |archive-date=1 January 2012 |last1=Zhu |first1=Wei Xing |last2=Lu |first2=Li |last3=Hesketh |first3=Therese |pmid=19359290 |pmc=2667570 }}</ref>

===Religion===
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Guangdong (2012)<ref name="CFPS2012">{{cite web |trans-title=China Family Panel Studies 2012 |url=http://iwr.cass.cn/zjwh/201403/W020140303370398758556.pdf |script-title=zh:当代中国宗教状况报告——基于CFPS（2012）调查数据 |publisher=[[Chinese Academy of Social Sciences]] |language=zh-hans |date=3 March 2014 |page=13 |access-date=7 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809051625/http://iwr.cass.cn/zjwh/201403/W020140303370398758556.pdf |archive-date=9 August 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|label1 = [[Irreligious]] or [[Chinese folk religion|folk religion]]
|value1 = 90.7
|color1 = DarkRed
|label2 = [[Buddhism in China|Buddhism]]
|value2 = 6.2
|color2 = Gold
|label3 = [[Protestantism in China|Protestantism]]
|value3 = 1.9
|color3 = Blue
|label4 = [[Catholicism]]
|value4 = 1.2
|color4 = Purple
}}
According to a 2012 survey<ref name="CFPS2012"/> only around 7% of the population of Guangdong belongs to organised religions, the largest groups being [[Buddhism in China|Buddhists]] with 6.2%, followed by [[Protestantism in China|Protestants]] with 1.8% and [[Catholicism in China|Catholics]] with 1.2%. Around 90% of the population is either irreligious or may be involved in [[Chinese folk religion]] worshipping [[Shen (Chinese religion)|nature gods, ancestral deities]], [[Chinese salvationist religions|popular sects]], [[Taoism|Taoist traditions]], [[Chinese Buddhism|Buddhist religious traditions]] & [[Ruism|Confucian religious traditions]].

According to a survey conducted in 2007, 43.71% of the population believes and is involved in [[Chinese ancestral religion|ancestor veneration]],<ref>Chinese Spiritual Life Survey (CSLS) 2007. Results reported by: [https://baylor-ir.tdl.org/baylor-ir/bitstream/handle/2104/9326/WANG-THESIS-2015.pdf?sequence=1 Xiuhua Wang (2015, p. 15)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925123928/https://baylor-ir.tdl.org/baylor-ir/bitstream/handle/2104/9326/WANG-THESIS-2015.pdf?sequence=1 |date=25 September 2015 }}</ref> the traditional Chinese religion of the lineages organised into [[lineage church]]es and [[ancestral shrine]]s.

{{multiple image
| align             = center
| direction         = horizontal
| width             = 150
| image1            = 容桂雨花寺.jpg
| caption1          = The Buddhist Yuhua Temple in [[Ronggui Subdistrict|Ronggui]], [[Shunde]]
| image2            = Wong Tai Sin Temple Canton.jpg
| caption2          = Temple of [[Huang Daxian]] in [[Guangzhou]]
| image3            = Guangzhou Nanhaishen Miao 2013.10.01 10-31-35.jpg
| caption3          = Temple of Nanhaishen (God of the Southern Sea) in Guangzhou
| image4            = Chiwan Tianhou Temple 20140515.JPG
| caption4          = Temple of [[Mazu (deity)|Tianhou]] in [[Chiwan]], [[Shenzhen]]
| image5            = 揭阳城隍庙.JPG
| caption5          = Temple of the [[Chenghuangshen]] (City God) of [[Jieyang]]
| image6            = Guangzhou Dafo Si 2014.01.26 14-46-33.jpg
| caption6          = Temple of the Great Buddha in Guangzhou
}}

== Politics ==
{{Main|Politics of Guangdong}}
{{Main list|List of provincial leaders of the People's Republic of China}}

Like all [[Politics of China|governing institutions in mainland China]], Guangdong has a parallel party-government system,<ref name="PoliticalSystem2">{{cite web |last1=Lawrence |first1=Susan |last2=Martin |first2=Michael |date=20 March 2013 |title=Understanding China's Political System |url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R41007.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108131300/http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R41007.pdf |archive-date=8 January 2012 |access-date=28 September 2019 |website=Federation of American Scientists |publisher=Congressional Research Service}}</ref> in which the [[Party Secretary of Guangdong|CCP Guangdong Provincial Committee Secretary]] outranks the [[Governor of Guangdong|Governor]].<ref>{{cite news |date=23 January 2007 |script-title=zh:党委书记权力究竟有多大？ |trans-title=How much power does a Party Secretary really have? |url=http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/30178/5316277.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702211524/http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/30178/5316277.html |archive-date=2 July 2018 |access-date=29 April 2018 |publisher=[[People's Daily]] Press |language=zh-cn |script-work=zh:人民论坛}}</ref> The [[Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party|CCP Guangdong Provincial Committee]] acts as the top policy-formulation body, and has control over the [[Guangdong Provincial People's Government]].

=== Law enforcement and emergency services ===
Provincial law enforcement in Guangdong is provided by the [[Guangdong Public Security Department|Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department]].<ref>http://gdga.gd.gov.cn/attachment/0/557/557565/4480999.pdf, 2023年度广东省公安厅部门决算, Guangdong Public Security Department</ref> The {{Ill|People's Armed Police Guangdong Corps|zh|中国人民武装警察部队广东省总队}} provides paramilitary law enforcement and disaster relief in the province<ref>{{Cite web |title=黄楚平率团慰问武警广东总队某部官兵-广东人大网 |url=https://www.gdpc.gov.cn/gdrdw/gdrd/zrhycy/hcp/gdbd/content/post_199227.html |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=www.gdpc.gov.cn}}</ref> while the {{Ill|Guangdong Provincial Fire and Rescue Department|zh|广东省消防救援总队}} provides firefighting and rescue services in the province.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Xu |last2=Chen |first2=Bowen |last3=Shi |first3=Ruipeng |title=Talim lands twice, heads for Vietnam |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202307/19/WS64b713f2a31035260b817275.html |access-date=19 March 2025 |work=[[China Daily]] |date=19 July 2023 |quotation=Cui Gang, a public relations director of the Guangdong Fire and Rescue Corps, said his team had dispatched 440 firefighters to Zhanjiang, Maoming and other areas before the arrival of Talim.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |script-title=zh:广东省专职消防队建设管理规定 |trans-title=Provisions on the Construction and Management of Professional Fire and Rescue Corps in Guangdong Province |url=https://gd.119.gov.cn/zwgk/flfg/content/post_4500139.html |website=Guangdong Fire and Rescue Corps}}</ref>

The primary domestic intelligence and security agency in Guangdong is the [[Guangdong State Security Department|Guangdong Provincial state security department]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=国家安全机关是一支怎样的队伍？广东省国安厅有关负责人接受采访_南方网 |trans-title=What kind of team are the national security organs? The relevant person in charge of the Guangdong Provincial Department of State Security was interviewed |url=https://news.southcn.com/node_54a44f01a2/13cfe4bcb2.shtml |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=[[Nanfang Daily|Southern Daily]] |language=zh}}</ref> 

Corrections facilities in Guangdong are managed by the [[Guangdong Prison Administrative Bureau]].<ref>http://gdjyj.gd.gov.cn/attachment/0/557/557482/4480842.pdf, 2023年度广东省监狱管理局部门决算, Guangdong Prison Administrative Bureau</ref>

=== Dissent ===
According to [[Freedom House]]'s China Dissent Monitor, Guangdong accounted for 17% of dissent events in the first quarter of 2024 – over 100 events despite heavy [[Censorship in China]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://freedomhouse.org/report/china-dissent-monitor/2024/issue-7-january-march-2024|title= China Dissent Monitor 2024 Issue 7: January – March 2024{{!}} Freedom House|website=freedomhouse.org|language=en|access-date=2024-05-28}}</ref> In 2024, Freedom House rated China as below zero on political rights (−2 out of 40).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/china/freedom-world/2024|title=Freedom in the World 2024: China{{!}} Freedom House|website=freedomhouse.org|language=en|access-date=2024-05-28}}</ref>

=== Relations with Hong Kong and Macau ===
[[Hong Kong]] and [[Macau]], while historically parts of Guangdong before becoming colonies of the United Kingdom and Portugal, respectively, are [[Special administrative region of the People's Republic of China|special administrative regions]] (SARs). Furthermore, the [[Basic Law]]s of both SARs explicitly forbid [[Provinces of China|provincial governments]] from intervening in local politics. As a result, many issues with Hong Kong and Macau, such as border policy and water rights, have been settled by negotiations between the SARs' governments and the [[Government of Guangdong|Guangdong provincial government]].

== Media ==
Guangdong and the greater Guangzhou area are served by several [[Radio Guangdong]] stations, [[Guangdong Television]], [[Southern Television Guangdong]], [[Shenzhen Television]], and [[Guangzhou Television]]. There is an English programme produced by [[Radio Guangdong]] which broadcasts information about this region to the entire world through the [[WRN Broadcast]].

== Culture ==
{{Main|Lingnan culture}}
{{Further|Cantonese cuisine|Music of Guangdong}}

{{unreferenced section|date=July 2014}}
[[File:3 pieces of har gow at Plum Blossom Room 20230125.jpg|thumb|The [[har gow]] are classical Cantonese dumplings served as dim sum.]]
The central region, which is also the political and economic center, is populated predominantly by [[Yue Chinese]] speakers, though the influx in the last three decades of millions of [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]]-speaking immigrants has slightly diminished Cantonese linguistic dominance. This region is associated with [[Cantonese cuisine]]. [[Dim sum|Dim Sum]] is one famous example of Cantonese cuisine, dividing Cantonese food into small portions and served with small dishes. [[Cantonese opera]] is a form of [[Chinese opera]] popular in Cantonese speaking areas. Related Yue dialects are spoken in most of the western half of the province.

The area comprising the cities of [[Chaozhou]], [[Shantou]] and [[Jieyang]] in coastal east Guangdong, known as [[Chaoshan]], forms its own cultural sphere. The [[Teochew people]] here, along with [[Hailufeng dialect|Hailufeng Min]] people in [[Shanwei]], speak [[Hokkien]], which is a [[Min Chinese|Min]] dialect closely related to mainstream [[Hokkien|Southern Min]] (Hokkien) and their cuisine is [[Chiuchow cuisine|Teochew cuisine]]. [[Teochew opera]] is also well-known and has a unique form.

The [[Hakka people]] live in large areas of Guangdong, including [[Huizhou]], [[Meizhou]], [[Shenzhen]], [[Heyuan]], [[Shaoguan]] and other areas. Much of the Eastern part of Guangdong is populated by the Hakka people except for the Chaozhou and Hailufeng area. Hakka culture include [[Hakka cuisine]], Han opera ({{lang-zh|s=汉剧 |t=漢劇}}), Hakka ''Hanyue'' and ''sixian'' (traditional instrumental music) and Hakka folk songs ({{lang|zh|客家山歌}}).
[[File:Puning, Jieyang, Guangdong, China - panoramio (123).jpg|thumb|Jieyang architecture]]
The outcast [[Tanka people]] traditionally live on boats throughout the coasts and rivers of Guangdong and much of Southern China.

[[Zhanjiang]] in southern Guangdong is dominated by the [[Leizhou Min|Leizhou dialect]], a variety of [[Min language|Minnan]]; Cantonese and Hakka are also spoken there.

Mandarin is the language used in education and government and in areas where there are migrants from other provinces, above all in Shenzhen. Cantonese maintains a strong and dominant position in common usage and media, even in eastern areas of the province where the local languages and dialects are non-Yue ones.

Guangdong Province is notable for being the birthplace of many famous [[Xiangqi]] (Chinese chess) grandmasters such as [[Lü Qin]], Yang Guanli, Cai Furu and [[Xu Yinchuan]].

== Education and research ==
As of 2022, Guangdong hosts 160 institutions of higher education, ranking first in [[South Central China]] region and 2nd among all Chinese provinces/municipalities after [[Jiangsu]] (168).<ref name=":02"/> Guangdong is also the seat of 14 adult higher education institutions.<ref name=":02" /> Many universities and colleges are located in major cities like Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, hosts 83 institutions of higher education (excluding adult colleges), ranking 1st in [[South China]] region and 2nd (tie) nationwide after [[Beijing]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-08-04 |title=Top 10 Chinese cities with most higher education institutions |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202208/04/WS62eaf941a310fd2b29e7022c.html |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.chinadaily.com.cn}}</ref> [[Guangdong Province Department of Education]] is the department of the provincial government that oversees education.

As of 2023, two major cities in the province ranked in the top [[List of cities by scientific output|20 cities]] in the world (Guangzhou 8th and Shenzhen 19th) by scientific research output, as tracked by the [[Nature Index]].<ref name="nature.com"/>

=== Colleges and universities ===
{{Main list|List of universities and colleges in Guangdong}}

==== National / Double First-Class ====
<!-- Alphabetical order -->{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
![[Guangzhou]] (7)
|
* [[Guangzhou Medical University]] 
* [[Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine]]
* [[Jinan University]]
* [[South China Agricultural University]]
* [[South China Normal University]]
* [[South China University of Technology]]
* [[Sun Yat-sen University]]
|-
![[Shenzhen]]
|
* [[Southern University of Science and Technology]]
|}
*
[[File:SHENZHEN UNIVERSITY GENERAL HOSPITAL.jpg|thumb|Shenzhen University – medical building]]

==== Provincial ====
<!-- Alphabetical order -->
* [[Dongguan Institute of Technology]]
* [[Dongguan University of Technology]]
* [[Foshan University]]
* [[Guangdong Education and Research Network]]
* [[Guangdong General Hospital]]
* [[Guangdong Institute of Education]]
* [[Guangdong Institute of Science and Technology]]
* [[Guangdong Medical College]]
* [[Guangdong Ocean University]]
* [[Guangdong Petrochemical Academy]]
* [[Guangdong Pharmaceutical University]]
* [[Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University]]
* [[Guangdong Radio and TV University]]
* [[Guangdong University of Finance & Economics]]
* [[Guangdong University of Finance]]
* [[Guangdong University of Technology]]
* [[Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts]]
* [[Guangzhou Education College]]
* [[Guangzhou Normal University]]
* [[Guangzhou Sports University]]
* [[Guangzhou University]]
* [[Hanshan Teachers College]]
* [[Huizhou University]]
* [[Panyu Polytechnic]]
* [[Shaoguan University]]
* [[Shenzhen Party School]]
* [[Shantou University]]
* [[Shenzhen University]]
* [[Shenzhen Technology University]]
* [[Shenzhen Polytechnic]]
* [[Shunde University]]
* [[Southern Medical University]]
* [[Wuyi University (Guangdong)|Wuyi University]]
* [[Xijiang University]]
* [[Xinghai Conservatory of Music]]
* [[Zhanjiang Normal University]]
* [[Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering]]
* [[Zhaoqing University]]

== Sports ==
[[File:Tianhe Stadium.jpg|thumb|[[Tianhe Stadium]] in [[Guangzhou]]]]
List of current professional [[team sport|sports]] based in Guangdong:
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:70%;"
|-
!Sport
![[Sports league|League]]
![[League system|Tier]]
!Club
!City
!Stadium
|-
|[[Association football|Football]]
|[[Chinese Super League]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Shenzhen Peng City F.C.|Shenzhen Peng City]]
|[[Shenzhen]]
|[[Bao'an Stadium]]
|-
|[[Association football|Football]]
|[[Chinese Super League]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Meizhou Hakka F.C.|Meizhou Hakka]]
|[[Wuhua County|Wuhua]]
|[[Wuhua County Stadium]]
|-
|[[Association football|Football]]
|[[China League One]]
|align=center|2nd
|[[Guangzhou F.C.]]
|[[Guangzhou]]
|[[Huadu Stadium]]
|-
|[[Association football|Football]]
|[[China League One]]
|align=center|2nd
|[[Foshan Nanshi F.C.|Foshan Nanshi]]
|[[Foshan]]
|[[Nanhai Sports Center]]
|-
|[[Futsal]]
|[[Chinese Futsal League|China Futsal League]]
| align="center" |1st
|[[Zhuhai Mingshi]]
|[[Zhuhai]]
|[[Zhuhai Sports Centre]]
|-
|[[Basketball]]
|[[Chinese Basketball Association]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Guangdong Southern Tigers]]
|[[Dongguan]]
|[[Nissan Sports Centre]]
|-
|[[Basketball]]
|[[Chinese Basketball Association]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Shenzhen Leopards]]
|[[Shenzhen]]
|[[Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre]]
|-
|[[Basketball]]
|[[Chinese Basketball Association]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Guangzhou Long-Lions]]
|[[Guangzhou]]
|[[Tianhe Gymnasium]]
|-
|[[Basketball]]
|[[National Basketball League (China)|National Basketball League]]
|align=center|2nd
|[[Hefei Yuanchuang]]
|[[Foshan]]
|
|-
|[[Basketball]]
|[[Women's Chinese Basketball Association|Women's Basketball Association]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Guangdong Asia Aluminum]]
|[[Zhaoqing]]
|[[Zhaoqing Stadium]]
|-
|[[Volleyball]]
|[[Chinese Volleyball League|Men's Volleyball League Div A]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Guangdong GSports]]
|[[Shenzhen]]
|[[Shenzhen Gymnasium]]
|-
|[[Volleyball]]
|[[Chinese Volleyball League|Women's Volleyball League Div A]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Guangdong Evergrande Women's Volleyball Club|Guangdong Evergrande]]
|[[Shenzhen]]
|[[Shenzhen Gymnasium]]
|-
|[[Volleyball]]
|[[Chinese Volleyball Super League|Women's Volleyball League Div A]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Shenzhen Phoenix (Women's Volleyball)|Shenzhen Phoenix]]
|[[Shenzhen]]
|
|-
|[[Baseball]]
|[[China National Baseball League]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Guangdong Leopards]]
|[[Guangzhou]]
|[[Huangcun Stadium]]
|-
|[[Table tennis|Table Tennis]]
|[[China Table Tennis Super League]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Shenzhen Bao'an Mingjinhai]]
|[[Shenzhen]]
|[[Bao'an Stadium]]
|-
|[[Esports]]([[Overwatch (video game)|<small>Overwatch</small>]])
|[[Overwatch League]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Guangzhou Charge]]
|[[Guangzhou]]
|[[Tianhe Gymnasium]]
|-
|[[Esports]] (<small>[[League of Legends]]</small>)
|[[League of Legends Pro League]]
|align=center|1st
|[[Victory Five]]
|[[Shenzhen]]
|[[Shenzhen Media Group Longgang Production Center]]
|}

== Tourism ==
[[File:Huangmanzhai.jpg|thumb|Huangmanzhai Waterfall]]
Notable attractions include [[Danxia Mountain]] in Shaoguan, [[Yuexiu Hill]], [[Baiyun Mountain (Guangdong)|Baiyun Mountain]] in Guangzhou, [[Star Lake (Zhaoqing)|Star Lake]] and the [[Seven Star Crags]], [[Dinghu Mountain]] in Zhaoqing, the [[Huangmanzhai waterfalls]] in [[Jieyang]], and the [[Zhongshan Park|Zhongshan Sun Wen Memorial Park]] for [[Sun Yat-sen]] in [[Zhongshan]]. In Shenzhen, there are [[Window of the World]], [[Tencent|Tencent Building]], Happy Valley theme park, Rose Beach, Xiaomeisha Beach, etc.

== Administrative divisions ==
{{Main list|List of administrative divisions of Guangdong|List of township-level divisions of Guangdong}}

Guangdong is divided into twenty-one [[prefecture-level division]]s: all [[Prefecture-level city|prefecture-level cities]] (including two [[Sub-provincial divisions in the People's Republic of China|sub-provincial cities]]):

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:1em auto 1em auto; width:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan=9 | Administrative divisions of Guangdong
|-
! colspan=9 | <div style="position: relative" class="center">
{{Image label begin|image=Administrative Division Guangdong (PRC claimed).svg|width={{{1|798}}}|link=}} 
{{Image label|x=630|y=420|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Guangzhou]]}}
{{Image label|x=665|y=150|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Shaoguan]]}}
{{Image label|x=740|y=550|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Shenzhen]]}}
{{Image label|x=610|y=650|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Zhuhai]]}}
{{Image label|x=1175|y=430|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Shantou]]}}
{{Image label|x=540|y=475|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Foshan]]}}
{{Image label|x=490|y=615|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Jiangmen]]}}
{{Image label|x=60|y=835|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Zhanjiang]]}}
{{Image label|x=185|y=660|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Maoming]]}}
{{Image label|x=400|y=385|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Zhaoqing]]}}
{{Image label|x=785|y=445|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Huizhou]]}}
{{Image label|x=1095|y=260|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Meizhou]]}}
{{Image label|x=990|y=480|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Shanwei]]}}
{{Image label|x=890|y=300|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Heyuan]]}}
{{Image label|x=330|y=655|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Yangjiang]]}}
{{Image label|x=530|y=250|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Qingyuan]]}}
{{Image label|x=690|y=495|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Dongguan]]}}
{{Image label|x=610|y=575|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Zhongshan]]}}
{{Image label|x=1200|y=335|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Chaozhou]]}}
{{Image label|x=1080|y=425|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Jieyang]]}}
{{Image label|x=335|y=510|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=[[Yunfu]]}}
{{Image label|x=685|y=660|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text={{large|↑}}}}
{{Image label|x=660|y=695|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text={{Flagicon|MAC}}<br />{{nobold|''[[Macau]]''}}}}
{{Image label|x=740|y=595|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text={{Flagicon|HKG}}<br />{{nobold|''[[Hong Kong]]''}}}}
{{Image label|x=300|y=880|scale={{{1|798}}}/1330|text=<span style="color: red;">☐</span> <span style="color: grey;">Jieshi Town, Lufeng, Shanwei ([[Pratas Islands|Pratas Iss.]]).<br />Claimed by {{flagu|PRC}} & controlled by {{flagu|ROC}}, see [[Political status of Taiwan]].</span>}}
{{Image label end}}
</div>
|-
! rowspan=2 | [[Administrative division codes of the People's Republic of China|Division code]]<ref>{{cite web |language=zh-hans |url=http://files2.mca.gov.cn/cws/201502/20150225163817214.html |script-title=zh:中华人民共和国县以上行政区划代码 |publisher=[[Ministry of Civil Affairs]] |access-date=11 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402113603/http://files2.mca.gov.cn/cws/201502/20150225163817214.html |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! rowspan=2 | [[Prefectures of China|Division]]
! rowspan=2 | Area in km<sup>2</sup><ref name="nj2013">{{lang-zh}}{{cite book|language=zh|author=Shenzhen Bureau of Statistics|publisher=[[:zh:中国统计出版社|China Statistics Print]] |script-title=zh:《深圳统计年鉴2014》|url=http://www.sztj.gov.cn/nj2014/indexce.htm|access-date=29 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184740/http://www.sztj.gov.cn/nj2014/indexce.htm|archive-date=12 May 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
! rowspan=2 | Population 2020<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stats.gd.gov.cn/attachment/0/421/421309/3283428.pdf |title=广东省第七次全国人口普查公报 |access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref>
! rowspan=2 | Seat
! colspan=4 | Divisions<ref>{{cite book |language=zh-hans |author=Ministry of Civil Affairs |script-title=zh:《中国民政统计年鉴2014》|date=August 2014 |publisher=China Statistics Print |isbn=978-7-5037-7130-9 |author-link=Ministry of Civil Affairs }}</ref>
|- style="width:45px;"
! [[District (China)|Districts]]
! [[Counties of the People's Republic of China|Counties]]
! [[Autonomous counties of the People's Republic of China|Aut. counties]]
! [[County-level city|CL cities]]
|- style="font-weight: bold"
! 440000 !! Guangdong Province
| 179,800.00 || 126,012,510 || [[Guangzhou]] city || 65 || 34 || 3 || 20
|- style="background:#98fb98;"
! 440100 !! [[Guangzhou]] city
| 7,434.40 || 18,676,605 || [[Yuexiu District]] || 11 || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" |
|-
! 440200 !! [[Shaoguan]] city
| 18,412.53 || 2,855,131 || [[Zhenjiang District]] || 3 || 4 || 1 || 2
|- style="background:#98fb98;"
! 440300 !! [[Shenzhen]] city
| 1,996.78 || 17,560,061 || [[Futian District]] || 9* || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" |
|-
! 440400 !! [[Zhuhai]] city
| 1,724.32 || 2,439,585 || [[Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai|Xiangzhou District]] || 3 || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" |
|-
! 440500 !! [[Shantou]] city
| 2,248.39 || 5,502,031 || [[Jinping District]] || 6 || 1 || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" |
|-
! 440600 !! [[Foshan]] city
| 3,848.49 || 9,498,863 || [[Chancheng District]] || 5 || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" |
|-
! 440700 !! [[Jiangmen]] city
| 9,505.42 || 4,798,090 || [[Pengjiang District]] || 3 || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" | || 4
|-
! 440800 !! [[Zhanjiang]] city
| 13,225.44 || 6,981,236 || [[Chikan District]] || 4 || 2 || style="background:gray;" | || 3
|-
! 440900 !! [[Maoming]] city
| 11,424.8 || 6,174,050 || [[Maonan District]] || 2 || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" | || 3
|-
! 441200 !! [[Zhaoqing]] city
| 14,891.23 || 4,113,594 || [[Duanzhou District]] || 3 || 4 || style="background:gray;" | || 1
|-
! 441300 !! [[Huizhou]] city
| 11,342.98 || 6,042,852 || [[Huicheng District]] || 2 || 3 || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" |
|-
! 441400 !! [[Meizhou]] city
| 15,864.51 || 3,873,239 || [[Meijiang District]] || 2 || 5 || style="background:gray;" | || 1
|-
! 441500 !! [[Shanwei]] city
| 4,861.79 || 2,672,819 || [[Chengqu, Shanwei|Cheng District]] || 1 || 2 || style="background:gray;" | || 1
|-
! 441600 !! [[Heyuan]] city
| 15,653.63 || 2,837,686 || [[Yuancheng District]] || 1 || 5 || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" |
|-
! 441700 !! [[Yangjiang]] city
| 7,955.27 || 2,602,959 || [[Jiangcheng District]] || 2 || 1 || style="background:gray;" | || 1
|-
! 441800 !! [[Qingyuan]] city
| 19,152.90 || 3,969,473 || [[Qingcheng District]] || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
! 441900 !! [[Dongguan]] city**
| 2,465.00 || 10,466,625 || [[Nancheng Subdistrict, Dongguan|''Nancheng Subdistrict'']] || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" |
|-
! 442000 !! [[Zhongshan]] city**
| 1,783.67 || 4,418,060 || ''[[Dongqu Subdistrict]]'' || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" |
|-
! 445100 !! [[Chaozhou]] city
| 3,145.89 || 2,568,387 || [[Xiangqiao District]] || 2 || 1 || style="background:gray;" | || style="background:gray;" |
|-
! 445200 !! [[Jieyang]] city
| 5,265.38 || 5,577,814 || [[Rongcheng District]] || 2 || 2 || style="background:gray;" | || 1
|-
! 445300 !! [[Yunfu]] city
| 7,779.12 || 2,383,350 || [[Yuncheng District]] || 2 || 2 || style="background:gray;" | || 1
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan=12 | {{legend|#98FB98|[[Sub-provincial divisions in the People's Republic of China|Sub-provincial cities]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> – not including the new districts which are not registered under the Ministry of Civil Affairs (not included in the total Districts' count)<br />
<nowiki>**</nowiki> – direct-piped cities – does not contain any county-level divisions
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style="width:auto; text-align:center; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
! colspan=5 | Administrative divisions in Chinese and varieties of romanizations
|-
! English !! Chinese !! Pinyin !! Guangdong Romanization
|-
| '''Guangdong Province''' || {{lang|zh|广东省}} || '''Guǎngdōng Shěng''' || '''guong2 dung1 sang2'''
|-
| [[Guangzhou|Guangzhou City]]|| {{lang|zh|广州市}} || Guǎngzhōu Shì || guong2 zeo1 xi5
|-
| [[Shaoguan|Shaoguan City]]|| {{lang|zh|韶关市}} || Sháoguān Shì || xiu4 guan1 xi5
|-
| [[Shenzhen|Shenzhen City]]|| {{lang|zh|深圳市}} || Shēnzhèn Shì || sem1 zen3 xi5
|-
| [[Zhuhai|Zhuhai City]]|| {{lang|zh|珠海市}} || Zhūhǎi Shì || ju1 hoi2 xi5
|-
| [[Shantou|Shantou City]]|| {{lang|zh|汕头市}} || Shàntóu Shì || san3 teo4 xi5
|-
| [[Foshan|Foshan City]]|| {{lang|zh|佛山市}} || Fóshān Shì || fed6 san1 xi5
|-
| [[Jiangmen|Jiangmen City]]|| {{lang|zh|江门市}} || Jiāngmén Shì || gong1 mun4 xi5
|-
| [[Zhanjiang|Zhanjiang City]]|| {{lang|zh|湛江市}} || Zhànjiāng Shì || zam3 gong1 xi5
|-
| [[Maoming|Maoming City]]|| {{lang|zh|茂名市}} || Màomíng Shì || meo6 ming4 xi5
|-
| [[Zhaoqing|Zhaoqing City]]|| {{lang|zh|肇庆市}} || Zhàoqìng Shì || xiu6 hing3 xi5
|-
| [[Huizhou|Huizhou City]]|| {{lang|zh|惠州市}} || Huìzhōu Shì || wei6 zeo1 xi5
|-
| [[Meizhou|Meizhou City]]|| {{lang|zh|梅州市}} || Méizhōu Shì || mui4 zeo1 xi5
|-
| [[Shanwei|Shanwei City]]|| {{lang|zh|汕尾市}} || Shànwěi Shì || san3 méi5 xi5
|-
| [[Heyuan|Heyuan City]]|| {{lang|zh|河源市}} || Héyuán Shì || ho4 yun4 xi5
|-
| [[Yangjiang|Yangjiang City]]|| {{lang|zh|阳江市}} || Yángjiāng Shì || yêng4 gong1 xi5
|-
| [[Qingyuan|Qingyuan City]]|| {{lang|zh|清远市}} || Qīngyuǎn Shì || qing1 yun5 xi5
|-
| [[Dongguan|Dongguan City]]|| {{lang|zh|东莞市}} || Dōngguǎn Shì || dung1 gun2 xi5
|-
| [[Zhongshan|Zhongshan City]]|| {{lang|zh|中山市}} || Zhōngshān Shì || zung1 san1 xi5
|-
| [[Chaozhou|Chaozhou City]]|| {{lang|zh|潮州市}} || Cháozhōu Shì || qiu4 zeo1 xi5
|-
| [[Jieyang|Jieyang City]]|| {{lang|zh|揭阳市}} || Jiēyáng Shì || kid3 yêng4 xi5
|-
| [[Yunfu|Yunfu City]]|| {{lang|zh|云浮市}} || Yúnfú Shì || wen4 feo4 xi5
|}

The twenty-one [[Prefectures of the People's Republic of China|Prefecture]] of Guangdong are subdivided into 122 [[county-level division]]s (65 [[District of China|districts]], 20 [[county-level cities]], 34 [[County (People's Republic of China)|counties]], and 3 [[Autonomous counties of the People's Republic of China|autonomous counties]]). For county-level divisions, see the [[list of administrative divisions of Guangdong]].

===Urban areas===
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible"
! colspan=6 | Population by urban areas of prefecture & county cities
|-
! # !! Cities !! style="background-color: #aaaaff;"| 2020 Urban area<ref name="2020PRCcensus">{{cite book |author=国务院人口普查办公室、国家统计局人口和社会科技统计司编 |date=2022 |script-title=zh:中国2020年人口普查分县资料 |location=Beijing |publisher=[[:zh:中国统计出版社|China Statistics Print]] |isbn=978-7-5037-9772-9}}</ref> !! style="background-color: #aaaaff;"| 2010 Urban area<ref name="2010PRCcensus">{{cite book |author=国务院人口普查办公室、国家统计局人口和社会科技统计司编 |date=2012 |script-title=zh:中国2010年人口普查分县资料 |location=Beijing |publisher=[[:zh:中国统计出版社|China Statistics Print]] |isbn=978-7-5037-6659-6}}</ref> !! style="background-color: #ffaaaa;" | 2020 City proper
|-
| 1 || [[Shenzhen]] || 17,444,609 || 10,358,381 || 17,494,398
|-
| 2 || '''[[Guangzhou]]''' || 16,096,724 || 9,702,144{{efn|name=Guangzhou|New districts established after 2010 census: [[Conghua District|Conghua (Conghua CLC)]] & [[Zengcheng District|Zengcheng (Zengcheng CLC)]]. These new districts not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}} || 18,676,605
|-
| 3 || [[Dongguan]] || 9,644,871 || 7,271,322 || 10,466,625
|-
| 4 || [[Foshan]] || 9,042,509 || 6,771,895 || 9,498,863
|-
| 5 || [[Zhongshan]] || 3,841,873 || 2,740,994 || 4,418,060
|-
| 6 || [[Shantou]] || 3,838,900 || 3,644,017 || 5,502,031
|-
| 7 || [[Huizhou]] || 2,900,113 || 1,807,858 || 6,042,852
|-
| 8 || [[Zhuhai]] || 2,207,090 || 1,369,538 || 2,439,585
|-
| 9 || [[Jiangmen]] || 1,795,459 || 1,480,023 || 4,798,090
|-
| 10 || [[Zhanjiang]] || 1,400,709 || 1,038,762 || 6,981,236
|-
| 11 || [[Maoming]] || 1,307,802 || 637,879{{efn|name=Maoming|New district established after 2010 census: [[Dianbai District|Dianbai (Dianbai County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}} || 6,174,050
|-
| 12 || [[Chaozhou]] || 1,254,007 || 448,226{{efn|name=Chaozhou|New district established after 2010 census: [[Chao'an District|Chao'an (Chao'an County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}} || 2,568,387
|-
| 13 || [[Jieyang]] || 1,242,906 || 734,670{{efn|name=Jieyang|New district established after 2010 census: [[Jiedong District|Jiedong (Jiedong County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}} || 5,577,814
|-
| 14 || [[Qingyuan]] || 1,197,581 || 639,659{{efn|name=Qingyuan|New district established after 2010 census: [[Qingxin District|Qingxin (Qingxin County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}} || 3,969,473
|-
| 15 || [[Zhaoqing]] || 1,035,810 || 559,887{{efn|name=Zhaoqing|New district established after 2010 census: [[Gaoyao District|Gaoyao (Gaoyao CLC)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}} || 4,113,594
|-
| 16 || [[Shaoguan]] || 1,028,460 || 726,267 || 2,855,131
|-
| 17 || [[Puning]] || 935,668 || 874,954 || {{small|''see Jieyang''}}
|-
| 18 || [[Yangjiang]] || 859,595 || 499,053{{efn|name=Yangjiang|New district established after 2010 census: [[Yangdong District|Yangdong (Yangdong County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}} || 2,602,959
|-
| 19 || [[Meizhou]] || 694,495 || 353,769{{efn|name=Meizhou|New district established after 2010 census: [[Meixian District|Meixian (Meixian County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}} || 3,873,239
|-
| 20 || [[Heyuan]] || 662,950 || 450,953 || 2,837,686
|-
| 21 || [[Lufeng, Guangdong|Lufeng]] || 545,474 || 579,527 || {{small|''see Shanwei''}}
|-
| 22 || [[Gaozhou]] || 490,301 || 352,006 || {{small|''see Maoming''}}
|-
| 23 || [[Huazhou, Guangdong|Huazhou]] || 472,746 || 320,418  || {{small|''see Maoming''}}
|-
| 24 || [[Sihui]] || 452,536 || 355,709 || {{small|''see Zhaoqing''}}
|-
| 25 || [[Lianjiang, Guangdong|Lianjiang]] || 443,812 || 359,225 || {{small|''see Zhanjiang''}}
|-
| 26 || [[Taishan, Guangdong|Taishan]] || 433,266 || 394,855 || {{small|''see Jiangmen''}}
|-
| 27 || [[Kaiping]] || 430,035 || 371,019 || {{small|''see Jiangmen''}}
|-
| 28 || [[Xinyi, Guangdong|Xinyi]] || 418,731 || 333,965 || {{small|''see Maoming''}}
|-
| 29 || [[Leizhou]] || 412,291 || 344,043 || {{small|''see Zhanjiang''}}
|-
| 30 || [[Yingde]] || 398,066 || 346,927 || {{small|''see Qingyuan''}}
|-
| 31 || [[Wuchuan, Guangdong|Wuchuan]] || 388,714 || 332,672 || {{small|''see Zhanjiang''}}
|-
| 32 || [[Yunfu]]|| 380,044 || 242,040{{efn|name=Yunfu|New district established after 2010 census: [[Yun'an District|Yun'an (Yun'an County)]]. The new district not included in the urban area count of the pre-expanded city.}} || 2,383,350
|-
| 33 || [[Xingning, Guangdong|Xingning]] || 365,661 || 392,000 || {{small|''see Meizhou''}}
|-
| 34 || [[Yangchun]]|| 360,359 || 287,391 || {{small|''see Yangjiang''}}
|-
| 35 || [[Shanwei]] || 345,373 || 370,608 || 2,738,482
|-
| 36 || [[Heshan, Guangdong|Heshan]]|| 334,432 || 282,580 || {{small|''see Jiangmen''}}
|-
| 37 || [[Luoding]]|| 317,060 || 263,338 || {{small|''see Yunfu''}}
|-
| 38 || [[Enping]]|| 251,742 || 244,257 || {{small|''see Jiangmen''}}
|-
| 39 || [[Lechang]]|| 199,438 || 191,457 || {{small|''see Shaoguan''}}
|-
| 40 || [[Lianzhou]]|| 176,572 || 161,667 || {{small|''see Qingyuan''}}
|-
| 41 || [[Nanxiong]]|| 171,215 || 140,017 || {{small|''see Shaoguan''}}
|- style="background-color:lightgrey;"|
| — || [[Zengcheng, Guangzhou|Zengcheng]] || {{small|''see Guangzhou''}} || 710,146{{efn|name=Guangzhou}} || {{small|''see Guangzhou''}}
|- style="background-color:lightgrey;"|
| — || [[Conghua, Guangzhou|Conghua]]|| {{small|''see Guangzhou''}} || 229,118{{efn|name=Guangzhou}} || {{small|''see Guangzhou''}}
|- style="background-color:lightgrey;"|
| — || [[Gaoyao, Zhaoqing|Gaoyao]]|| {{small|''see Zhaoqing''}} || 224,755{{efn|name=Zhaoqing}} || {{small|''see Zhaoqing''}}
|}
{{notelist}}

==International relations==
Guangdong is twinned with:
* {{flagdeco|JPN}}{{flagdeco|Aichi}} [[Aichi Prefecture]], Japan<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pref.aichi.jp/soshiki/kokusai/belgiummou.html |script-title=ja:ベルギー3地域と「友好交流及び相互協力に関する覚書」を締結 |access-date=15 May 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828190416/http://www.pref.aichi.jp/soshiki/kokusai/belgiummou.html |archive-date=28 August 2017 }}</ref>
* {{flagdeco|USA}}{{Flagicon|Hawaii}} [[Hawaii|Hawaiʻi]], United States of America<ref>{{cite web |title=Hawaii's Sister-States|publisher=[[State of Hawai'i]]|url=https://invest.hawaii.gov/international/sister-states/|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016200107/https://invest.hawaii.gov/international/sister-states/|archive-date=16 October 2020}}</ref>
* {{flagdeco|AUS}}{{Flagicon|New South Wales}} [[New South Wales]], Australia<ref>{{cite web|title=Building international relationships|url=https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/export-from-nsw/export-opportunities/international-engagement/building-international-relationships|publisher=NSW Government|access-date=14 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114203952/https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/export-from-nsw/export-opportunities/international-engagement/building-international-relationships|archive-date=14 November 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*{{flagdeco|Gujarat}}[[Gujarat, India]]
* {{flagdeco|USA}}{{Flagicon|California}} [[California]], United States of America<ref>{{cite web |title=State of California and Guangdong Province Sister State Agreement |url=https://soir.senate.ca.gov/content/state-california-and-guangdong-province-sister-state-agreement |website=Senate Office of International Relations |access-date=27 October 2023}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Major national historical and cultural sites (Guangdong)|Major national historical and cultural sites in Guangdong]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* [http://info.hktdc.com/mktprof/china/mpgud.htm Economic profile for Guangdong] at the [[Hong Kong Trade Development Council]]
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|Guangdong|Canton|Kwangtung}}
{{commons and category|Guangdong|Guangdong}}
* {{Wikivoyage inline}}
* [http://www.gd.gov.cn/ Guangdong provincial government official website] {{in lang|zh}}
* [http://www.wdl.org/en/item/4448 Complete Map of the Seven Coastal Provinces] from 1821 to 1850 {{in lang|en|zh}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150417002716/http://guangdong-in-pictures.blogspot.tw/ Pictures and comments about life in Guangdong]

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Guangdong
|North     = [[Jiangxi]]
|Northeast = [[Fujian]]
|East      = ''[[Taiwan Strait]]''<br />{{flagu|Kaohsiung}}, {{flagu|Pingtung County}} and {{flagu|Tainan}}, {{flagu|Taiwan|name=Taiwan (Republic of China)}}
|Southeast = ''[[South China Sea]]''
|South     = {{flagu|Macau}}<br />{{flagu|Hong Kong}}
|Southwest = ''[[South China Sea]]''<br />[[Hà Tĩnh Province|Hà Tĩnh]], [[Nghệ An Province|Nghệ An]] and [[Thanh Hóa Province]]s, {{flagu|Vietnam}}<br />''[[Qiongzhou Strait]]''<br />[[Hainan]]
|West      = [[Guangxi]]<br />''[[Gulf of Tonkin]]''<br />[[Haiphong]], [[Nam Định Province|Nam Định]], [[Quảng Ninh Province|Quảng Ninh]] and [[Thái Bình Province]]s, {{flagu|Vietnam}}
|Northwest = [[Hunan]]
}}
{{Guangdong topics}}
{{Province-level divisions of the People's Republic of China}}
{{Guangdong}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Guangdong| ]]
[[Category:South China|.]]
[[Category:Gulf of Tonkin]]
[[Category:Pearl River Delta]]
[[Category:Provinces of the People's Republic of China]]