Quick answerGuangzhou is a city in China, with 18,676,605 people inside the city limits in 2020. The wider metropolitan area had about 32.6 million people in 2020. It is best known for the Canton Fair, the Canton Tower and the Cantonese cuisine (dim sum). Its official language is Chinese, and its currency is the Chinese yuan.
Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong province in southern China, with about 18.7 million people in the city area and about 32.6 million in the metropolitan area (2020 census). It stands on the Pearl River and is home to the Canton Tower and the Canton Fair.
Key facts
| Country | China |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 18,676,605 (2020) |
| Population (metro) | 32,623,413 (2020) · Metropolitan area (2020 census) |
| Elevation | 21 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Asia/Shanghai |
| Language | Chinese |
| Currency | Chinese yuan (CNY, ¥) |
| Coordinates | 23.13° N, 113.26° E |
Overview
Guangzhou, once known in English as Canton, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. The city's administrative area had 18,676,605 residents in the 2020 census, while the metropolitan area held 32,623,413 people, at the centre of the Pearl River Delta. It stands on the Pearl River, about 120 kilometres north-west of Hong Kong and 145 kilometres north of Macau, about 21 metres above sea level.
Guangzhou has a history of more than 2,200 years and was a major terminus of the Silk Road. For a long time it was the only Chinese port open to European traders, and it is still one of China's three largest cities. The city hosts the Canton Fair, the oldest and largest trade fair in China, and it is a major centre for manufacturing, trade and finance.
Today Guangzhou sits at the centre of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Greater Bay Area, the most populous built-up metropolitan region in the world, with about 70 million residents. Its landmarks include the Canton Tower, the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees and the Five-Ram Sculpture, and its Cantonese food — above all dim sum — is famous across China and the world.
What Guangzhou is known for
- Canton Fair
- Canton Tower
- Cantonese cuisine (dim sum)
- Pearl River
- Five-Ram Sculpture
Landmarks
- Canton Tower
- Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
- Five-Ram Sculpture
- Sacred Heart Cathedral
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
- Chen Clan Academy
- Shamian Island
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Guangzhou?
About 18.7 million people live in Guangzhou's administrative area (18,676,605 in the 2020 census). The wider metropolitan area had about 32.6 million people in 2020. Guangzhou is the fifth most populous city in China by urban resident population, after Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Chongqing.
Where is Guangzhou located?
Guangzhou is in southern China, on the Pearl River in Guangdong province, about 120 kilometres north-west of Hong Kong. It is the provincial capital and one of China's three largest cities, famous for the Canton Fair, the Canton Tower and Cantonese food. Its coordinates are 23.13° N, 113.26° E.
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Keep exploring
- China — the country Guangzhou is in
- Shanghai — another city in China
- Beijing — another city in China
- Shenzhen — another city in China
- All cities in China
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.