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Quick answerShenzhen is a city in China, with 17,560,000 people inside the city limits in 2020. It is best known for China's Silicon Valley, the Huawei and Tencent and the Huaqiangbei electronics markets. Its official language is Chinese, and its currency is the Chinese yuan.
Shenzhen is a city in Guangdong province in southern China, with about 17.6 million people (2020 census). It stands on the Pearl River estuary beside Hong Kong and is known as China's Silicon Valley.
Key facts
| Country | China |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 17,560,000 (2020) |
| Time zone | Asia/Shanghai |
| Language | Chinese |
| Currency | Chinese yuan (CNY, ¥) |
| Coordinates | 22.54667° N, 114.05444° E |
Overview
Shenzhen is a prefecture-level city in Guangdong, on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary, bordering Hong Kong to the south. It had 17,560,000 residents in the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in China by urban population, after Shanghai and Beijing. The city covers only 1,997 square kilometres, so it is one of the most densely built cities in the country.
Shenzhen was a small fishing town until 1980, when it became China's first special economic zone. In a few decades it grew into a global technology hub, home to companies such as Huawei, Tencent, DJI and BYD, and to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Its port is the world's fourth-busiest container port, and its economy has grown larger than Hong Kong's.
Today Shenzhen is known for its skyscrapers, its young population — most residents are migrants from other parts of China — and its role in making the world's electronics, from smartphones to drones. Its landmarks include the Futian business district, the Huaqiangbei electronics markets and Shenzhen Bay, and the city hosted the 2011 Summer Universiade.
What Shenzhen is known for
- China's Silicon Valley
- Huawei and Tencent
- Huaqiangbei electronics markets
- Shenzhen Stock Exchange
- Skyscrapers
Landmarks
- Futian CBD
- Huaqiangbei
- Shenzhen Bay Park
- Window on World
- Shenzhen Museum
- Dapeng Fortress
- OCT Loft
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Shenzhen?
About 17.6 million people live in Shenzhen (17,560,000 in the 2020 census). The wider urban area had about 18.2 million people in 2025. That makes Shenzhen the third-most populous city in China by urban population, after Shanghai and Beijing, and one of the fastest-growing big cities in the world.
Where is Shenzhen located?
Shenzhen is in southern China, in Guangdong province, on the Pearl River estuary just north of Hong Kong. It is famous as China's Silicon Valley, home to Huawei, Tencent and DJI, and as the city that grew from a fishing town into a global technology hub after 1980. Its coordinates are 22.55° N, 114.05° E.
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Keep exploring
- China — the country Shenzhen is in
- Shanghai — another city in China
- Beijing — another city in China
- Guangzhou — 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.