SHENZHEN AT A GLANCE

Shenzhen is the closest Chinese city to Hong Kong, just across the border from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, in Guangdong province. It forms part of a megalopolis in the Pearl River Delta, the world’s largest urban area in both size and population.

Its growth accelerated after 1980 when it was designated China’s first Special Economic Zone (SEZ), and foreign investment was encouraged, particularly in electronics. The population is around 12.5 million, and its position as the “factory floor of the world” ensures it also has one of the busiest container ports in the world.