Guangzhou

Introduction & Top Questions
Landscape
- City site
- Climate
- City layout
  - Old City districts
  - Other districts
People
Economy
- Manufacturing and tourism
- Trade and finance
- Transportation
Administration and society
- Government
- Health
- Education
Cultural life
History
- Early period
- Contemporary city

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Locator map of East Asia highlighting the position of Guangzhou in southern China, with surrounding countries labeled and a small inset showing the region's global location. Guangzhou is marked prominently within China, formerly known as Canton.

At a Glance

Guangzhou summary

Quizzes

Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day.

Guess the City by Its River Quiz

Roofs of the Forbidden City, Beijing, China

All About Asia

Related Questions

How did Baiyun Mountain influence Guangzhou’s city layout?
How did Guangzhou expand and rebuild during the Ming dynasty?
How did Hong Kong and Shanghai reduce Guangzhou’s importance in foreign trade after the 1840s?
How did Zhao Tuo establish the state of Nanyue?
How did overseas Chinese from Guangzhou contribute to the city’s population changes after the 1980s?
How did the 2010 Asian Games change Guangzhou’s sports facilities?
How did the Mongol conquest affect migration into the Guangdong region?
How did the Pearl River’s deposits change Guangzhou’s landscape?
How did the special economic zones near Shenzhen and Zhuhai benefit Guangzhou?
How do neighbourhood associations function in Guangzhou?
How has Guangzhou improved public transportation within the city?
How is Cantonese different from Mandarin in Guangzhou?
How long was Guangzhou occupied by Anglo-French forces during the Second Opium War?
How tall is Canton Tower including its antenna?
How was Hong Xiuquan connected to Guangzhou?
What did the Treaty of Nanjing require Guangzhou to do after the First Opium War?
What features characterize Cantonese cuisine in Guangzhou?
What happened during the communist-led coup in Guangzhou in 1927?
What historic sites in Guangzhou are associated with Sun Yat-sen?
What is the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou?
What is the purpose of Canton Tower in Guangzhou?
What language do local residents of Guangzhou traditionally speak?
What was the ancient walled town called Nanwu Cheng?
When was Guangzhou under Japanese occupation during World War II?
When was the city first given the name Guangzhou?
Where are the main facilities of the Guangzhou Port Group located?
Where is Guangzhou located within China?
Which European traders arrived in Guangzhou during the Ming dynasty?
Which cultural performances are popular in Guangzhou?
Which foreign merchant communities lived in Guangzhou during the Tang dynasty?
Which handicrafts is Guangzhou known for?
Which heavy industries became important in Guangzhou after the late 1950s?
Who were the cohongs in Guangzhou’s foreign trade system?
Why are parks important to Guangzhou’s cultural life?
Why did Guangzhou expand mainly eastward before the 1980s?
Why did Quanzhou replace Guangzhou as China’s largest trade port during the Southern Song period?
Why did Shamian Island become an Anglo-French concession?
Why did conflict grow between Chinese authorities and foreign traders in Guangzhou during the 1820s?
Why has Guangzhou become a major industrial center in southern China?
Why has traffic congestion become a major problem in Guangzhou?
Why is Baiyun International Airport important to Guangzhou?
Why is Guangzhou one of China’s most densely populated urban areas?
Why was the Guangzhou Uprising of 1911 important to the Chinese Revolution?
What is the climate in Guangzhou?
Why was the Great Wall of China built?
Can you see the Great Wall of China from space?
What caused the Russo-Japanese War?
Where was the Russo-Japanese War fought?
How did the Russo-Japanese War end?
Why did Shenzhen grow so fast?
What UNESCO World Heritage site is found at the heart of Beijing?

Geography & Travel Cities & Towns Cities & Towns C-G

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Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Guangzhou - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Guangzhou

China

Also known as: Canton, Kuangchou, Kwangchow

Written by

Zhong Gong-fu

Professor, Guangzhou Institute of Geography, China.

Zhong Gong-fuAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 31, 2026 •History

Guangzhou, city, capital of Guangdong sheng (province), southern China. Its city center lies near the head of the Pearl River (Zhu Jiang) Delta, more than 90 miles (145 km) inland from the South China Sea. Because of its position at the meeting point of inland rivers and the sea, it has long been one of China’s main commercial and trading centers. It has served as a doorway for foreign influence since the 3rd century ce...

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