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Dongguan

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Dongguan is a major prefecture-level city located in central Guangdong Province, China. It serves as a vital industrial hub within the Pearl River Delta. The city is strategically positioned in the middle of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen economic corridor. This location makes it a central point for both land and sea transport.

东莞市, 中国 Jul 18, 2019 15-41-45
东莞市, 中国 Jul 18, 2019 15-41-45

To the north, Dongguan borders the provincial capital, Guangzhou. To the south, it meets the city of Shenzhen. The northeast border touches Huizhou, while the Pearl River sits to the west. This geography allows the city to connect easily with major neighbors.

The physical landscape of Dongguan varies significantly across its territory. The eastern portion of the city is characterized by hilly terrain. In contrast, the western side is much flatter. The city's land use is divided into several distinct types. Water covers 27 percent of the total area. Forest land makes up 25 percent of the landscape. Arable land, which is land used for farming, accounts for 13 percent. Currently, 35 percent of the land area has been fully developed for urban use.

Dongguan Guanyinshan
Dongguan Guanyinshan

Dongguan is globally recognized as a massive manufacturing hub. It was a pioneer in joint production models. This system involved village collectives, local Chinese Communist Party cadres, and foreign investors. In the 1990s, these enterprises represented about 20 percent of all foreign direct investments in China. They also accounted for roughly 50 percent of the nation's exports. Today, the city remains a leader in global trade. It ranks as the fourth largest export region in China. Its annual shipments reach a massive $65.54 billion. This puts it behind only Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Suzhou in export volume.

The industrial sectors in Dongguan are diverse and highly specialized. The largest sector focuses on manufacturing electronics and communications equipment. Many famous international companies operate facilities here, including Samsung Electronics, Nokia, and Coca-Cola. The city is also a global center for toy production. There are 4,000 toy-production enterprises and nearly 1,500 related factories.

To support this growth, the city invests heavily in technology. In 2005, the government announced a plan to invest US$500 million into technology infrastructure over five years. The city also aims to build a 100-billion-yuan photovoltaic industry, which focuses on solar power manufacturing.

History in the region stretches back thousands of years. Human habitation in this area dates back 5,000 years. The town of Humen, now part of Dongguan, saw significant events during the First Opium War in 1839. During this time, large amounts of seized opium were destroyed there. The area also hosted several major battles of that war. Much later, during the Second World War, the city acted as a base for guerrilla resistance. Economically, the city transformed rapidly. It was a district of the Huiyang prefecture before earning city status in 1985. By 1988, it was upgraded to a prefecture-level city. Since then, it has grown at an average annual rate of up to 18 percent.

The population of Dongguan is large and highly diverse. According to the 2020 census, the permanent population was 10,466,625 people. This represents a 27.33% increase from the 2010 census. Most residents are economic migrants from other parts of China. Because of this influx, Mandarin is the most common language spoken. However, the city remains culturally diverse. The Weitou form of Cantonese and the Hakka language are still used in certain areas. There is even a community of about 4,000 Brazilian residents.

DongguanBasketball
DongguanBasketball

Connecting to the rest of the world is easy due to advanced transport systems. Travelers often arrive via the Hong Kong International Airport. From there, they can reach Dongguan by bus, ferry, or train. The Humen Ferry Terminal offers connections to the Hong Kong airport skypier.

11582-Humen (49067614523)
11582-Humen (49067614523)

Within the city, the Dongguan Rail Transit system helps people move around.

This infrastructure supports the city's role as a dynamic, innovative, and highly connected global center.

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🖼️ Images & Media (5)
File:Dongguan Guanyinshan.jpg
Dongguan Guanyinshan.jpg
File:东莞市, 中国 Jul 18, 2019 15-41-45.jpeg
东莞市, 中国 Jul 18, 2019 15-41-45.jpeg
File:11582-Humen (49067614523).jpg
11582-Humen (49067614523).jpg
File:Dongguan Rail Transit Line 2 (27402670284).jpg
Dongguan Rail Transit Line 2 (27402670284).jpg
File:DongguanBasketball.jpg
DongguanBasketball.jpg
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