Situated in the coastal area and at the estuary of the Pearl River, Guangzhou has the typical physical features of a river delta, where Dongjiang, Beijiang and Xijiang rivers merge into the Pearl. Fed materially by this land of rice and fish, it has been a thriving town for centuries. It was named Nanhai Junzhi in the Qin Dynasty and Guangzhouzhi in the Period of Three Kingdoms. But Guangzhou was set up as a city much later in the year 1925, 4 years later after the Republic of China was founded.

Guangzhou now is an important metropolis with a population of about 9.943 million at present (2001) including 7.0266 million permanent residents, with 9 309 at college level out of 100 000. Guangzhou ranks the 5th according to the size of population in China. The first five are Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and Guangzhou. The illiterate have fallen from 6.95% to 2.32%, about 230 400. Children (0-14) take 16.44%. Those above 65 take 6.02%, about 0.5983 million. An aging society is approaching. It seems that Guangzhou is always open to young talents. Guangzhou Municipality covers an area of 7 434.4 sq km. Under its administration there are 10 districts and 2 cities at county level with an advanced communications system, well-developed urban transport. Guangzhou Municipal Government is located in Yuexiu District.

Guangzhou, as No. 1 metropolis and a major port in South China, was firstly called Panyu as far back as in the 3rd century BC. During the Period of Three Kingdoms (220-280 AD) when the whole China was in a lasting gross turmoil, many local warlords were fighting for the control of more land, while Lingnan was part of the Wu State under the rule of Sun Quan, king of the Wu State. In the year 219 AD, he assigned Bu Zhi as governor of Jiaozhou, a prefecture with seven attached shires in Lingnan Region. On the way to his new duty, Bu Zhi firmly eradicated the rebellious forces of the local warlords with his strong army, and resumed the peaceful life in Jiaozhou area. During a later survey when he was glancing over from a mountain peak the boundless sea and vast fertile land, undulating green forests, golden rice paddies, fish teaming in waters and birds soaring into the blue sky, Bu Zhi found Panyu a better place for his capital. He then decided to move his administrative center from Guangxi to Panyu.

With Bu Zhi years' effort, Panyu was constructed into a major shipbuilding base and external trading port of the Wu State. It was not until 264 AD, Guangzhou as a prefecture finally gained its roughly stable administrative status in the course of history. Now Guangzhou municipality covers an area of 7 443 sq km, comprising eight urban districts, two suburban districts and another two attached cities at county level. The funny thing is that Panyu is just the name of one of its districts today.

Editor: Catherine