Guangdong is located at the south end of Mainland China, with a coastline of about 3,368km and a land area that ranks 15th in the country. The Pearl River, which is the 3rd largest river in China, flows through Guangdong and forms a delta region. It is economically comparable to the Yangtze River Delta in eastern China...
Guangdong is the biggest economy in China. In 2006, the province¡¯s GDP rose 14.1% to RMB 2.6 trillion (US$331.2 billion), maintaining its strong growth momentum. As noted, most of the GDP comes from industry and service, with just 6.1% coming from the agriculture sector.
Guangdong is the largest foreign trade center in China. In 2006, total foreign trade reached US$527.2 billion, having increased by 23.2%. Export value rose by 26.8% to US$302 billion and import value increased by 18.7% to US$225.2 billion.
The total value-added industrial output reached RMB 1,178 billion in 2006, an increase of 17.6% from the previous year. Of the total value-added industrial output, that of above designated-sized enterprises amounted to RMB 1071.9 billion.
There are several major development zones in Guangdong. Among them are the Guangzhou Development District, Shenzhen High-Tech Industrial Park, and Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone.
By the end of 2006, there were 105 regular higher educational institutions (including universities and advanced vocational schools), and more than 1 million students studying in these institutions. Famous universities include Zhongshan University and South China University of Technology.