# Shenzhen

> city in China

**Wikidata**: [Q15174](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15174)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenzhen)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/shenzhen

## Key Facts
*   **Official Name:** 深圳市 (Shenzhen)
*   **Country:** People's Republic of China
*   **Location:** Guangdong Province, Pearl River Delta, Asia
*   **Coordinates:** 22.546666666666667°N, 114.05444444444444°E
*   **Inception:** 1979
*   **Area:** 1997.27 square kilometres
*   **Population:** 17,494,398 (2020 Census, permanent population); 17,681,600 (2022)
*   **Capital:** Futian District
*   **Timezone:** UTC+08:00
*   **Licence Plate Code:** 粤B
*   **Local Dialing Code:** 755
*   **Postal Code:** 518000
*   **UN/LOCODE:** CNSZX
*   **Earliest Written Record:** 1410
*   **Head of Government:** Chen Rugui (starting July 2017)
*   **Executive Body:** Shenzhen Municipal People's Government
*   **Legislative Body:** Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress
*   **Website:** http://www.sz.gov.cn

## FAQs
**What is the administrative structure of Shenzhen?**
Shenzhen is a sub-provincial division and a city specifically designated in the state plan. It contains 11 administrative territorial entities: Futian District (the capital), Luohu District, Nanshan District, Yantian District, Bao'an District, Longgang District, Guangming District, Pingshan District, Longhua District, Dapeng New District, and the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone.

**What is the demographic profile of the city?**
As of the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, the permanent population was 17,494,398, consisting of 7,865,287 females and 9,629,111 males. The population has grown from 10,628,900 in 2013 and 11,380,000 in 2015 to 17,681,600 in 2022.

**What are the city's international connections?**
Shenzhen maintains sister city or twinning relationships with numerous global cities including Houston, Nuremberg (since 1997), Brisbane, Edinburgh (since 2019), Vilnius (since 2017), and others. It is also a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a "City of Design" (since 2008).

## Why It Matters
Shenzhen is a critical global city and a premier example of rapid urbanization and economic development. Designated as a special economic zone in 1979, it transformed from a settlement into a megacity with a population of over 17 million. It holds the status of a "City of Design" in the Creative Cities Network and serves as a major economic hub in the Pearl River Delta, bordering Hong Kong and Dongguan. Its administrative structure as a sub-province-level division and a megacity underscores its significant political and economic weight within China.

## Notable For
*   Being a **Special Economic Zone** and **City of Design** (UNESCO).
*   Rapid growth from inception in **1979** to a **megacity** with over 17 million residents.
*   Serving as a major **global city** and **prefecture-level city** specifically designated in the state plan.
*   Hosting a massive **economy** (topic: economy of Shenzhen) and specific **demographics**.
*   Its strategic location in the **Pearl River Delta**, sharing borders with **Hong Kong**, **Dongguan**, and **Guangzhou**.

## Body

### Geography and Administration
Shenzhen is situated in Asia within the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong, China. It covers an area of 1,997.27 square kilometres and sits at an elevation of 0 metres above sea level. The city's geographic coordinates are approximately 22.55°N latitude and 114.05°E longitude. It shares borders with Dongguan, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou.

The city operates as a sub-province-level division and a prefecture-level city. Its administrative reach includes the districts of Futian (the capital), Luohu, Nanshan, Yantian, Bao'an, Longgang, Guangming, Pingshan, Longhua, Dapeng New District, and the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone.

### Governance and Demographics
The city's government is headed by the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government (executive body) and the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress (legislative body). As of July 2017, the head of government (Mayor) is Chen Rugui.

Demographic data shows a significant population increase over the last decade. The population was recorded at 10,628,900 in 2013, 11,380,000 in 2015, and 17,681,600 in 2022. The 2020 Seventh National Population Census recorded a permanent population of 17,494,398, comprising 9,629,111 males and 7,865,287 females.

### History and Identity
While established in its modern form in 1979, the earliest written record of Shenzhen dates back to 1410. The city uses the official name "深圳市" and has several aliases including Sham Chun, 鹏城 (Pengcheng), and 鵬城. It is recognized as a "big city" and a "megacity."

The official language is Chinese, and the city maintains an official website (http://www.sz.gov.cn) in both Chinese and English.

### International Relations
Shenzhen is an active participant in international cooperation. It joined the Creative Cities Network as a "City of Design" in 2008. The city maintains sister-city or twinning relationships with a wide array of cities, including:
*   **Europe:** Nuremberg (1997), Turin, Brescia, Plovdiv, Vilnius (2017), Edinburgh (2019).
*   **North America:** Houston, Reno, Saint John (2005).
*   **Asia/Oceania:** Tsukuba, Brisbane, Bandung, Haifa, Bishkek (2013).
*   **Others:** Kingston, Lomé, Poznań, Timișoara.

### Infrastructure and Codes
Shenzhen is identified by several key codes and identifiers:
*   **Licence Plate:** 粤B
*   **UN/LOCODE:** CNSZX
*   **Postal Code:** 518000
*   **Dialing Code:** 755
*   **China Division Code:** 440300 (MCA), 44 03 (Statistics)
*   **Timezone:** UTC+08:00

The city is extensively cataloged in international databases including GeoNames (ID: 1795563), VIAF (ID: 150132113), and the Library of Congress (ID: n83040249). It has a presence on social platforms like Reddit (subreddit: r/shenzhen) and Quora (Topic: Shenzhen-Guangdong-China).

## References

1. [Source](https://www.nuernberg.de/internet/international/shenzen_partnerschaft.html)
2. [Source](https://www.plovdiv.bg/en/about-plovdiv/побратимени-градове/)
3. [Source](https://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/china-chine/bilateral_relations_bilaterales/twinning_relationships_relations_jumelage.aspx?lang=eng)
4. [Source](https://kerjasama.bandung.go.id/ksln/ksdpl#)
5. [Source](http://www.sz.gov.cn/en_szgov/govt/cities/sister/content/post_1319935.html)
6. [Source](http://www.sz.gov.cn/en_szgov/govt/cities/sister/)
7. [Source](https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s34650/Item%207.8%20-%20Edinburgh%20International%20Framework.pdf)
8. [Source](http://www.sz.gov.cn/en_szgov/govt/cities/friendship/content/post_1312505.html)
9. [Source](http://www.sz.gov.cn/en_szgov/govt/cities/friendship/)
10. [Source](https://vilnius.lt/lt/tarptautinis-bendradarbiavimas/)
11. National Database of Laws and Regulations
12. Virtual International Authority File
13. [Source](https://lingualibre.org/wiki//Q463131)
14. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
15. Czech National Authority Database
16. MusicBrainz
17. [Source](http://english.sz.gov.cn/gi/201608/t20160825_4322177.htm)
18. Tabulation on 2020 China Population Census by County
19. GeoNames
20. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
21. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
22. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/Shenzhen-VX9M5)
23. museum-digital