Guangzhou

central Guangzhou

Guangzhou, Wade-Giles romanization Kuang-chou, conventional Canton or Kwangchow, city, capital of Guangdong sheng (province), southern China. Its city centre 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 centres. It has served as a doorway for foreign influence since the 3rd century ce and was the first Chinese port to be regularly visited by European traders, who called it Canton. The city is a historic centre of learning. And as a centre of political activity for the Chinese Nationalist leader Sun Yat-sen (Sun Zhongshan), it was one of the cradles of the Chinese Revolution of 1911–12. Area central city districts, 108 square miles (280 square km); all city districts, 1,484 square miles (3,843 square km); mun., 2,870 square miles (7,434 square km). Pop. (2007 est.) central city districts, 3,461,100; all city districts, 6,367,700; mun., 7,734,800.