Guangdong

Guangdong, also Kwangtung or Kuang-tung, province in southern China, on the South China Sea. The terrain of Guangdong is primarily rolling hills; the vast delta of the Zhu, or Pearl, River is Guangdong's only important lowland. In the province's subtropical humid climate, two crops of rice a year are raised; other important products are sugar cane, fruit, and fish (both sea catch and pond-raised). Petroleum, discovered in 1979 on the Leizhou Peninsula, is a major resource; others include iron ore, tungsten, molybdenum, and coal. Guangzhou (also known as Canton), the capital, largest city, and chief port, is the manufacturing centre of the province; other major cities include Shantou, Shaoguan, and Maoming. The southern city of Kaiping and surrounding villages feature a distinctive style of architecture—diaolous, fortified residential towers erected during the Qing dynasty. The diaolous were collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

Guangdong was annexed by China in the Qin dynasty and Han dynasty (221-206 bc, 206 bc- ad 220) but was not extensively colonized by Han Chinese until the 12th century. Its population grew rapidly after Guangzhou became a major port for foreign trade in the 17th century. The area has recently grown tremendously in prosperity and affluence, partly due to investment from Hong Kong S. A. R. In May 2002 several non-state businessmen were elected to the province’s Communist Party congress—an unprecedented move, which was nevertheless seen as compliant with President Jiang Zemin's political strategy of “three representations” (those of economy, culture, and of the interests of the people). Area 197,100 sq km (76,100 sq mi); population 79,542,200 (2003 estimate).