shenzhen : china
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Local Chinese people call the drains in paddy fields "zhen" or "chong". The name "Shenzhen" means "deep drains" as this is an area crisscrossed with rivers and rivulets.
Shenzhen, once a one-time small fishing village, was singled-out by late Chinese paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, the chief designer of Chinese reform and opening, as one of the Special Economic Zones in China originally established in 1978. In May 1980, Shenzhen was formally nominated as a "Special Economic Zone", the first one of its kind in China.
Shenzhen is located at the forefront of the Pearl River Delta and borders on the New Territories of Hong Kong in the south, Daya Bay in the east, the outlet of Pearl River and Dongguan and Huizhou in the north. Shenzhen is an important coastal communication hub in South China. Covering an area of 2,020 square kilometers, with a population of 7 million, Shenzhen had the highest population density of major cities in China. Shenzhen is a sub-tropical maritime region and its average temperature is 22.4 degrees Centigrade.
Shenzhen is the only city that owns seaports, airport and land ports in China. Its seaports are especially developed. The Shenzhen Port ranks sixth among world container ports. Shenzhen owns Luohu Port, the largest land passenger port in China and Huanggang port, the largest land freight port. At the same time, Guangshen, Shenshan, Jingjiu and Guangshen expressways link Hong Kong, Shenzhen and inland cities.
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange was established on December 1, 1990. It is one of the two stock exchanges in mainland China (the other is in Shanghai).
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Shenzhen boasts one of the most robust and fastest-growing economies since China adopted a policy of opening-up and reform. The GDP of Shenzhen recorded an eight year high of 286.051 billion yuan (about US$34.5 billion) in 2003, surging 17.3 per cent over the previous year, according to Shenzhen Statistics Bureau.
Shenzhen is also one of China's five special economic zones where preferential business policies are practiced. The city has more than 120,000 enterprises. High and new technologies, logistics, information and finance serve as pillars in the city's economic development. Commerce, tourism, real estate also play important role in the city.
Shenzhen is a newly emerging immigrant city. Its culture is different from the traditional culture of other cities. It is the transformation and activation of China's inland culture, and the absorption and fusion of foreign culture oriented toward Hong Kong. The unique geological and cultural environment of Shenzhen has created a culture featuring openness, tolerance and innovation.