Geographic coordinates: E113°15′53”   N23°06′32”

Population:  10.0458 m (2007)  

Area: 2870.4 sq mi

Average altitude: 36 ft

Average temperature:  71.6℉ 

Annual rainfall: 78 in

IDD: 86 – 020

Known as Canton, Guangzhou is the capital city of Guangdong Province and one of the most prosperous cities both of the province and the country. It stands at the north of the Pearl River Delta and its history dated back 2,800 years ago. With the longest history among the international trade port cities in the world, the Chinese Export Commodity Fair (Canton Trade Fair) has been held in the city twice a year, spring and autumn, since 1957.

As early as in the 9th century B.C, together with the Chu people on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, people there built Chuting, then they established Nanhai Prefecture in the Qin Dynasty, and Nanyue Kingdom in the Western Han Dynasty. Guangzhou is the starting point of the Silk Road on the Sea which links China with the Arabian and Western countries in trading. Before the Qing Dynasty, Guangzhou was China's only foreign trade port at sea. Guangzhou has the longest history among the international trade port cities in the world. Silk, porcelain and tea are the three main foreign trade commodities in Guangzhou in ancient times.

Guangzhou enjoys a mild sub-tropical climate with plentiful rainfall all year round, which makes a beautiful city with evergreen scenery and flowers blooming all the year round, hence reputed as "Flower City". It has also known nationally as the "Hometown of Fruit" for its rich variety of fruits. A lovely legend concerning its past goes that five celestials on their goats with rice ears in the mouth brought the place first paddy rice seeds, so it is also known as “Goat City”.  

Attractions

Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family   Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall   Huaisheng Mosque   Nanyue King's Tomb Museum   Shamian   Temple of Six Banyan Trees   Yuexiu Park   Lotus Hill