South China | |
|---|---|
 The three southernmost provinces of China—Guangdong,Guangxi, andHainan—commonly defined as South China Expanded definition of South China based on the 1945–1949 classification, including additional southern provinces Broad concept of Southern China encompassing a wider geographical and cultural region | |
| Country |  China |
| Provinces & SARs | |
| Major cities | |
| Population | |
• Total | 195.5 million |
| Time zone | UTC+08:00 (China Standard) |
South China (pinyin:Huá'nán;Jyutping:jyut6 naam4) is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part ofChina. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest ofChina proper is that most of its citizens are not native speakers ofStandard Chinese.Cantonese is the most common language inHong Kong andMacau while English and Portuguese retain influence due to the local colonial history.
"Southern China" (simplified Chinese:中国南方;traditional Chinese:中國南方) is geographically defined as the vast region south of theQinling–Huaihe Line. This division is based on differences in climate, economic production, transportation, and culture. The southern region is characterized by asubtropical monsoon climate andtropical monsoon climate, with winters that are mild and rarely snowy. The climate is generally warm, rice is the primary grain crop, and historically, waterways were the main mode of transportation.
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"South China" (simplified Chinese:华南;traditional Chinese:華南) specifically refers toLingnan, meaning the region "south of theWuling Mountains", the mountain which roughly goes near the28th parallel north.
WhenRepublic of China held its power in the mainland before 1949, South China was defined as comprising six provinces:Guangdong,Guangxi,Guizhou,Yunnan,Fujian, andTaiwan, collectively referred to as the 'Six Provinces of South China'.[citation needed]
In June 1946, theChinese Communist Party established CCP Bureau of South China inHong Kong.[1] During theSecond Chinese Civil War, CCP Bureau of Southeast China was established, following the incorporation ofGuizhou andYunnan into that region.[citation needed]
From 1949 to 1997, there are only three provinces in South China region, which areGuangdong Province,Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, andHainan Province. After the handover ofHong Kong andMacau byUnited Kingdom andPortugal, these two regions are now also considered part of South China.[citation needed]
| GB[2] | ISO №[3] | Province | Chinese Name | Capital | Population | Density | Area | Abbreviation | Abbr. in Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuè | 44 | Guangdong Province | 广东省 Guǎngdōng Shěng Gwong2dung1 Saang2 | Guangzhou | 104,303,132 | 579.46 | 180,000 | GD | 粤 |
| Guì | 45 | Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region | 广西壮族自治区 Guǎngxī Zhuàngzú Zìzhìqū Gwong2sai1 Zong3zuk6 Zi6zi6keoi1 | Nanning | 46,026,629 | 195.02 | 236,000 | GX | 桂 |
| Qióng | 46 | Hainan Province | 海南省 Hǎinán Shěng Háinâm Téng | Haikou | 8,671,518 | 255.04 | 34,000 | HI | 琼 |
| Gǎng | 91 | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | 香港特别行政区 Xiānggǎng Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū Hoeng2gong1 Dak6bit6 Hang4zing3keoi1 | Tamar | 7,061,200 | 6,396.01 | 1,104 | HK | 港 |
| Ào | 92 | Macau Special Administrative Region | 澳门特别行政区 Àomén Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū Ou3mun2 Dak6bit6 Han4zing3keoi1 | Macau | 552,300 | 19,044.82 | 29 | MC | 澳 |
Provincial capitals inbold.
| # | City | Urban area[4] | District area[4] | City proper[4] | Prov. | Census date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenzhen | 10,358,381 | 10,358,381 | 10,358,381 | GD | 2010-11-01 |
| 2 | Guangzhou | 9,702,144 | 11,071,424 | 12,701,948 | GD | 2010-11-01 |
| 3 | Dongguan | 7,271,322 | 8,220,207 | 8,220,207 | GD | 2010-11-01 |
| 4 | Hong Kong | 7,071,576 | 7,071,576 | 7,071,576 | HK | 2011-06-30[5] |
| 5 | Foshan | 6,771,895 | 7,197,394 | 7,197,394 | GD | 2010-11-01 |
| 6 | Shantou | 3,644,017 | 5,329,024 | 5,389,328 | GD | 2010-11-01 |
| 7 | Zhongshan | 2,740,994 | 3,121,275 | 3,121,275 | GD | 2010-11-01 |
| 8 | Nanning | 2,660,833 | 3,434,303 | 6,658,742 | GX | 2010-11-01 |
| 9 | Huizhou | 1,807,858 | 2,344,634 | 4,598,402 | GD | 2010-11-01 |
| 10 | Haikou | 1,517,410 | 2,046,170 | 2,046,170 | HI | 2010-11-01 |
| 11 | Jiangmen | 1,480,023 | 1,822,614 | 4,450,703 | GD | 2010-11-01 |
| 12 | Liuzhou | 1,410,712 | 1,436,599 | 3,758,704 | GX | 2010-11-01 |
| 13 | Zhuhai | 1,369,538 | 1,562,530 | 1,562,530 | GD | 2010-11-01 |
| 14 | Zhanjiang | 1,038,762 | 1,611,868 | 6,994,832 | GD | 2010-11-01 |
| 15 | Macau | 552,503 | 552,503 | 552,503 | MO | 2011-08-12[6] |
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South China has accumulated substantial wealth and established several prestigious universities. Notably, theUniversity of Hong Kong was founded in 1887 inBritish Hong Kong, becoming the region’s first modern university and a leading institution for English-language higher education in Asia. In 1924,Sun Yat-sen University was established inGuangzhou bySun Yat-sen, serving as a cornerstone of modern Chinese higher education in the mainland.[citation needed]
After the founding of thePeople's Republic of China in 1949, Guangzhou was designated as the central city of South China, leading to the establishment of several key regional universities. These includeSouth China University of Technology, known for its engineering and materials science;South China Normal University, a major center for teacher education;South China Agricultural University, specializing in tropical and subtropical agriculture; andJinan University, one of the oldest institutions in China, with a unique focus on overseas Chinese education.[citation needed]
Following China'sReform and opening-up policy in the late 1970s, the city ofShenzhen experienced rapid economic growth and emerged as a major innovation and technology hub. In response,Shenzhen University got rapid development, and several prominent universities established branch campuses or new institutions in this city. For example,Tsinghua University launched theTsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, andPeking University established thePeking University Shenzhen Graduate School. In addition, the newly foundedSouthern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) quickly gained recognition as a high-caliber research university with international faculty and strong emphasis on science and engineering.[7]
Media related toChina Southeast at Wikimedia Commons Media related toChina South-Central at Wikimedia Commons
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