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Megalopolis in South China

The Pearl River Delta Metropolitan Region is the low lying area surrounding the Pearl River estuary, where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea. Referred to as the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area in official documents, the region is one of the most densely populated and urbanized regions in the world, and is considered a megacity by numerous scholars. It is currently the wealthiest region in Southern China and one of the wealthiest regions in China along with the Yangtze River Delta in Eastern China and Jingjinji in Northern China. Most of the region is part of the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone, which is a special economic zone of China. The region is a megalopolis, and is at the southern end of a larger megalopolis running along the southern coast of China, which include metropolises such as Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Macao. The nine largest cities of the PRD had a combined population of 86 million in 2022, the PRD has become the largest urban area in the world in both size and population. The region's traditional language is Cantonese; in the late 20th century and the 21st century, due to the high inflow of migrant workers coming from other regions, Mandarin has gradually become a lingua franca. The west side of this region, along with Chaoshan, was also the source of much Chinese emigration from the 19th to the mid 20th centuries, including to the Western world, where they formed many Chinatowns. Today, much of the Chinese diaspora in the US, Canada, Australia, Latin America, and much of Southeast Asia traces their ancestry to the west side of this region. {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font size:85%;"
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! GDP (LCU) is formed by three major rivers, the Xi Jiang (West River), Bei Jiang (North River), and Dong Jiang (East River). The flat lands of the delta are criss crossed by a network of tributaries and distributaries of the Pearl River. The Pearl River Delta is actually two alluvial deltas, separated by the core branch of the Pearl River. The Bei Jiang and Xi Jiang converge to flow into the South China Sea and Pearl River in the west, while the Dong Jiang only flows into the Pearl River proper in the east. The Xi Jiang begins exhibiting delta like characteristics as far west as Zhaoqing, although this city is not usually considered a part of the PRD region. After passing through the Lingyang Gorge and converging with the Bei Jiang, the Xi Jiang opens up and flows as far east as Nansha District and as far west as Xinhui. Major distributaries of the Xi include Donghui Shuidao, Jiya Shuidao, Hutiaomen Shuidao, Yinzhou Hu, and the main branch of the Xi Jiang. Jiangmen and Zhongshan are the major cities found in the western section of the delta. The Bei Jiang enters the delta plains at Qingyuan but does not begin to split until near Sanshui. From here the two main distributaries are Tanzhou Shuidao and Shunde Shuidao which form multiple mouths along the west side of the Pearl River's estuary. Two other distributaries, Lubao Yong and Xinan Yong, split from the Bei further north and converge with the Liuxi He to form the main branch of the Pearl River just north of Guangzhou. The other major city in the north section of the delta is Foshan. The Dong Jiang flows through Huizhou into the delta. It begins diverging northeast of Dongguan into many distributaries, including the Dongguan Shuidao. Distributuares enter the Pearl River as far north as Luogang and as far south as Hu Men (Tiger Gate). Saltwater crocodiles were present within the Pearl River estuary during antiquity.

As well as the delta itself, the term Pearl River Delta refers to the dense network of cities that covers nine prefectures of the province of Guangdong, namely Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Shenzhen, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan and Zhuhai and the SARs of Hong Kong and Macau. The 2010/2011 State of the World Cities report, published by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, estimates the population of the delta region at 120 million people; it is rapidly urbanising. The eastern side of the PRD (Shenzhen, Dongguan), dominated by foreign capital, is the most developed economically. The western areas (Foshan, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Jiangmen), dominated by local private capital, are open for development. New transport links between Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai in the PRD are expected to open up new areas for development, further integrate the cities, and facilitate trade within the region. The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, and the proposed Shenzhen–Zhongshan Bridge, currently in the planning phase, will be amongst the longest bridges in the world with a total length of approximately each. Until 1985, the PRD had been mainly dominated by farms and small rural villages, but after the economy was reformed and opened, a flood of investment turned it into the land's economic powerhouse. The PRD's startling growth was fueled by foreign investment coming largely from Hong Kong manufacturers that moved their operations into the PRD. In 2003, Hong Kong companies employed 11 million workers in their PRD operations. Lately there have been extreme labour shortages in the region due to runaway economic growth which caused wages to rise by about 20 to 30 percent in the past two years.

The Pearl River Delta has been one of the most economically dynamic regions of the People's Republic of China since the launch of China's reform programme in 1979. With annual gross domestic product growth of 13.45 percent over three decades since 1978, it is 3.5 percentage points higher than the national average. Since 1978 almost 30 percent of all foreign investment in China was in the PRD. In 2007 its GDP rose to US$448 billion which makes its economy about the size of Taiwan's and by 2019 this figure has increased to US$2.0 trillion or about the same size as Canada. The abundance of employment opportunities created a pool of wealthy, middle income, professional consumers with an annual per capita income that puts them among China's wealthiest. Since the onset of China's reform program, the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone has been the fastest growing portion of the fastest growing province in the fastest growing large economy in the world. The industrial cities in the Pearl River Delta have been called the "Factory of the World" or the "World's Factory" due to the presence of industrial parks populated with factories from foreign investments. However, the target market of the delta region's exports has become increasingly domestic rather than foreign. Dongguan, Zhongshan, Nanhai, and Shunde are the four cities known as the Four Guangdong Dragons for their high growth rates and rapid development from late the 1980s to the 2000s. Although the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone encompasses only 0.4 percent of the land area and only 3.2 percent of the 2000 census population of mainland China, it accounted for 8.7 percent of GDP, 35.8 percent of total trade, and 29.2 percent of utilised foreign capital in 2001. By 2016 the Pearl River Delta accounted for 9.1 percent of China's GDP. These figures show the remarkable level of economic development to which the Pearl River Delta has been subjected in order to become an 'Economic Zone', as well as the international orientation of the region's economy. This orientation has attracted numerous investors from all over the world who use the Greater Pearl River Delta region as a platform for serving global and Chinese markets. As of 2008, the Central Government has introduced new labor laws, environmental and other regulations to reduce pollution, industrial disputes, produce safer working conditions and protect the environment. The costs of producing low margin and commodity goods have increased. This is on top of the rising cost for energy, food, transport and the appreciation of the Renminbi against the falling US Dollar. Some manufacturers will need to cut costs by moving up the value chain or moving to more undeveloped regions.

The Pearl River Delta established itself as the factory location of choice for global companies that were headquartered in Hong Kong in the 1980s. The industrial output of the Pearl River Delta was generated in the main by state owned enterprises. Meanwhile the industrial output of collective owned enterprises diminished over time, with private enterprises and joint ventures increasing their share of the Pearl River Delta's industrial output to 37.5 percent by the mid 1990s. Today urban areas with the assistance of the municipal governments in the Pearl River Delta are attempting to rebrand industrial output as originating from "the world's tech lab" or "design studio". The Pearl River Delta has become the world's workshop and is a major manufacturing base for products such as electronics, garments and textiles, plastic products, and a range of other goods. Private owned enterprises have developed quickly in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone and are playing an increasing role in the region's economy, particularly after year 2000 when the development environment for private owned enterprises has been greatly relaxed. In 2001 nearly five percent of the world's goods were produced in the Greater Pearl River Delta, with a total export value of US$289 billion. Over 70,000 Hong Kong companies had factory plants in the Greater Pearl River Delta.

PRD is served by six different metro systems throughout the metropolitan area consisting of Guangzhou Metro, Shenzhen Metro, MTR, FMetro, Macau Light Rail Transit and Dongguan Rail Transit. In addition, the Pearl River Delta Metropolitan Region intercity railway provides regional transit between cities of the PRD.

All cities are served by buses and taxis, while some cities may still offer motorcycle service. The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge provides a road connection across the Pearl River between Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai, and is regularly traversed by buses and other public transit.

NameCityTypePopulation(2010~2011)Area(km2)Density(/km2) Baiyun Guangzhou Subdistrict46,768 3.0815,184 Beijing Guangzhou Subdistrict53,135 0.51104,186 Dadong Guangzhou Subdistrict83,491 1.0281,853 Datang Guangzhou Subdistrict46,124 1.0643,513 Daxin Guangzhou Subdistrict 0.60 Dengfeng Guangzhou Subdistrict92,218 4.9818,517 Dongfeng Guangzhou Subdistrict92,218 1.40 Dongshan Guangzhou Subdistrict74,299 2.3032,303 Guangta Guangzhou Subdistrict68,128 0.44154,836 Guangwei Guangzhou Subdistrict 0.79 Hongqiao Guangzhou Subdistrict42,258 1.5227,801 Huale Guangzhou Subdistrict47,126 1.2836,817 Huanghuagang Guangzhou Subdistrict99,569 4.4322,476 Jianshe Guangzhou Subdistrict52,110 0.9356,032 Kuangquan Guangzhou Subdistrict90,036 3.0129,912 Liuhua Guangzhou Subdistrict17,253 1.819,532 Liurong Guangzhou Subdistrict83,996 0.8796,547 Shishu Guangzhou Subdistrict 0.51 Meihuacun Guangzhou Subdistrict85,400 1.7349,364 Nonglin Guangzhou Subdistrict50,152 1.0846,437 Renmin Guangzhou Subdistrict69,274 1.5145,876 Zhuguang Guangzhou Subdistrict56,329 0.9360,568 BaihedongGuangzhou Subdistrict48,238 3.1015,560 CaihongGuangzhou Subdistrict54,348 1.0651,271 ChajiaoGuangzhou Subdistrict54,918 4.0513,560 ChanghuaGuangzhou Subdistrict32,778 1.6120,359 ChongkouGuangzhou Subdistrict48,097 4.2011,451 DongjiaoGuangzhou Subdistrict35,889 4.607,801 DongshaGuangzhou Subdistrict29,013 7.903,672 DuobaoGuangzhou Subdistrict32,581 0.8637,884 FengyuanGuangzhou Subdistrict59,337 0.7876,073 HailongGuangzhou Subdistrict31,801 9.493,351 HuadiGuangzhou Subdistrict39,635 1.6324,315 HualinGuangzhou Subdistrict46,309 0.7264,318 JinhuaGuangzhou Subdistrict54,670 1.1647,129 LingnanGuangzhou Subdistrict27,560 0.9030,622 LongjinGuangzhou Subdistrict43,518 0.5382,109 NanyuanGuangzhou Subdistrict70,066 1.8537,873 QiaozhongGuangzhou Subdistrict31,643 4.4071,91 ShamianGuangzhou Subdistrict3,397 0.3011,323 ShiweitangGuangzhou Subdistrict57,192 5.1811,040 XicunGuangzhou Subdistrict45,069 3.2713,782 ZhanqianGuangzhou Subdistrict27,431 0.9628,573 ZhongnanGuangzhou Subdistrict24,710 7.003,530 BinjiangGuangzhou Subdistrict72,324 16.074,500 ChanggangGuangzhou Subdistrict97,986 1.9649,992 ChigangGuangzhou Subdistrict114,978 5.7320,065 FengyangGuangzhou Subdistrict162,641 9.3017,488 GuanzhouGuangzhou Subdistrict57,869 11.205,166 HaichuangGuangzhou Subdistrict62,884 1.4543,368 HuazhouGuangzhou Subdistrict49,742 12.204,077 JianghaiGuangzhou Subdistrict115,157 5.3021,727 JiangnanzhongGuangzhou Subdistrict75,220 2.3631,872 LongfengGuangzhou Subdistrict102,561 2.3843,092 NanhuaxiGuangzhou Subdistrict37,960 1.1034,509 NanshitouGuangzhou Subdistrict123,043 4.8025,633 NanzhouGuangzhou Subdistrict84,726 12.306,888 PazhouGuangzhou Subdistrict29,851 10.002,985 RuibaoGuangzhou Subdistrict125,399 6.3019,904 ShayuanGuangzhou Subdistrict67,322 1.4446,751 SusheGuangzhou Subdistrict67,103 1.6839,942 XingangGuangzhou Subdistrict111,897 3.8529,064 ChangxingGuangzhou Subdistrict66,098 13.215,003 ChebeiGuangzhou Subdistrict102,787 5.6018,354 FenghuangGuangzhou Subdistrict19,534 22.99849 HuangcunGuangzhou Subdistrict29,501 6.174,781 LiedeGuangzhou Subdistrict22,522 3.107,265 LinheGuangzhou Subdistrict59,732 3.8015,718 LongdongGuangzhou Subdistrict70,055 11.705,987 QianjinGuangzhou Subdistrict59,700 4.9012,183 ShadongGuangzhou Subdistrict29,522 2.1613,667 ShaheGuangzhou Subdistrict42,814 1.2633,979 ShipaiGuangzhou Subdistrict177,198 4.3041,208 TangxiaGuangzhou Subdistrict177,864 7.4223,970 TianhenanGuangzhou Subdistrict62,912 2.0830,246 TianyuanGuangzhou Subdistrict54,769 4.0313,590 WushanGuangzhou Subdistrict131,795 10.5912,445 XiancunGuangzhou Subdistrict51,284 4.0712,600 XinghuaGuangzhou Subdistrict68,139 4.2815,920 XintangGuangzhou Subdistrict41,207 14.952,756 YuancunGuangzhou Subdistrict81,831 5.3715,238 YuangangGuangzhou Subdistrict30,610 3.239,476 ZhujiGuangzhou Subdistrict52,552 10.015,249 JingtaiGuangzhou Subdistrict82,226 11.407,212 SongzhouGuangzhou Subdistrict106,274 9.3011,427 TongdeGuangzhou Subdistrict105,310 3.6029,252 HuangshiGuangzhou Subdistrict117,339 5.7120,549 TangjingGuangzhou Subdistrict89,895 4.2321,251 XinshiGuangzhou Subdistrict76,146 3.3621,449 YunchengGuangzhou Subdistrict3.74— SanyuanliGuangzhou Subdistrict100,149 6.8014,727 TongheGuangzhou Subdistrict89,362 24.253,685 JingxiGuangzhou Subdistrict91,970 5.5116,691 YongpingGuangzhou Subdistrict124,000 14.448,587 JunheGuangzhou Subdistrict124,909 19.806,308 JinshaGuangzhou Subdistrict52,657 10.205,162 ShijingGuangzhou Subdistrict69,674 3.485,321 BaiyunhuGuangzhou Subdistrict16.00— ShimenGuangzhou Subdistrict19.80— JiaheGuangzhou Subdistrict43,848 4.008,769 HelongGuangzhou Subdistrict6.00— RenheGuangzhou Town127,795 74.101,724 TaiheGuangzhou Town208,589 155.371,342 JianggaoGuangzhou Town161,343 95.711,685 ZhongluotanGuangzhou Town192,322 169.401,135 DashaGuangzhou Subdistrict44,641 13.103,407 HuangpuGuangzhou Subdistrict64,255 7.388,706 HongshanGuangzhou Subdistrict42,127 7.305,770 YuzhuGuangzhou Subdistrict59,529 9.116,534 WenchongGuangzhou Subdistrict46,877 10.074,655 NangangGuangzhou Subdistrict76,747 13.745,585 ChangzhouGuangzhou Subdistrict36,478 11.503,172 SuidongGuangzhou Subdistrict45,025 13.583,315 LilianGuangzhou Subdistrict42,251 6.586,421 LuogangGuangzhou Subdistrict45,717 80.10570 XiagangGuangzhou Subdistrict44,528 14.543,062 DongquGuangzhou Subdistrict85,235 54.001,578 LianheGuangzhou Subdistrict49,867 51.76963 YongheGuangzhou Subdistrict55,044 34.001,618 JiulongGuangzhou Town93,265 175.10532 ShiqiaoGuangzhou Subdistrict168,701 20.158,372 ZhongcunGuangzhou Subdistrict104,598 23.414,468 ShibiGuangzhou Subdistrict32,989 27.011,221 DashiGuangzhou Subdistrict116,107 19.346,003 LuopuGuangzhou Subdistrict89,294 25.383,518 DalongGuangzhou Subdistrict129,515 24.805,222 DonghuanGuangzhou Subdistrict52,965 11.004,815 QiaonanGuangzhou Subdistrict72,695 17.854,072 ShatouGuangzhou Subdistrict35,201 18.101,944 XiaoguweiGuangzhou Subdistrict131,470 20.156,524 NancunGuangzhou Town129,076 47.002,746 XinzaoGuangzhou Town27,248 14.121,929 HualongGuangzhou Town53,142 55.70954 ShilouGuangzhou Town90,381 126.50714 ShiqiGuangzhou Town97,434 71.261,367 ShawanGuangzhou Town88,695 37.452,368 XinhuaGuangzhou Subdistrict381,311 29.816,764 HuachengGuangzhou Subdistrict26.56— XinyaGuangzhou Subdistrict20,520 32.98235 XiuquanGuangzhou Subdistrict54.19— TimianGuangzhou Town9,516 91.20104 HuashanGuangzhou Town99,262 116.40852 TanbuGuangzhou Town55,797 113.33492 ChiniGuangzhou Town56,609 160.03353 ShilingGuangzhou Town203,254 136.311,491 HuadongGuangzhou Town118,736 208.44569 NanshaGuangzhou Subdistrict112,151 57.801,940 ZhujiangGuangzhou Subdistrict28,575 41.50688 LongxueGuangzhou Subdistrict128.90— WanqingshaGuangzhou Town44,891 319.20100 HuanggeGuangzhou Town43,791 76.50572 HengliGuangzhou Town30,492 54.00564 DongchongGuangzhou Town147,228 92.001,600 DagangGuangzhou Town125,011 90.071,387 LanheGuangzhou Town73,078 74.48981 JiekouGuangzhou Subdistrict96,846 21.844,434 ChengjiaoGuangzhou Subdistrict79,085 160.00494 JiangbuGuangzhou Subdistrict95,843 127.00754 WenquanGuangzhou Town55,194 210.90261 LiangkouGuangzhou Town32,829 530.6061 LütianGuangzhou Town23,430 393.0059 TaipingGuangzhou Town94,369 210.32448 AotouGuangzhou Town111,308 410.00271 LichengGuangzhou Subdistrict191,777 132.271,449 ZengjiangGuangzhou Subdistrict78,072 86.18905 ZhucunGuangzhou Subdistrict43,557 93.90463 YongningGuangzhou Subdistrict104.14— ZhengguoGuangzhou Town40,387 236.40170 ShitanGuangzhou Town121,674 184.00661 XintangGuangzhou Town391,287 85.094,598 ZhongxinGuangzhou Town78,293 236.00331 PaitanGuangzhou Town58,337 289.50201 XiaolouGuangzhou Town33,725 136.00247 XiancunGuangzhou Town56.65— HuangbeiShenzhen Subdistrict113,382 7.5015,117 GuiyuanShenzhen Subdistrict82,694 10.907,586 DongmenShenzhen Subdistrict90,454 2.1043,073 CuizhuShenzhen Subdistrict110,459 3.4532,017 DongxiaoShenzhen Subdistrict100,779 3.4828,959 NanhuShenzhen Subdistrict90,500 2.6334,410 SungangShenzhen Subdistrict64,004 4.0315,881 DonghuShenzhen Subdistrict84,556 29.052,910 LiantangShenzhen Subdistrict85,569 13.106,531 QingshuiheShenzhen Subdistrict101,024 13.627,417 ShatouShenzhen Subdistrict226,061 18.9011,960 NanyuanShenzhen Subdistrict108,398 3.0036,132 YuanlingShenzhen Subdistrict88,261 3.6724,049 HuafuShenzhen Subdistrict70,834 5.7512,318 FutianShenzhen Subdistrict234,861 12.2519,172 XiangmihuShenzhen Subdistrict89,471 9.988,965 LianhuaShenzhen Subdistrict168,392 9.6017,540 MeilinShenzhen Subdistrict168,506 34.304,912 HuaqiangbeiShenzhen Subdistrict54,067 2.9018,643 FubaoShenzhen Subdistrict106,811 3.7528,482 NantouShenzhen Subdistrict163,237 16.809,716 NanshanShenzhen Subdistrict152,312 23.906,372 ShaheShenzhen Subdistrict121,350 22.325,436 XiliShenzhen Subdistrict187,832 49.163,820 ShekouShenzhen Subdistrict87,304 12.297,103 ZhaoshangShenzhen Subdistrict79,650 18.364,338 YuehaiShenzhen Subdistrict157,807 14.4010,958 TaoyuanShenzhen Subdistrict138,853 40.003,471 Xin'anShenzhen Subdistrict410,056 30.9013,270 XixiangShenzhen Subdistrict580,736 106.005,478 SonggangShenzhen Subdistrict398,153 64.006,221 ShajingShenzhen Subdistrict529,041 60.008,817 FuyongShenzhen Subdistrict472,792 66.207,141 ShiyanShenzhen Subdistrict248,139 64.603,841 HangchengShenzhen Subdistrict — FuhaiShenzhen Subdistrict — XinqiaoShenzhen Subdistrict — YanluoShenzhen Subdistrict — GuangmingShenzhen Subdistrict66,549 55.801,192 GongmingShenzhen Subdistrict414,358 100.304,131 XinhuShenzhen Subdistrict — FenghuangShenzhen Subdistrict — YutangShenzhen Subdistrict — MatianShenzhen Subdistrict — LonghuaShenzhen Subdistrict367,521 24.8014,819 MinzhiShenzhen Subdistrict281,652 30.699,177 DalangShenzhen Subdistrict277,689 37.207,464 GuanlanShenzhen Subdistrict452,598 34.6013,080 GuanhuShenzhen Subdistrict — FuchengShenzhen Subdistrict — LongchengShenzhen Subdistrict260,696 77.683,356 LonggangShenzhen Subdistrict215,273 64.843,320 HenggangShenzhen Subdistrict94,801 40.402,346 BujiShenzhen Subdistrict359,770 30.5811,764 BantianShenzhen Subdistrict221,767 28.517,778 NanwanShenzhen Subdistrict197,431 24.687,999 PinghuShenzhen Subdistrict228,217 41.805,459 PingdiShenzhen Subdistrict94,765 53.141,783 BaolongShenzhen Subdistrict — JihuaShenzhen Subdistrict — YuanshanShenzhen Subdistrict — PingshanShenzhen Subdistrict205,999 127.221,619 KengziShenzhen Subdistrict94,801 40.402,346 BilingShenzhen Subdistrict — MaluanShenzhen Subdistrict — ShijingShenzhen Subdistrict — LongtianShenzhen Subdistrict — DapengShenzhen Subdistrict46,867 82.81565 KuichongShenzhen Subdistrict61,105 103.90588 Nan'aoShenzhen Subdistrict18,588 115.06161 HaishanShenzhen Subdistrict61,858 5.5211,206 YantianShenzhen Subdistrict80,641 17.84,530 MeishaShenzhen Subdistrict18,063 16.831,073 ShatoujiaoShenzhen Subdistrict48,798 6.917,061 MeihuaZhuhai Subdistrict91,172 9.809,303 GongbeiZhuhai Subdistrict105,130 10.0010,513 JidaZhuhai Subdistrict81,088 11.706,930 CuixiangZhuhai Subdistrict106,661 28.003,809 ShishanZhuhai Subdistrict56,956 8.206,945 XiangwanZhuhai Subdistrict48,482 32.401,496 QianshanZhuhai Subdistrict184,738 53.003,485 WanziZhuhai Subdistrict26,645 30.50873 NanpingZhuhai Town70,934 60.701,168 TangjiawanZhuhai Town109,152 130.00839 HengqinZhuhai Town6,914 476.0014 GuishanZhuhai Town1,745 18.0096 Dan'ganZhuhai Town1,860 40.0046 WanshanZhuhai Town1,208 23.0052 BaitengZhuhai Subdistrict17.00— Jing'anZhuhai Town172,732 142.001,086 BaijiaoZhuhai Town104,568 184.00568 GanwuZhuhai Town57,352 190.60300 DoumenZhuhai Town46,549 105.77440 LianzhouZhuhai Town34,681 88.60391 SanzaoZhuhai Town82,221 96.00856 HongqiZhuhai Town67,631 150.00450 PingshaZhuhai Town67,149 197.00340 NanshuiZhuhai Town36,962 100.00369 ZumiaoFoshan Subdistrict416,800 31.6013,189 ShiwanzhenFoshan Subdistrict286,226 26.6210,752 ZhangchaFoshan Subdistrict241,149 26.509,099 NanzhuangFoshan Town156,902 76.702,045 GuichengFoshan Subdistrict542,775 84.166,449 LishuiFoshan Town273,914 75.383,633 JiujiangFoshan Town170,179 94.751,796 DanzaoFoshan Town154,955 143.501,079 DaliFoshan Town614,837 95.906,411 ShishanFoshan Town610,514 330.601,846 XiqiaoFoshan Town221,670 176.631,254 DaliangFoshan Subdistrict404,309 80.195,041 RongguiFoshan Subdistrict449,687 80.175,609 LeliuFoshan Subdistrict252,364 90.842,778 LunjiaoFoshan Subdistrict184,479 59.213,115 BeijiaoFoshan Town270,310 92.412,925 LecongFoshan Town259,795 77.553350 Jun'anFoshan Town141,736 79.361,785 XingtanFoshan Town144,537 122.071184 ChencunFoshan Town135,686 50.922,664 LongjiangFoshan Town221,881 73.783,007 XinanFoshan Subdistrict283,819 178.001,594 YundonghaiFoshan Subdistrict29,953 56.00534 LubaoFoshan Town40,626 105.00386 DatangFoshan Town46,704 98.23475 LepingFoshan Town134,508 198.50677 BainiFoshan Town64,425 66.46969 NanshanFoshan Town22,610 115.62195 HechengFoshan Subdistrict278,454 178.581,559 YangheFoshan Town53,224 246.27216 GengheFoshan Town 46,528 365.00127 MingchengFoshan Town41,838 186.50224GuanchengDongguanSubdistrict162,11613.512,008DongchengDongguanSubdistrict492,875110.04,480NanchengDongguanSubdistrict289,25559.04,902.62WanjiangDongguanSubdistrict244,76550.54,846ShilongDongguanTown141,85011.312,553GaobuDongguanTown217,43630.07,247ZhongtangDongguanTown139,56360.02,326MachongDongguanTown118,06274.01,595WangniudunDongguanTown84,78631.52,685HongmeiDongguanTown58,11433.01,761ShijieDongguanTown246,96036.06,860DaojiaoDongguanTown143,10763.02,271ShatianDongguanTown177,482107.01,658HoujieDongguanTown438,283126.03,478HumenDongguanTown638,657178.53,577Chang'anDongguanTown664,23097.86,791DalingshanDongguanTown279,414110.02,540DalangDongguanTown310,889118.02,634HuangjiangDongguanTown231,39998.02,361LiaobuDongguanTown418,57887.54,783FenggangDongguanTown318,97182.53,866TangxiaDongguanTown482,067128.03,766QingxiDongguanTown312,639143.02,186ZhangmutouDongguanTown132,816118.81,117XiegangDongguanTown99,387103.0964ChangpingDongguanTown386,378108.03,577QiaotouDongguanTown166,77456.02,978QishiDongguanTown121,69351.02,386HengliDongguanTown204,83050.04,096DongkengDongguanTown138,81927.55,047ChashanDongguanTown156,52251.03,069ShipaiDongguanTown160,20256.02,860ShiqiZhongshanSubdistrict206,36222.59,171DongquZhongshanSubdistrict153,47773.12,099NanquZhongshanSubdistrict64,54825.12,571XiquZhongshanSubdistrict97,86449.11,993THIDZ (Zhongshangang)ZhongshanSubdistrict229,997158.71,449WuguishanZhongshanSubdistrict48,019101.2474HuangpuZhongshanTown145,01788.31,642NantouZhongshanTown130,71225.75,086DongfengZhongshanTown123,56256.22,198FushaZhongshanTown57,57035.41,626XiaolanZhongshanTown315,62671.94,389DongshengZhongshanTown118,05276.71,539GuzhenZhongshanTown147,44052.22,824HenglanZhongshanTown103,13575.71,362SanjiaoZhongshanTown121,77070.11,737MinzhongZhongshanTown108,417121.8890NanlangZhongshanTown107,977152.4708GangkouZhongshanTown113,74871.21,597DachongZhongshanTown74,27640.61,829ShenwanZhongshanTown31,39252.4599SanxiangZhongshanTown200,19793.62,138BanfuZhongshanTown82,41279.61,035ShaxiZhongshanTown119,37260.91,960TanzhouZhongshanTown219,943129.51,698HuanshiJiangmen Subdistrict119,42334.03,512CanghouJiangmen Subdistrict59,5655.011,913DidongJiangmen Subdistrict76,7653.720,747BeijieJiangmen Subdistrict58,3748.356,990BaishaJiangmen Subdistrict109,7918.1713,438ChaolianJiangmen Subdistrict29,39512.682,318TangxiaJiangmen Town76,021131.1579HetangJiangmen Town88,08532.02,752DuruanJiangmen Town101,72780.91,257JiangnanJiangmen Subdistrict31,7002.711,740WaihaiJiangmen Subdistrict94,66646.02,057LileJiangmen Subdistrict82,61249.81,658JiaobeiJiangmen Subdistrict9,3633.72,530JiaotouJiangmen Subdistrict35,9724.87,494HuichengJiangmen Subdistrict385,177143.862,677DazeJiangmen Town37,67783.50451SiqianJiangmen Town69,93589.54781LuokengJiangmen Town31,527117.88267ShuangshuiJiangmen Town87,295207.44420YamenJiangmen Town37,963289.09131ShaduiJiangmen Town36,95796.25383GujingJiangmen Town42,027112.31374SanjiangJiangmen Town43,11382.43523MuzhouJiangmen Town42,11779.79527Da'aoJiangmen Town35,36752.56672TaichengJiangmen Subdistrict246,844159.71,545DajiangJiangmen Town46,67469.8668ShuibuJiangmen Town42,578110.9383SijiuJiangmen Town37,402260143BaishaJiangmen Town52,462123426SanheJiangmen Town36,215250144ChonglouJiangmen Town32,483125259DoushanJiangmen Town48,229121.25397DuhuJiangmen Town42,657164.23259ChixiJiangmen Town34,450254.2135DuanfenJiangmen Town45,729300152GuanghaiJiangmen Town43,465132.58327HaiyanJiangmen Town73,212330221WencunJiangmen Town49,565175283ShenjingJiangmen Town52,767315.3167BeidouJiangmen Town28,091196143ChuandaoJiangmen Town28,272254.3111SanbuJiangmen Subdistrict173,10032.45,342ChangshaJiangmen Subdistrict124,829542,311ShatangJiangmen Town24,66788280ChachengJiangmen Town26,750 138.6193LongshengJiangmen Town26,161126207DashaJiangmen Town22,298215.6103MagangJiangmen Town30,72892.3332TangkouJiangmen Town22,62673.5307ChikanJiangmen Town37,26061.4606BaiheJiangmen Town17,62166.1266XiangangJiangmen Town13,28078170JinjiJiangmen Town16,493149.5110YueshanJiangmen Town46,700121.12385ChishuiJiangmen Town25,894145178ShuikouJiangmen Town90,83533.12,744ShapingJiangmen Subdistrict197,155503,943LongkouJiangmen Town36,62596381YayaoJiangmen Town38,85182.3472GulaoJiangmen Town35,60668.12522TaoyuanJiangmen Town25,90254479HechengJiangmen Town32,170178180GongheJiangmen Town41,33890.07458ZhishanJiangmen Town32,00961.38521ZhaiwuJiangmen Town26,254205.06128YunxiangJiangmen Town12,45336.83338ShuangheJiangmen Town16,575149.4110EnchengJiangmen Subdistrict197,788162.51,217HengbeiJiangmen Town31,694 126.5250ShengtangJiangmen Town25,03856.65441LiangxiJiangmen Town20,091121.75165ShahuJiangmen Town56,217250224NiujiangJiangmen Town23,43091257JuntangJiangmen Town46,475100.6461DatianJiangmen Town27,943202.36138NajiJiangmen Town19,38426074DahuaiJiangmen Town18,62597.2191DongchengJiangmen Town26,12950.4518QiaodongHuizhou Subdistrict100,37413.57QiaoxiHuizhou Subdistrict159,5918.8JiangnanHuizhou Subdistrict74,60228JiangbeiHuizhou Subdistrict104,49415LongfengHuizhou Subdistrict81,05346Henan'anHuizhou Subdistrict181,75545HuihuanHuizhou Subdistrict173,85236ChenjiangHuizhou Subdistrict138,69483ShuikouHuizhou Subdistrict137,286120XiaojinkouHuizhou Subdistrict105,55466.7RuhuHuizhou Town45,990173SandongHuizhou Town35,41067.8TonghuHuizhou Town35,706112.5LilinHuizhou Town57,47649Ma'anHuizhou Town55,41476HengliHuizhou Town44,488343LuzhouHuizhou Town15,890160TongqiaoHuizhou Town30,33531DanshuiHuizhou Subdistrict226,70380QiuchangHuizhou Subdistrict81,224109.9AotouHuizhou Subdistrict58,766110XiayongHuizhou Subdistrict19,30480.8YonghuHuizhou Town25,575130LiangjingHuizhou Town25,04372.6PingtanHuizhou Town32,271105ShatianHuizhou Town29,27685XinxuHuizhou Town83,283158.4ZhenlongHuizhou Town46,982115.3LuoyangHuizhou Town208,739251.62GongzhuangHuizhou Town46,813299.5BaitangHuizhou Town50,013161.4YangcunHuizhou Town41,958120MabeiHuizhou Town21,69058.6ShibaHuizhou Town39,149142TaimeiHuizhou Town34,169183.5LongxiHuizhou Town88,964115.84YuanzhouHuizhou Town146,053110ShiwanHuizhou Town122,80283LonghuaHuizhou Town26,00962FutianHuizhou Town38,28686.7ChangningHuizhou Town39,983117HuzhenHuizhou Town56,551117.3YangqiaoHuizhou Town29,86889GuanyingeHuizhou Town17,309143HengheHuizhou Town21,421232.88PinshanHuizhou Subdistrict236,877329.22DalingHuizhou Subdistrict115,762160.23BaihuaHuizhou Town63,904203.61LianghuaHuizhou Town44,122177.7RenshanHuizhou Town63,662183.3TieyonHuizhou Town34,653120PinghaiHuizhou Town60,323136JilongHuizhou Town78,77399HuangbuHuizhou Town83,75697.7DuozhuHuizhou Town63,039408.96AndunHuizhou Town36,297369.5GaotanHuizhou Town7,399193BaokouHuizhou Town7,565146.8BaipenzhuHuizhou Town12,25874LongchengHuizhou Subdistrict81,835115.5PinglingHuizhou Subdistrict36,533143MazhaHuizhou Town22,12854.5YonghanHuizhou Town47,680215LongtianHuizhou Town17,810195.5LongtanHuizhou Town22,306257DipaiHuizhou Town13,991211LonghuaHuizhou Town33,423179LongjiangHuizhou Town23,16754.5LantianHuizhou Township7,716169ChengdongZhaoqing Subdistrict212,71817.8ChengxiZhaoqing Subdistrict114,83710.3ChengbeiZhaoqing Subdistrict ChengnanZhaoqing Subdistrict HuanggangZhaoqing Subdistrict88,27278MugangZhaoqing Subdistrict63,51559.5KengkouZhaoqing Subdistrict22,40695.5GuichengZhaoqing Subdistrict29,93023.3Guangli SubdistrictZhaoqing Subdistrict25,77528Yong'anZhaoqing Town29,73280.5ShapuZhaoqing Town15,598105.8FenghuangZhaoqing Town9,110145LianhuaZhaoqing Town32,13967Nan'anZhaoqing Subdistrict81,88636.5HetaiZhaoqing Town33,660150LechengZhaoqing Town24,33794ShuinanZhaoqing Town11,598126LubuZhaoqing Town63,488254XiaoxiangZhaoqing Town30,964200DawanZhaoqing Town34,535108XinqiaoZhaoqing Town39,26541.8BaizhuZhaoqing Town36,977128LiantangZhaoqing Town58,429125HuodaoZhaoqing Town41,358228JiaotangZhaoqing Town33,060130HuilongZhaoqing Town25,426124.25BaituZhaoqing Town71,430108.4JinduZhaoqing Town43,623101.23JinliZhaoqing Town93,792141.3XiangangZhaoqing Town29,29296.6PaishaZhaoqing Town20,527154TanpuZhaoqing Town20,844132.6JiangtunZhaoqing Town43,155238.12LianheZhaoqing Town LuogangZhaoqing Town9,442105BeishiZhaoqing Town16,458230KengkouZhaoqing Town21,002181ChikengZhaoqing Town12,596181NanjieZhaoqing Town118,259189.3BinhengZhaoqing Town38,523171.33ShijianZhaoqing Town WuheZhaoqing Town17,639116.32HengshanZhaoqing Town34,355137.5MugeZhaoqing Town12,634126.05ShijuZhaoqing Town9,27283.56GushuiZhaoqing Town35,334263.7ZhouziZhaoqing Town13,90188.53HuaichengZhaoqing Town146,839262.02ZhagangZhaoqing Town17,66584.83Ao'ziZhaoqing Town32,777206.32WenlangZhaoqing Town16,54286.16GansaZhaoqing Town17,429132.21FenggangZhaoqing Town30,477277QiashuiZhaoqing Town28,193529LiangcunZhaoqing Town64,95288.9DagangZhaoqing Town59,455116GangpingZhaoqing Town30,11653.78LengkengZhaoqing Town95,881160.2ManingZhaoqing Town38,91358LangangZhaoqing Town17,593210YongguZhaoqing Town36,709189ShidongZhaoqing Town54,347325QiaotouZhaoqing Town44,647213ZhongzhouZhaoqing Town77.1140,524200.4LianmaiZhaoqing Town32,394119ShuaiZhaoqing Township7,57977.11JiangkouZhaoqing Town65,160177JiangchuanZhaoqing Town8,286120.08BaigouZhaoqing Town12,125142.3DazhouZhaoqing Town12,514161.84YulaoZhaoqing Town18,187118He'erkouZhaoqing Town21,483368LianduZhaoqing Town24,838256XinghuaZhaoqing Town23,277156.3LuodongZhaoqing Town21,205136.83ChanggangZhaoqing Town20,497152.64PingfengZhaoqing Town16,901107.67NanfengZhaoqing Town71,479306DayukouZhaoqing Town11,279129DupingZhaoqing Town8,913130.54JinzhuangZhaoqing Town27,247127.08Chang'anZhaoqing Town34,867139.04DechengZhaoqing Subdistrict58,87817.5XinxuZhaoqing Town23,892138HuilongZhaoqing Town17,401132.2GuanxuZhaoqing Town30,379292MaxuZhaoqing Town20,214163.75GaoliangZhaoqing Town28,944300MocunZhaoqing Town28,625300YongfengZhaoqing Town19,924160WulongZhaoqing Town14,207136BozhiZhaoqing Town15,308115.3FengcunZhaoqing Town27,344160YuechengZhaoqing Town31,544221JiushiZhaoqing Town24,551152.6DongchengZhaoqing Subdistrict101,42846ChengzhongZhaoqing Subdistrict142,57784ZhenshanZhaoqing Subdistrict35,922100.68LongfuZhaoqing Town17,979103DedouZhaoqing Town18,35189.7WeizhengZhaoqing Town12,04763.9LuoyuanZhaoqing Town5,94526JingkouZhaoqing Town12,669101DashaZhaoqing Town46,12080ShigouZhaoqing Town16,170142HuangtianZhaoqing Town10,74389.6JiangguZhaoqing Town27,17782.4XiamaoZhaoqing Town24,579107.5Central and WesternHong KongDistrict251,51912.420,102EasternHong KongDistrict588,09418.531,664SouthernHong KongDistrict278,65538.87,083Wan ChaiHong KongDistrict152,6089.815,788Sham Shui PoHong KongDistrict380,8559.339,095Kowloon CityHong KongDistrict377,35110.036,178Kwun TongHong KongDistrict622,15211.252,123Wong Tai SinHong KongDistrict420,1839.345,540Yau Tsim MongHong KongDistrict307,8786.940,136Kwai TsingHong KongDistrict511,16723.322,421NorthHong KongDistrict304,134136.62,055Sai KungHong KongDistrict436,627129.63,135Sha TinHong KongDistrict630,27368.78,842Tai PoHong KongDistrict296,853136.12,156Tsuen WanHong KongDistrict304,63761.74,679Tuen MunHong KongDistrict487,54682.86,057Yuen LongHong KongDistrict578,529138.43,858IslandsHong KongDistrict141,327175.1783Nossa Senhora de FátimaMacauFreguesia211,8003.266,187Santo AntónioMacauFreguesia120,6001.1109,636São LázaroMacauFreguesia31,9000.653,166SéMacauFreguesia46,1003.413,558São LourençoMacauFreguesia47,2001.047,200Nossa Senhora do CarmoMacauFreguesia78,0007.610,263São Francisco XavierMacauFreguesia4,0007.6526CotaiMacauFreguesia5.8

A 2011 article in British newspaper The Telegraph reported on a "Turn The Pearl River Delta Into One" project. The stated goal was to "mesh the transport, energy, water and telecommunications networks of the nine cities together." (Hong Kong and Macau were not included.) However, the Chinese government denied that such a project existed.

The Pearl River Delta is notoriously polluted. After thirty years of rapid industrialization, the Pearl River Delta has in parts been famed for pollution. Acid rain, smog, water pollution, and electronic waste contribute to the perceived problems. In travel literature the Pearl River Delta has been titillated as among the most attractive "pollution day trips from Hong Kong". Treatment facilities for sewage and industrial waste are failing to keep pace with the growth in population and industry in the area. A large portion of the pollution is brought about by factories run by Hong Kong manufacturers in the area. Much of the area is frequently covered with a brown smog. This has a strong effect on the pollution levels in the delta. On 22 March 2007 the World Bank approved a $96 million loan to the PRC government to reduce water pollution in the Pearl River Delta. On December 23, 2008, it was announced that ¥48.6 billion (about $7.1 billion) will be spent on the river by mid 2010 to clean up the river's sewage problems quoted by Zhang Hu, the director of Guangzhou municipal bureau of water affairs. The city will build about 30 water treatment plants, which will treat 2.25 million tonnes of water per day. The program hopes to cut down the amount of sewage in the area by 85%, and was also of fundamental importance for the 2010 Asian Games held in Guangzhou from November 12, 2010, to November 27, 2010. In October 2009 Greenpeace East Asia released a report, "Poisoning the Pearl River" that detailed the results of a study it conducted in which 25 samples were collected from five manufacturing facilities in the Greater Pearl River Delta. The study concluded that all the facilities sampled were discharging waste water containing chemicals with proven or suspected hazardous properties including beryllium, copper, manganese, and heavy metals, as well as high levels of organic chemicals. These substances are associated with a long list of health problems such as cancer, endocrine disruption, renal failure and damage to the nervous system as well being known to harm the environment. Three of the five facilities sampled (Qingyuan Top Dragon Co. Ltd, Wing Fung P. C. Board Co. Ltd. and Techwise Qingyuan Circuit Co. Ltd. ) contained concentrations of chemicals which exceeded the limits set by Guangdong provincial effluent standards. These companies were then subjected to a Clean Production Audit according to Article 28 of China's Cleaner Production Promotion Law. Guangdong Environmental Protection Bureau took a stance against the companies by blacklisting them. Pearl River Delta is a strong source of greenhouse gases as well. Although it is hard to estimate overall greenhouse gas emissions from such a large megacity, scientists have shown that Pearl River Delta exhibits one of the strongest anomalies in carbon dioxide concentration around the world. This enhancement is easily discernible from satellite observations.