Top 10 - China's Largest Cities

The notion of "crowded" is different in China, a country that has not less than 10 metropolitan cities with a population of over 10 million people and 145 cities with over one million people. 10. Suzhou Population: 10.3 million people Although its name is not well known internationally, Suzhou is one of China's oldest cities, with a history of over 2,500 years. Shopping center of the country since the Song Dynasty, Suzhou has been, for hundreds of years, the largest non-capital city in the world. Since the start of China's major economic reforms in 1979, Suzhou has been one of the fastest growing cities in the world. 9. Wuhan Population: 10.6 million people The most populated city in the center of the country, Wuhan is a national transport center, being named "Chicago of China" by foreign investors. With a history spanning around 3,500 years, it is today a regional center in areas such as politics, economics, culture, or education. Worthwhile, the city is a development model based on foreign direct investment, with the authorities managing to raise funds from over 80 countries. 8. Harbin Population: 12 million people In its only 100 years of existence, Harbin has turned spectacular, becoming the huge metropolis of today, from a small fishing village. The political, cultural and educational center of the northern part of China, Harbin is also unofficially named "Ice City" because of the extremely low winter temperatures. Host of ice sculpture events and destination appreciated by winter sports lovers, Harbin received the "China Top Tourist City" award in 2004. 7. Shenzhen Population: 12.3 million people Shenzhen won the city status in 1980, one of which has developed with astonishing speed. The former 30,000-man town was included in China's First Special Economic Zone, with foreign investment rapidly leading to an economic boom and the current modern landscape. Shenzhen is part of the urban agglomeration called the "Mega City of the Pearl River Delta", being an important financial center for the south of the country. 6. Tianjin Population: 15.4 million people With a history beginning in 1404, Tianjin Fortress City has always been a major contributor to the country's economy, thanks to the harbor. Economic development in recent years has made the city's population grow fast, with over three million people in just three years. Tianjin City boasts the highest GDP per capita across the country (over $ 17,000 / person), surpassing Beijing and Shanghai's favorite metropolitan areas. 5. Chengdu Population: 17.6 million people Sichuan Province capital is one of the most important economic, financial, commercial, cultural and transportation centers in the west of China. An important pillar in the country's business environment, Chengdu is the city where more than 200 of the international companies included in the Fortune 500 are based. Although less popular among foreign visitors, the city is becoming more and more known among tourists for business. 4. Chongqing Population: 18.3 million people The city whose official abbreviation is Yu, Chongqing is one of China's four main provincial cities, called "directly controlled municipalities" (alongside Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin). With an important history and culture spanning more than 1,500 years, Chongqing has managed to keep pace with the times, being described by the Economist Intelligence Unit today as "one of the 13 mega-cities underway development of China ". 3. Guangzhou Population: 20.8 million people Guangzhou is the local name of Canton City, which is one of the five Central National Cities, classified by GaWC as Beta Global Ranking City. A city with a history of almost 23 centuries, Guangzhou has always been a major port of China, being at present a key national center of maritime, rail and air transport. It is currently part of the urban agglomeration called the "Mega City of the Pearl River Delta". 2. Beijing Population: 21.7 million people The bustling capital harmoniously combines rich history and traditional motifs with modern architecture and current customs, making it the most popular tourist destination of the country. China's political, cultural and educational center, Beijing is a city whose history spans three millennia, being the last of China's Four Ancient Capitals. In the last three years, the city's population has risen by 7% after a decade of annual steady declines. 1. Shanghai Population: 24.1 million people Located in the Yangtze River delta, China's largest city is the world's eighth largest city, with its population declining slightly from the previous year (0.4%). Shanghai is one of the fastest growing cities of the last 20 years - from a poor and relatively undeveloped city in the early 1990s, it has become China's most powerful engine as well as the most modern and Westernized metropolis of the country.