The Pearl River Delta Metropolitan Region (PRD) is the low-lying area surrounding the Pearl Riverestuary, where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea. It is one of the most densely urbanized regions in the world, and is often considered a megacity. It is now the wealthiest region in South China and one of the wealthiest in the whole of China along with the Yangtze River Delta in East China and Jingjinji in North China. The region’s economy is referred to as Pearl River Delta Economic Zone. It is also part of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.
The PRD is a megalopolis, with future development into a single mega metropolitan area, yet itself is at the southern end of a larger megalopolis running along the southern coast of China, which include metropolises such as Chaoshan, Zhangzhou–Xiamen, Quanzhou–Putian and Fuzhou. The nine largest cities of the PRD had a combined population of 57.15 million at the end of 2013, comprising 53.69% of the provincial population. According to the World Bank Group, the PRD has become the largest urban area in the world in both size and population.
The Pearl River Delta has become the world’s workshop and is a major manufacturing base for products such as electronic products (such as watches and clocks), toys, garments and textiles, plastic products, and a range of other goods. Much of this output is invested by foreign entities and is geared for the export market. The Pearl River Delta Economic Zone accounts for approximately one third of China’s trade value. Private-owned enterprises have developed quickly in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone and are playing an ever-growing role in the region’s economy, particularly after year 2000 when the development environment for private-owned enterprises has been greatly relaxed. Nearly five percent of the world’s goods were produced in the Greater Pearl River Delta in 2001, with a total export value of US$289 billion. Over 70,000 Hong Kong companies have factory plants there.
[caption id="attachment_153861" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Ola Ericson / Stockholmsfoto[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Most unique and spectacular of all is of course the Stockholm Archipelago – a vast, fan-shaped maritime world of...
