Guangzhou, China

China, with nearly 1.4 billion people in 2016, has 19.75% of the world’s population. The country, which is 9,596,960 square kilometers, or 3,696,000 square miles, is surrounded by Afghanistan, India, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Mongolia, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, and Vietnam and has experienced significant growth and urban development in its cities, one of which is Guangzhou (7,434 km2). It is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in South China and is located on the Pearl River, approximately 120 kilometers (75 mi) northwest of Hong Kong and 107 kilometers (66 mi) north of Macau.

The city was ranked third as a business and trade hub after Beijing and Shanghai with the largest economy in mainland China in terms of GDP in 2012 as the ...