Shenzhen, << shun jehn >> (pop. 7,008,831), is a major port city and economic center in southeastern China. It lies in Guangdong Province on the coast of Deep Bay (also known as Hau Hoi Bay or Shenzhen Bay). The city’s name is sometimes spelled Shen-chen.
Industries in Shenzhen produce a wide variety of goods. Such goods include chemicals, computers and computer software, electronics, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals (medicinal drugs), processed foods, telecommunication equipment, and textiles. The city exports such goods as clothing, electrical equipment, electronics, machinery, textiles, and toys. It imports automobiles, food, fuel, and industrial raw materials.
For many years, Shenzhen was a small fishing village. In the early 1980’s, China’s government set up the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone to attract foreign investment. The government offered tax exemptions and other benefits to draw businesses to Shenzhen. Numerous new banks, hotels, office buildings, schools, and shopping centers soon opened. Many people and businesses from nearby Hong Kong moved to Shenzhen. Shenzhen rapidly became one of China’s wealthiest cities.
Shenzhen is home to the Window of the World theme park, which features reproductions and models of many of the world’s most famous buildings and structures. The park has replicas of the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, and many other structures.
