Guangzhou

Guangzhou (pop. 3,580,000), called Canton by Westerners, largest city in southern China and one of China's most important ports. Located at the head of the Pearl River, the city is linked to the interior by a network of railroads, and its economy has been based on trade for centuries. Locally produced products include paper, sewing machines, cement, and textiles. Shipbuilding and sugar refining are other important industries, as are handicrafts. China's largest trade fair is held annually in Guangzhou, which is also known for being the birthplace of the Chinese Nationalist leader Sun Yat-sen and a center of the revolution of 1911.

See also: China.