Guangzhou has become one of the major gateways to China, after Beijing and Shanghai. This fertile southern city is a showcase of modern China because of its economic contribution to the nation. Its history goes back 2,800 years when a rogue general founded the independent Nanyu Kingdom in Panyu. This is about the same time the world-renowned ancient city of Rome, Italy was built. Guangzhou is now a modern city in China, a political, economic, educational, cultural powerhouse as well as a scientific and technological center in Southern China. It is also popular for tourist with many overseas airline carriers now offering direct flights to Guangzhou. Guangzhou has a few beautiful and legendary nicknames, Huacheng (the Flower City), Yangcheng (the Goat City) and Suicheng (the Rice-ear City).
The city is spread out, Guangzhou totals 7473 square kilometers with a population of some 6.6 million. Under its administration are four county-level cities of Huadu, Conghua, Zengcheng and Panyu and eight districts: Yuexiu, Dongshan, Haizhu,

Litchi, Tianhe, Baiyun, Fangcun and Whampu. It is a well-known birthplace to many overseas Chinese. About 500,000 countrymen from here are residing in some 90 countries and regions abroad.
Guangzhou is situated in the south of China with the Baiyun Hill in the north and the Zhujiang (the Pearl River) Delta Plain in the south. Three rivers, the Dongjiang, Xijiang and Beijiang converge here making it very productive farmland. The Zhujiang River passes through the city.