Shenzhen is an ideal day trip across the border from Hong Kong. It is located in the very south of Guangdong Province and overlooking Hong Kong's north boundary as the gateway to China. This area is commonly referred to as Hong Kong's "backyard" but it was designated as a Special Economy Zone (SEZ) in August 1980 in an effort to attract foreign enterprises and investment. Various concessions and incentives have attracted a diverse population of companies to the city and given Shenzhen one of the highest growth rates in the PRC of young skilled professionals. Many electronics and high technology companies have factories here.

Shenzhen covers an area of 2,020 square kilometers and has a population of 3 million. Shenzhen city is divided into six districts: