What is the population of Shenzhen?
Shenzhen has a city population of 17,494,398. That is the population within the city's own boundary, not its wider metropolitan area. City population, GeoNames.
About Shenzhen
Shenzhen is China's youngest major city and one of the world's most remarkable urban success stories. From a fishing village of 30,000 people in 1979, it has grown to over 13 million, becoming China's technology capital and a global hub for electronics manufacturing and innovation.
Metro population
13,438,800
0.162% of world population
Archive estimateAnnual growth
+1.85%
Archive estimateDensity
6,556/km²
2,050 km² metro area
Key Facts
Country
Region
Rank in region
#1of 101
Elevation
4 m
Approximate — modelled, not surveyed
Time zone
Asia/Shanghai
Coordinates
22.546, 114.068
Record updated
2025-10-22
Entry edited, not measured
City population, GeoNames. GeoNames publishes no year for its population figures, so “record updated” is when the entry was last edited — not the date the population was measured. Elevation is modelled from a digital elevation model rather than surveyed, so it is approximate.
Nearby Cities
All 2,091 in ChinaClosest listed cities by great-circle distance from the city centre.
Compared with the World's Largest Cities
City-proper population against the fifteen largest cities in the dataset.
| Name | City population |
|---|---|
| Shanghai | 24.9M |
| Beijing | 19M |
| Shenzhen | 17.5M |
| Guangzhou | 16.1M |
| Kinshasa | 16M |
| Istanbul | 15.7M |
| Lagos | 15.4M |
| Ho Chi Minh City | 14M |
| Chengdu | 13.6M |
| Lahore | 13M |
| Mumbai | 12.7M |
| São Paulo | 12.4M |
| Mexico City | 12.3M |
| Karachi | 11.6M |
| Tianjin | 11.1M |
Airports
Scheduled-service airports within 100 km, nearest first.
- Shenzhen Bao'an International AirportSZX
29 km from the city centre
- Huizhou Pingtan AirportHUZ
78 km from the city centre
- Zhuhai Jinwan AirportZUH
93 km from the city centre
Source: OurAirports, matched by distance.
History
Shenzhen was a small market town until 1980 when Deng Xiaoping designated it China's first Special Economic Zone. This experiment in capitalism within communist China triggered explosive growth. By 2010, Shenzhen surpassed Hong Kong in GDP. The city represents China's reform-era transformation.
Economy
Shenzhen is China's technology capital, home to giants like Huawei, Tencent, BYD, and DJI. The city manufactures a significant portion of the world's electronics. Financial services, logistics, and biotech are growing. Shenzhen Stock Exchange is one of China's two main exchanges. The startup ecosystem rivals Silicon Valley.
Culture
Shenzhen's culture is defined by youth and innovation—average age is around 30. The city is pragmatic, fast-paced, and entrepreneurial. As a migrant city, it lacks traditional culture but creates new ones. The tech scene dominates. Art districts like OCT-LOFT are emerging. Cantonese and Mandarin are both spoken.
Transportation
Shenzhen has an extensive metro system (among China's longest). High-speed rail connects to Guangzhou (30 min) and Hong Kong. Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport is a major hub. The city pioneered electric buses and taxis (100% electric fleet). Bridge connections link to Hong Kong.
Current Challenges
Shenzhen faces challenges including extreme housing costs, intense work culture ('996': 9am-9pm, 6 days/week), pollution, and the human cost of rapid industrialization. Competition for talent is fierce. The city struggles with providing services for its massive migrant population. US-China tech tensions affect local companies.
Highlights
Landmarks & Attractions
- Ping An Finance Centre (599m)
- Window of the World theme park
- OCT-LOFT Creative Culture Park
- Splendid China folk village
- Shenzhen Bay Park
- Civic Center
- Huaqiangbei electronics market
What Shenzhen Is Known For
- Technology
- Manufacturing
- Speed of growth
- Innovation
- Electronics
Universities
- Southern University of Science and Technology
- Shenzhen University
Sports Teams
- Shenzhen FC (football)
Interesting Facts
- Shenzhen grew from 30,000 people in 1979 to over 13 million today
- The city has 100% electric public buses and most taxis are electric
- Huaqiangbei is the world's largest electronics market
- Tencent and Huawei are headquartered in Shenzhen
- The Ping An tower is the 4th tallest in the world
Population Trend in China
No free source publishes city population back to 1950, so the parent country's series is shown instead.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 544,044,358 |
| 1960 | 654,802,069 |
| 1970 | 823,308,967 |
| 1980 | 983,163,542 |
| 1990 | 1,153,582,724 |
| 2000 | 1,269,581,175 |
| 2010 | 1,351,561,514 |
| 2020 | 1,426,106,093 |
| 2030 | 1,398,153,832 |
| 2040 | 1,342,816,657 |
| 2050 | 1,260,289,093 |
| 2060 | 1,135,127,191 |
| 2070 | 998,784,319 |
| 2080 | 870,252,344 |
| 2090 | 744,902,836 |
| 2100 | 633,368,113 |
Shenzhen Population FAQ
Where is Shenzhen?
Shenzhen is in Guangdong, China, 1,943 km from the capital, Beijing. Its coordinates are 22.546, 114.068.
How big is Shenzhen compared with other cities in China?
It is the 3rd largest of the 2,091 cities of 15,000 or more listed in China, holding 1.2% of the national population.