Guangdong's Population to Hit 130 Million by 2035

By That's GBA, March 10, 2021

A recent plan released by Guangdong proposes that the province will reach a permanent population of 130 million by 2035, GRT Radio reports.

The Guangdong Province Land and Space Plan (2020-2035), which was issued by Guangdong’s Department of Natural Resources, has also outlined several exciting infrastructure plans for residents, including new maglev lines and airport expansion plans.

Guangdong is currently China’s most populated province, with a permanent population of 115 million in 2019. To achieve its new population goal, the province will need to have over one million people settle here, on average, for the next 15 years.

As of 2019, the most populated city in the province is Guangzhou (15.3 million), followed by Shenzhen (13.4 million).

According to the chart below, Guangdong ranks among the top 10 provinces and municipalities for crude birth rate (CBR), which is measured by the rate of births among a population of 1,000. CBR is used to calculate population growth and decline.

Image via 珠江时报 h/t 南方日报

According to Guangdong population figures published by GRT Radio, the nine cities comprised of the Pearl River Delta account for 64 million permanent residents – more than half of the province’s total population.

Charting Guangdong’s expected population change from 2018 to 2035. Image via 珠江时报 h/t 南方日报

The provincial land and space plan shows that the population size will increase in the PRD and Guangdong’s coastal cities (i.e. Shanwei, Chaozhou, Maoming, etc.) while northern Guangdong cities such as Heyuan and Shaoguan will see their population decrease over the next 15 years.

Guangdong. Image via Wikimedia

In 2019, the Central Government released a development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), which is currently underway for developing the area into a ‘world-class city cluster’ that’s expected to play a role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Each of the 11 cities in the GBA has been called on to bolster specific sectors of the economy, such as tech and international commerce. A boost in population size will help accelerate the country’s development in the GBA.

[Cover image via @macauphotoagency/Unsplash]