In China , a megalopolis (Chinese : 城市群 ; pinyin : Chéngshì Qún )[ 1] is a designation by the government to promote the development of a group of cities through transportation and communication links.
Conceptual history
The Economist Intelligence Unit in 2012 identified 13 megalopolises: Chang-Zhu-Tan (Greater Changsha ), Chengdu , Chongqing , Greater Beijing i.e. Jing-Jin-Ji , Greater Shanghai (incl. Suzhou ), Greater Xi'an , Greater Zhengzhou , Greater Guangzhou , Hefei economic circle (incl. Lu'an , Huainan , Chaohu ), Shandong Peninsula , Greater Shenyang , Shenzhen and Wuhan .[ 2]
As of 2018, there are nine officially approved megalopolises in China. In 2017, the National Development and Reform Commission stated that plans for six city clusters had been completed in 2016, five in 2017, with eight more forthcoming for a total of 19 city cluster plans by 2020.[needs update ] The new city clusters identified in 2017 were Lanzhou -Xining , Hohhot -Baotou -Ordos -Yulin , Guanzhong Plain , Western Taiwan Straits Economic Zone , and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area .[ 3]
The Thirteenth Five-Year Plan (covering 2016-2020) highlighted nineteen city clusters to be developed and strengthened pursuant to a geographic layout referred to as two horizontals and three verticals (liang heng san zong ).[ 4] : 206 The highlighted clusters included the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region , the Yangtze River delta region , and the Greater Bay area .[ 4] : 206 Development of these clusters includes establishing regional coordination mechanisms, sharing development costs and benefits, collaborative industrial development, and shared governance approaches to ecological issues and environmental protection .[ 4] : 208
Location map of the first three megalopolises in China: Jing-Jin-Ji Megalopolis (yellow, north), Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis (blue, middle) and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (silver, south).
Major Chinese megalopolises
Megalopolises
Metropolitan areas
Cities
Area ( km2 )
Population
Date of approval
Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis [ 5]
Shanghai, Nanjing Metropolitan Area, Hangzhou Metropolitan Area, Hefei Metropolitan Area, Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan Area, Ningbo Metropolitan Area
Municipality: Shanghai Jiangsu : Nanjing , Wuxi , Changzhou , Suzhou , Nantong , Yancheng , Yangzhou , Zhenjiang , Taizhou Zhejiang : Hangzhou , Ningbo , Jiaxing , Huzhou , Shaoxing , Jinhua , Zhoushan , Taizhou Anhui : Hefei , Wuhu , Ma'anshan , Tongling , Anqing , Chuzhou , Chizhou , Xuancheng
350,000
240,000,000 (2020)
22 May 2016[ 6]
Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area [ 7]
Guangzhou-Foshan-Zhaoqing Metropolitan Area, Shenzhen-Dongguan-Huizhou Metropolitan Area, Zhuhai-Zhongshan-Jiangmen Metropolitan Area[ 8]
Guangdong : Guangzhou , Foshan , Zhaoqing , Shenzhen , Dongguan , Huizhou , Zhuhai , Jiangmen , Zhongshan SARs: Hong Kong , Macau
56,000
70,000,000 (2017)
18 February 2019[ 9] [ 10]
Jing-Jin-Ji Megalopolis
Beijing Metropolitan Area, Tianjin Metropolitan Area
Municipalities: Beijing , Tianjin Hebei : Xiong'an New Area , Tangshan , Baoding , Shijiazhuang , Langfang , Zhangjiakou , Chengde , Cangzhou , Qinhuangdao , Xingtai , Handan , Hengshui
217,100
130,000,000
Pending approval
Shandong Peninsula Megalopolis
Jinan Metropolitan Area, Qingdao Metropolitan Area
Shandong : Jinan , Qingdao , Yantai , Weihai , Zibo , Binzhou , Dongying , Tai'an , Weifang , Rizhao , Linyi
28,000,000
Pending approval
Mid-Southern Liaoning Megalopolis
Shenyang Metropolitan Area, Dalian Metropolitan Area
Liaoning : Shenyang , Dalian , Benxi , Liaoyang , Anshan , Yingkou , Pulandian , Gaizhou
27,000,000
Pending approval
Yangtze River Midstream Megalopolis
Wuhan Metropolitan Area, Circum-Changzhutan City Cluster, Circum-Poyang Lake City Cluster
Hubei : Wuhan , Huangshi , Ezhou , Huanggang , Xiaogan , Xianning , Xiantao , Qianjiang , Tianmen , Xiangyang , Yichang , Jinzhou Hunan : Changsha , Zhuzhou , Xiangtan , Yueyang , Yiyang , Changde , Hengyang , Loudi Jiangxi : Nanchang , Jiujiang , Jingdezhen , Yingtan , Xinyu , Yichun , Pingxiang , Shangrao , Fuzhou , Ji'an
317,000
121,000,000 (2014)
26 March 2015[ 11]
Harbin-Changchun Megalopolis
Harbin Metropolitan Area, Changchun-Jilin Metropolitan Area
Heilongjiang : Harbin , Daqing , Qiqihar , Suihua , Mudanjiang Jilin : Changchun , Jilin , Siping , Liaoyuan , Songyuan , Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture
51,100
20,000,000 (2015)
23 February 2016[ 12]
Chengyu Megalopolis
Chengdu Metropolitan Area, Chongqing Metropolitan Area
Municipality: Chongqing Sichuan : Chengdu , Leshan , Luzhou , Mianyang , Nanchong , Yibin , Meishan , Ziyang , Deyang , Suining , Neijiang , Zigong , Yongchuan , Dazhou , Guang'an
185,000
90,940,000 (2014)
12 April 2016[ 13]
Central Plain Megalopolis
Greater Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area
Henan : Zhengzhou , Kaifeng , Luoyang , Nanyang , Shangqiu , Anyang , Xinxiang , Pingdingshan , Xuchang , Jiaozuo , Zhoukou , Xinyang , Zhumadian , Hebi , Puyang , Luohe , Sanmenxia , Jiyuan Shanxi : Changzhi , Jincheng , Yuncheng Hebei : Xingtai , Handan Shandong : Liaocheng , Heze Anhui : Huaibei , Bengbu , Suzhou , Fuyang , Bozhou
287,000
24,170,000
28 December 2016[ 14]
Beibu Gulf Megalopolis
Nanning, Nanning-Beihai-Qinzhou-Fangchenggang, Zhanjiang-Maoming-Yangjiang, Haikou, Zhanjiang
Guangxi : Nanning , Beihai , Qinzhou , Fangchenggang , Yulin , Chongzuo Guangdong : Zhanjiang , Maoming , Yangjiang Hainan : Haikou , Zhangzhou , Dongfang , Chengmai , Lingao , Changjiang
116,600
41,410,000 (2015)
20 January 2017[ 15]
Guanzhong Plain Megalopolis
Greater Xi'an Metropolitan Area
Shaanxi : Xi'an , Baoji , Xianyang , Tongchuan , Weinan , Yangling Agricultural Hi-tech Industries Demonstration Zone , Shangluo (Shangzhou District , Luonan County , Danfeng County and Zhashui County )Shanxi : Yuncheng (Pinglu County and Yuanqu County excluded), Linyi (Yaodu District , Houma City , Xiangfen County , Huozhou , Quwo County , Yicheng County , Hongtong County and Fushan County )Gansu : Tianshui , Pingliang (Kongtong District , Huating County , Jingchuan County , Chongxin County and Lingtai County ), downtown Qingyang
107,100
38,630,000 (2016)
9 January 2018[ 16]
Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos-Yulin Megalopolis
Inner Mongolia : Hohhot , Baotou , Ordos
Shaanxi : Yulin
175,000
11,384,000 (2016)
5 February 2018[ 17]
Lanzhou-Xining Megalopolis
Lanzhou-Baiyin Metropolitan Area, Xining-Haidong Metropolitan Area
Gansu : Lanzhou , Baiyin (Baiyin District , Pingchuan District , Jingyuan County , Jingtai County ), Dingxi (Anding District , Longxi County , Weiyuan County , Lintao County ), Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture (Linxia City , Dongxiang Autonomous County , Yongjing County , Jishishan Bonan, Dongxiang and Salar Autonomous County )Qinghai : Xining , Haidong , Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Haiyan County ), Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Gonghe County , Guide County , Guinan County ), Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Tongren County , Jianzha County )
97,500
11,930,000 (2016)
22 February 2018[ 18]
See also
References