Quick facts
Guangzhou overview
Guangzhou (orange) and the other large cities of China
Guangzhou lies in Guangdong in China at 23.12°N, 113.25°E, about 15 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Shanghai (UTC+8); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Beijing (18,960,744) and larger than Shenzhen (17,494,398). The largest city in China is Shanghai with 24,874,500 people; the capital, Beijing, has 18,960,744.
The national capital, Beijing, is about 1,890 km away; the nearest large city is Foshan, 16 km from Guangzhou.
China as a whole has a live population of 1,411,968,572 (-0.2% a year) and ranks #2 of 238 countries — see the China population page for the full statistics and the China atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Guangzhou
Largest cities in China
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Guangzhou?
Guangzhou has about 18,676,605 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Guangzhou the capital of China?
No. The capital of China is Beijing (18,960,744 people), about 1,890 km away. Guangzhou is the 5th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Guangzhou compared with the rest of China?
Its 18,676,605 residents are 1.3% of the 1,411,968,572 people living in China today. Shanghai is larger with 24,874,500 people.
Where is Guangzhou?
In Guangdong, China, at latitude 23.12 and longitude 113.25, 15 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Foshan (16 km), Dasha (20 km), Shiqiao (22 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Guangzhou Population 2026 — China. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/china/guangzhou/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/china/guangzhou/">Guangzhou Population 2026 — China</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.