In China, a megalopolis ()In Standard for basic terminology of urban planning (GB/T 50280—98) issued in 1998, is defined as "An area in which cities are relatively densely distributed in a certain region". 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.
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. 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.
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). The highlighted clusters included the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River delta region, and the Greater Bay area. 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.
Major Chinese megalopolises Megalopolises Metropolitan areas Cities Area (km2) Population Date of approval Yangtze River Delta MegalopolisShanghai, Nanjing Metropolitan Area, Hangzhou Metropolitan Area, Hefei Metropolitan Area, Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan Area, Ningbo Metropolitan Area Municipality: ShanghaiJiangsu: Nanjing, Wuxi, Changzhou, Suzhou, Nantong, Yancheng, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, TaizhouZhejiang: Hangzhou, Ningbo, Jiaxing, Huzhou, Shaoxing, Jinhua, Zhoushan, TaizhouAnhui: Hefei, Wuhu, Ma'anshan, Tongling, Anqing, Chuzhou, Chizhou, Xuancheng 350,000 240,000,000 (2020) 22 May 2016 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Guangzhou-Foshan-Zhaoqing Metropolitan Area, Shenzhen-Dongguan-Huizhou Metropolitan Area, Zhuhai-Zhongshan-Jiangmen Metropolitan Area Guangdong: Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhaoqing, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Huizhou, Zhuhai, Jiangmen, ZhongshanSARs: Hong Kong, Macau 56,000 70,000,000 (2017) 18 February 2019 Jing-Jin-Ji Megalopolis Beijing Metropolitan Area, Tianjin Metropolitan Area Municipalities: Beijing, TianjinHebei: Xiong'an New Area, Tangshan, Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Langfang, Zhangjiakou, Chengde, Cangzhou, Qinhuangdao, Xingtai, Handan, Hengshui 217,100 130,000,000 Pending approvalShandong 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, JingzhouHunan: Changsha, Zhuzhou, Xiangtan, Yueyang, Yiyang, Changde, Hengyang, LoudiJiangxi: Nanchang, Jiujiang, Jingdezhen, Yingtan, Xinyu, Yichun, Pingxiang, Shangrao, Fuzhou, Ji'an 317,000 121,000,000 (2014) 26 March 2015 Harbin-Changchun Megalopolis Harbin Metropolitan Area, Changchun-Jilin Metropolitan Area Heilongjiang: Harbin, Daqing, Qiqihar, Suihua, MudanjiangJilin: Changchun, Jilin, Siping, Liaoyuan, Songyuan, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture 51,100 20,000,000 (2015) 23 February 2016 Chengyu Megalopolis Chengdu Metropolitan Area, Chongqing Metropolitan Area Municipality: ChongqingSichuan: Chengdu, Leshan, Luzhou, Mianyang, Nanchong, Yibin, Meishan, Ziyang, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Zigong, Yongchuan, Dazhou, Guang'an 185,000 90,940,000 (2014) 12 April 2016Central Plain Megalopolis Greater Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area Henan: Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, Luoyang, Nanyang, Shangqiu, Anyang, Xinxiang, Pingdingshan, Xuchang, Jiaozuo, Zhoukou, Xinyang, Zhumadian, Hebi, Puyang, Luohe, Sanmenxia, JiyuanShanxi: Changzhi, Jincheng, YunchengHebei: Xingtai, HandanShandong: Liaocheng, HezeAnhui: Huaibei, Bengbu, Suzhou, Fuyang, Bozhou 287,000 24,170,000 28 December 2016 Beibu Gulf Megalopolis Nanning, Nanning-Beihai-Qinzhou-Fangchenggang, Zhanjiang-Maoming-Yangjiang, Haikou, Zhanjiang Guangxi: Nanning, Beihai, Qinzhou, Fangchenggang, Yulin, ChongzuoGuangdong: Zhanjiang, Maoming, YangjiangHainan: Haikou, Zhangzhou, Dongfang, Chengmai, Lingao, Changjiang 116,600 41,410,000 (2015) 20 January 2017 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 Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos-Yulin Megalopolis Inner Mongolia: Hohhot, Baotou, Ordos Shaanxi: Yulin 175,000 11,384,000 (2016) 5 February 2018 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
See also
City proper Global city List of cities by population List of cities in the Far East by population List of country subdivisions by GDP over 100 billion US dollars List of largest cities List of metropolitan areas by population List of regions of China Megacity Megalopolis Metropolis Metropolitan area Urban area
References