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City Profiles
Called Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep by the locals, the mesmerizing city of Bangkok is more than a flourishing Southeast Asian metropolis. With its unique cultural heritage and dynamic modern transformation, there is truly no other place like it in the world.
The capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing is the country’s economic, political, educational, cultural, communication, and international and trade capital. Partially surrounded by the Hebei Province, close to the Tianjin port city, and situated in northern China, Beijing is considered the country’s most significant port of entry and transportation hub.
Located within South Korea's largest industrial area, "The Southeast Economic Zone" (which includes Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province), Busan is the cultural, educational and economic center of the region. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the world's fifth busiest seaport by cargo tonnage. The most densely built up areas of the city are situated in a number of narrow valleys between the Nakdong River and the Suyeong River, with mountains separating most of the districts. Administratively, it is designated as a Metropolitan City.
Can Tho, a city directly under the Central authorities, lies in the heart of the Mekong River Delta. More than 100 years ago, the city was dubbed “the capital city of the Southwestern Vietnam” and has now become the level-1 city. Can Tho is one of the four provinces and cities of the Mekong River Delta Key Economic Zone – the fourth key economic zone of Vietnam.
Cebu is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas (Region VII) and consists of the main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. Its capital is Cebu City, the oldest city and first capital of the Philippines, which is politically independent from the provincial government. Cebu City forms part of the Cebu Metropolitan Area together with four neighboring cities and eight other local government units. Mactan-Cebu International Airport, located in Mactan Island, is the second busiest airport in the Philippines.
Da Nang is the third largest city in Vietnam in terms of urban population and one of the major port cities, in addition to Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong. Situated on the coast of the Eastern Sea, at the opening end of the Han River, it is the biggest city in Central Vietnam.
Situated in the northern part of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, Fukuoka Prefecture has a unique local culture and cuisine that has developed over its long history. Its proximity to China and the Korean Peninsula has made it a gateway between Japan and the rest of Asia and a vital transportation hub to Northeast Asia, China and Southeast Asia. Among its historic attractions are the ruins of Dazaifu, an ancient government office, while the many small islands lying off the coast further captivate visitors. Fukuoka is also renowned for its fresh seafood and many street-side food stalls.
Guangzhou, also known as Canton, a prosperous metropolis full of vigor, is the capital city of Guangdong Province located along the south coastline of China. Being an excellent port on the Pearl River navigable to the South China Sea, and with fast accessibility to Hong Kong and Macau, the city serves as the political, economic, scientific, educational and cultural center in Guangdong area.
The capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing is the country’s economic, political, educational, cultural, communication, and international and trade capital. Partially surrounded by the Hebei Province, close to the Tianjin port city, and situated in northern China, Beijing is considered the country’s most significant port of entry and transportation hub.
Hangzhou is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang Province in east China. It sits at the head of Hangzhou Bay, which separates Shanghai and Ningbo. Hangzhou grew to prominence as the southern terminus of the Grand Canal and has been one of the most renowned and prosperous cities in China for much of the last millennium, due in part to its beautiful natural scenery. The city's West Lake is its best-known attraction.
The City of Hanoi stands tall as the political and economic hub of Reunified Vietnam in 1976. Hanoi outpaced Hue, once the Imperial capital during the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945. It was also chosen as the capital during occupation of the French from 1002 to 1954. Its rise from “obscurity” was rewarded with recognition from the global community when it became the capital of reunified Vietnam in 1976, after the long 1955-1975 Vietnam war.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s main economic center, is not only known as a business hub but also as a main tourist destination. The place attracts thousands of businessmen and backpackers alike who are all drawn to the beautiful blend of old and new captured perfectly by this bustling metropolis.
Hong Kong, with its expansive skyline and deep harbor is located on the southern coast of China within the Pearl River Delta. Hong Kong is currently a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, and is a leading international financial center known for its free-wheeling market economy, business-friendly taxes, and one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.
It is often overlooked that Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the world, and the sprawling capital of Jakarta is a fitting testament to this reality. Located on the island of Java, Jakarta today is the largest urban center in Southeast Asia, with more than 10 million people living in the city limits and twice as many in the surrounding areas. Aptly nicknamed the “Big Durian,” this steamy, sweltering, jam-packed conurbation is the cultural, economic, and administrative center of the country.
Kuala Lumpur, known colloquially as KL to most locals who speak English, is like a jigsaw: different pieces stuck together in a sprawling mismatched state which somehow comes together to form a culturally diverse metropolitan area and regional economic hub. The federal capital of Malaysia since 1896, KL will give first-time visitors an impression of eclectic grandeur amidst the heat, stickiness, and grime.
Manila houses roughly the same number of people as Manhattan, 1.6 million, in less than two-thirds the land area – at 111,000 residents per square mile, it is the most densely populated city in the world. Given the small size of the Philippines (not much larger in area than California, but spread across 7,107 islands) Manila is not only the capital city, but the center of almost everything.
Nagoya is located at the center of Honshu (the main island of Japan) and has a population of 2.24 million. Nagoya has a long history and is the birthplace of three notable feudal lords, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Traditional industries like ceramics and textiles as well as key modern industries including automobiles, aviation and machine tools have developed in Nagoya. The Nagoya region plays an important role in Japan's industrial society and Nagoya City continues to draw attention with its development as one of Japan’s top 5 international hubs.
Osaka is Japan's second largest metropolitan area after Tokyo and is considered the capital of Eastern Japan Osaka was formerly known as Naniwa and it has been the economic center of the Kansai region for many centuries. Before the Nara Period, when the capital used to be moved with the reign of each new emperor, Naniwa was once Japan's capital city, the first one ever known.
Penang is an island-state off the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It comprises of two halves - Penang Island, where the capital city of George Town is located, and a strip of mainland Peninsula named Seberang Perai. Penang has an eventful history; the diversity of the inhabitants clearly indicates this. Penang is especially known as the best place to enjoy wonderful local dishes and it is seen as the food capital of Malaysia
Manila houses roughly the same number of people as Manhattan, 1.6 million, in less than two-thirds the land area – at 111,000 residents per square mile, it is the most densely populated city in the world. Given the small size of the Philippines (not much larger in area than California, but spread across 7,107 islands) Manila is not only the capital city, but the center of almost everything.
Sapporo, capital of the mountainous northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, is famous for its beer, skiing and annual Sapporo Snow Festival that features enormous ice sculptures. The Sapporo Beer Museum traces the city’s brewing history and has tastings and a beer garden. Ski hills and jumps from the 1972 Winter Olympics are scattered within the city limits, and Niseko, a renowned ski resort, is nearby.
Officially called Seoul Special City, Seoul is the capital and the biggest city of South Korea. Considered a megacity, it has a recorded population of more than 10 million. The Seoul National Capital Area, the world’s second largest metropolitan area reported with more than 25 million residents, comprises the Gyenonggi province and the surrounding Incheon metropolis.
Shanghai is the largest city in China, and the largest city proper by population in the world, housing some 23 million people. It is also China most globalized city, wielding international influence in art, culture and commerce. Situated along the smaller Huangpu River on the south shore of Yangtze River’s massive mouth, it boasts the busiest port in the world, both in cargo tonnage and number of containers.
Shenzhen, a major city in Guangdong Province, is a modern metropolis that links Hong Kong to China’s mainland. It's known for its shopping destinations, including Luohu Commercial City, a massive mall with a vast array of wares, from tailors’ custom clothing to faux designer bags. The city also features contemporary buildings, such as the 600m-tall skyscraper Ping An International Finance Centre, and a number of amusement parks.
Singapore is a thriving Southeast Asian city-state located on an island at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Despite being the smallest nation in Southeast Asia, Singapore has achieved massive success with a hugely competitive economy and an extremely high standard of living. Situated between its sprawling skyscrapers, ethnic groups from many different Southeast Asian nations live together in a diverse and egalitarian society.
Tianjin is one of the five national central cities of China and one of the largest cities in China with more than 15.4 million inhabitants, which makes it the 6th largest city in the world. Tianjin is located 150km to the north of Beijing and borders the Beijing and Hebei provinces and the Bohai Gulf on the Yellow Sea. Part of the Bohai Economic Rim, it is the largest coastal city in northern China.
Tokyo, literally meaning ‘Eastern Capital’ in Japanese, is one of the world’s leading cities, located on the southeast side of Honshu, Japan’s largest island. Over the past century, Tokyo has developed into a glamorous and bustling modern metropolis. In addition to serving as the center for Japanese government, culture, and finance, Tokyo has also become an international hub for commerce, industry, and transportation.