Urban Growth and Sustainable Development in Shenzhen City 1980-2006

This paper examines the rapid urban growth in the city of Shenzhen with particular focus on urban economic growth, population growth, agriculture and environmental changes. With the rapid expansion of population and the builtup area, there is increasing demand for the provision of urban infrastructure. The volume of environmental pollution is also increasing. The problems of environmental pollution and the negative impact on agriculture have also been examined in the paper. Shenzhen’s agriculture has undergone a transition from general agriculture to the rise and eventually decline of suburban agriculture. Shenzhen’s case indicates that it is possible to move towards balanced development in social, economic and environmental dimensions even for new large cities like Shenzhen.