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Guangzhou is a massive, sprawling metropolis divided into several districts and many more neighborhoods. Roughly speaking, the city is divided in half by the Pearl River, which runs from east to west and separates the Haizhu District (a large island) from the districts in the north. Most tourist destinations are north of the Pearl River.
To get a sense of how fast Guangzhou is growing, head to the Tianhe District. Among the buildings is the 391-meter (1,283-foot) CITIC Plaza, one of the tallest buildings in the world. It houses upscale shops, a variety of restaurants, and the offices of many Fortune 500 companies.
