Gaozhou is a county-level city in southwestern Guangdong Province, China. Formerly the primary city in the area, it is now administered as part of the prefecture-level city of Maoming. As of the 2020 census, Gaozhou had a population of 1,328,658 living in its 3270.86 sqkm territory, nevertheless its built-up (or metro) area is much smaller. The locals speak a variation of the Gaozhou dialect. It is best known in China for being the ancestral home of Leo Ku.

History

Gaozhou is a historically important city in Guangdong. Under the Qing, it was the seat of Gaozhou Commandery, overseeing Dianbai, Huazhou, Maoming, "Sih-ching", Wuchuan, and Xinyi Counties. After the Chinese Civil War, it was placed under the administration of Maoming as Gaozhou County and then promoted to county-level city status in 1993.

Administration

Administratively, Gaozhou is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of the provincial-level city Maoming in Guangdong Province. The city of Gaozhou consists of five districts (Panzhou, Shanmei, Baoguang, Shizailing, and Jinshan); the county includes another 23 towns.

Geography

Gaozhou is located 420 km away from Shenzhen and Guangzhou, 450 km away from Hong Kong.

Transportation

Climate