Shenzhen, China’s southernmost megalopolis is a modern-day boomtown. No less than US$30 billion of foreign investment has been plowed into Shenzhen since the 1970s, morphing it from a humble fishing village of dirt roads and rice paddies, into a vital manufacturing hub. Today it is one of China’s busiest and fastest-growing port cities. The once-hilly region that borders Hong Kong was levelled to accommodate the city’s rapid expansion. The Shenzhen of today is a flat, expansive cityscape whose futuristic skyline aspires ever higher. A second-stage boom is currently underway with surrounding hills and mountains being leveled to make way for further development. The majority of Shenzhen’s population of 14 million is comprised of migrant workers; a mere 2.5 million are residents. Pockets of expat communities can, however, be found on the outskirts of the city. Shekou, which is a 40-minute commute by car to the Luohu district (the city’s financial and trading center), is by far the most popular of these. The area boasts a thriving expat community complete with international schools, sports facilities, restaurants and bars. The balmy summer evenings that accompany Shenzhen's sub-tropical climate, combined with world-class shopping and leisure complexes, such as the MixC (which boasts an Olympic-sized ice-skating rink) make it an agreeable place to live. Its migrant worker population lends a cosmopolitan edge to the city; in Shekou you’ll find a fantastic blend of Asian (Thai, Japanese, Indian) and western restaurants. The area’s ample offering of western supermarkets, such as Walmart, Jusco and Carrefour, along with a range of organic supermarkets and produce, make for stress-free day-to-day living. In recent years, intensive manufacturing has enshrouded the city in a chemical-laced fug. However, Shenzhen still ranks fairly well on air quality compared to other major Chinese cities; in 2012, the China Environmental Center gave it a number 2 ranking, on a scale of 1-5 (1 being excellent; 5, hazardous).