Established in September 1990, Shekou Subdistrict consists of inland and islands, with a total area of 14.01 square kilometers. Its inland part is situated at the southeastern end of Nantou Peninsula, facing Yuen Long, Hong Kong across Shenzhen Bay to the southeast and bordering the two subdistricts of Zhaoshang and Yuehai to the northwest. Its island part is composed of Neilingding Island, Dachan Island, and Mazhou, of which Neilingding Island is designated a national nature reserve.

The total population within the jurisdiction is 174,700, including 65,300 registered residents and 109,400 non-registered residents (of which 8,589 residents are from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and foreign countries). Divided into the 13 communities of Yuyi, Yuer, Wanxia, Haiwan, Nanshui, Dachan, Haibin, Leiling, Haichang, Weizai, Dongjiaotou, Neilingding Island, and Shenzhen Bay, it has jurisdiction over six rural urbanization joint-stock companies of Yuyi, Yuer, Wanxia, Haiwan, Nanshui and Dachan.

Government departments include customs, port, border inspection, taxation, court, public security, border defense, and transportation. Blessed with Shenzhen Bay Port that is accessible to Hong Kong, a picturesque coastal recreation zone, well-equipped infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, and the well-known Shekou Fishing Port, Shekou Subdistrict is a new international seaside neighborhood that is both modern and traditional.

Surrounded by mountains and sea and with charming scenery and convenient transportation, Shekou Subdistrict is an ideal place where domestic and foreign residents are eager to dwell. Meanwhile, as the No. 1 window of China’s reform and opening up, Shekou is the first place where foreigners “landed” since the reform and opening up. It has attracted a large flock of foreigners to settle here and witnessed the continuous increase in the number of foreign residents. Currently, the number of registered foreign residents in Shekou exceeds 8,000 from 106 countries and regions, accounting for 28 percent of foreigners in Nanshan District and 11 percent of foreigners in Shenzhen City. Shekou Subdistrict is praised as “Little United Nations” for its number of foreigners per unit area ranking first nationwide.