Shantou, referred to as "Shantou", is also known as Tuocheng and Tuodao. The prefecture-level cities under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province, the provincial sub-central cities and megacities, the special economic zones of China, the national comprehensive reform pilot zone (overseas Chinese pilot zone), one of the central cities of the economic zone on the west side of the Straits, the important gateway of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, the central cities of eastern Guangdong and the important port cities along the southeast coast approved by the State Council. By the end of 2020, the city has 6 districts and 1 county under its jurisdiction, with a total area of 2199 square kilometers. By the end of 2021, Shantou has a permanent population of 5530400, with a population density of 2515 people per square kilometer, ranking seventh in the country. In 2021, the city's GDP will reach 292.987 billion yuan.

Shantou is located at the southern end of the Hanjiang Delta, bordering Chaozhou to the north, Jieyang to the west, the South China Sea to the south, and across the sea from Taiwan to the east. It is the only city in Chinese Mainland with an inner bay, with Hanjiang River, Rongjiang River, and Lianjiang River flowing into the sea.

Shantou is a livable and business-friendly city in China, a city with excellent business environment in Guangdong Province, a national health city, a national forest city, a tourist city with the most investment value in China, a national comprehensive transportation hub that has won the National Model City for Double Support for seven times, the first China Beautiful City Model, a national intellectual property demonstration city, a national e-commerce demonstration city, a national information consumption pilot city (county, district), and a national innovative city.

Shantou is one of the important ancestral places and settlements of Chaoshan people, and one of the important birthplaces and prosperous places of Chaoshan culture. There are more than 5 million overseas Chinese compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, covering more than 100 countries and regions in the world. Chaoshan culture is a branch of the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation. It is represented by Chaoshan dialect, Chaoshan English song and dance, Chaozhou opera, Chaozhou cuisine, Chaozhou embroidery, Gongfu tea, Chaoshan crafts, Chaoshan gauze, Chaoshan folk houses, Chaoshan Shantang, Chaoshan business group, Chaoshan wood carving, welcoming the master, going out of the garden, the king of the three mountains and other characteristic cultures.