The Transformers(トランスフォーマー,Toransufōmā) is a line of toys produced by the American toy company Hasbro and Japanese company Takara (now known as Takara Tomy). It spawned the Transformers media franchise.
The premise behind the Transformers toyline is that an individual toy's parts can be shifted about to change it from a vehicle, a device, or an animal, to a robot action figure and back again. The taglines "More Than Meets The Eye" and "Robots In Disguise" reflect this ability.[1]
The Transformers toy-line is typically divided into two main factions: the heroic Autobots and their opponents, the evil Decepticons (traditionally known in Japan as the Cybertrons and Destrons, respectively, although more recent releases often using the English terms). Transformers toys are sold at a number of price points, and various Transformers series utilize unique play features.
There have also been a number of spin-offs based on the toys including a comic book series, an animated television series, and a feature-length animated movie. The original series program was followed by a number of spin-offs with varying levels of popularity. A live-action film series directed by Michael Bay has produced five films, with more planned.
Conception
The Transformers toyline was created from toy molds mostly produced by Japanese company Takara in the toylines Car-Robots (Diaclone) and Micro Change (Microman). Other toy molds from other companies such as Bandai were used as well. In 1984, Hasbro bought the distribution rights to the molds and rebranded them as the Transformers for distribution in North America. They approached Marvel Comics to create a backstory with names and short descriptions for each character, most of which were written by Bob Budiansky.
The designs for the original 28 figures were made by Kojin Ono, Takashi Matsuda, Hideaki Yoke, Hiroyuki Obara, and Satoshi Koizumi. Hasbro would go on to buy the entire toy line from Takara, giving them sole ownership of the Transformers toy-line, branding rights, and copyrights, while in exchange, Takara was given the rights to produce the toys and the rights to distribute them in the Japanese market.
Transformers toylines

The following Transformers toy series were released in the United States and Japan:

The Transformers (1984–1990 USA) (1984–1993, UK/Canada) (1985–1992, Japan) - retroactively called "Generation One" or "G1" since then. These are considered the first Transformers.
Tatakae! Chō Robot Seimeitai Transformer (Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers) (1985–1986, Japan)
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (1986–1987, Japan)
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Headmasters (1987–1988, Japan)
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Chōjin Masterforce (Super-god Masterforce) (1988–1989, Japan)
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (1989, Japan)
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (1990, Japan)
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Return of Convoy (1991, Japan) - also known as "Transformers: The Battlestars" or "Battlestars: Return of Convoy"
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Operation Combination (1992, Japan)
Transformers: Generation 2 (1992–1995 USA) (1994–1995 UK/Canada)/Transformers: G-2 (1995, Japan)
Beast Wars: Transformers (1996–1999) (1997–1998; 1999–2000, Japan) (released as Beasties in Canada)
Beast Wars Super Lifeform Transformers (1997–1998, Japan)
Super Lifeform Transformers Beast Wars Metals (1999–2000, Japan)
Machine Wars: Transformers (1997) - a limited release KB Toys exclusive
Beast Wars II Super Lifeform Transformers (1998, Japan) - A.K.A. "Beast Wars Second"
Animorphs (1999) - a line related to the Animorphs book and TV series
Super Lifeform Transformers Beast Wars Neo (1999, Japan)
Beast Machines: Transformers (2000–2001)/Super Lifeform Transformers Beast Wars Returns (2004–2005, Japan)
Transformers: Robots In Disguise (2001–2003)/Transformers: Car Robots (2000 & 2003, Japan)
1-2-3 Transformers (2001–2002)
Transformers: Micromaster Collection (2002–2004, Japan)
Transformers Collection (2002–2006 Japan)
Transformers: Armada/Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Micron Densetsu (Micron Legend) (2002–2003)
Transformers: Expanded Universe (2002)
Transformers Commemorative Series (2002–2005; 2009)
Smallest Transforming Transformers (2003–2004, Japan) - A.K.A. "World's Smallest Transformers"
Transformers: Go-Bots (2003–2005)/Kid's Transformers Rescue Heroes Go-Bots (2003, Japan)
Transformers: Dinobots (2003)
Transformers: Universe (2003–2007)
Transformers: Energon (2004–2005)/Transformers: Super Link (2003–2004, Japan)
Transformers: Alternators (2003–2007)
Transformers: Binaltech (2003–2008 Japan)
Transformers: Binaltech Asterisk (2005, Japan)
Transformers: Masterpiece (2003–present)
Transformers: RobotMasters (2004–2005, Japan)
Transformers: Cybertron (2005–2006)/Transformers: Galaxy Force (2004–2005, Japan)
Transformers: Hybrid Style (2005–2006, Japan)
Transformers: Timelines (2005–2016)
Star Wars Transformers (2006–2008) - later merged with Transformers: Crossovers
Transformers: Kiss Players (2006–2007, Japan)
Beast Wars 10th Anniversary (2006)
Beast Wars Reborn (2006, Japan)
Transformers Classics (2006–2007)
Transformers: Titanium Series (2006–2009)
Transformers (2007 live-action film) (2007–2008)
Beast Wars Telemocha Series (2007, Japan)
Transformers: Encore (2007–2009, Japan)
Transformers: Music Label (2007–2008, Japan)
Transformers: Sports Label (2007, Japan)
Transformers Animated (2008–present; 2010–present, Japan)
Transtech - this toyline was to follow Beast Machines, but was canceled. The characters, however, went on to appear in convention comics and stories beginning in 2008.
Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (2008–2010, Japan)
Shattered Glass (2008–2016)
Transformers Universe (2008–2009)
Transformers: Crossovers (2008–2011)
Transformers: Disney Label (2009–2010, Japan)
Transformers: Alternity (2009–2011, Japan)
Transformers: Chrono Label (was scheduled for a 2009 release, but has been delayed and remains yet-to-be released, Japan)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009–2010)
Transformers: Device Label (2009–2010, Japan)
Transformers/Transformers: Autobot Alliance/Transformers: Reveal the Shield (2010–2011)
Transformers: Power Core Combiners (2010–2011)
Transformers: Generations (2010–present)/Transformers: United (2010–2012, Japan)
Fall of Cybertron (2012)
Thrilling 30 (2014)/Transformers: legends (2014–Present, Japan)
Combiner Wars(2015-2016)/Unite Warriors (2015-2016, Japan)
Titans Return (2016–2017)
Power of the Primes (2017-2018)
War for Cybertron: Siege (2018-)
Transformers: Studio Series (2018-)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
Transformers: Prime(2011-2014)
Transformers: Rescue Bots (2011–present)
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015) (2015–2018)
Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
Transformers: Cyberverse (2018)
Transformers: BotBots (2018)
Transformers: Nezha (2019)

Many Transformers come with tech specs (short for technical specifications) printed on the back of the box that they are sold in. The owner of the new Transformer is encouraged to cut out the tech specs and save it. This card has information on the Transformer, and will usually include the character's name, picture, indication of allegiance (Autobot, Decepticon or other), function, a quote, a description of the character, and numerical values of the character's various attributes. Although only the numbers can be truly deemed "technical specifications", the entire card is usually referred to as the Transformer's tech specs. Each specification is rated by a value from 1 to 10, 1 being the lowest, and 10 being the highest.
Micromasters teams have teamwork ratings instead of ranks. Unlike the other ratings, teamwork seems to be split along faction lines, with Autobots typically holding higher teamwork ratings than Decepticons. A second unique spec value, Cooperation, replaced the Firepower rating used on individuals' cards. The traditional order (as above) was also abandoned for the Micromaster team specifications.
The values started becoming inconsistent and skewed in Generation 2 and Beast Wars, when Hasbro apparently thought no child will ever want a toy that is described as anything less than perfect. Thus it became rarer and rarer to see any low numbers. Most characters' numbers hardly ever dipped below 8, the Go-Bot version of Optimus Prime was the first character to have all values at 10, a trend that would repeat for most "leader" characters. When even more powerful versions of the Optimus Primal toy (such as Optimal Optimus) were introduced, Hasbro even invented a "10+" rating in an attempt to keep increasing the power levels. With the Transformers: Cybertron line a few characters even got "Unknown" and "Infinity" ratings.
The specifications portion of the tech specs which came with earlier G1 Transformers were obfuscated with interference patterns which made them difficult to read without a decoder which was included in the box for each Transformer. The decoder consisted of simple red plastic which rendered the interference patterns invisible.
Related to tech specs were Marvel's Transformer Universe comics, where the entry for each Transformer contained an expanded bio based on the one printed on the tech specs. However, numerical tech specs were not included.
Transformers: Generation One (1984–1990 USA, 1984–1993 UK/Canada)

The first Transformers toys were created from two different transforming robot toylines from Takara, the Car-Robots and Micro Change, from the Diaclone and Microman series, respectively. Hasbro acquired the rights to sell them in the United States but, instead of selling them under their original names, they were rebranded as "The Transformers". The first two years consisted primarily of reusing the Car-Robots/Micro Change molds. The earliest toys had some parts made of die-cast metal, which were eventually phased out.
The line was released as "The Transformers" in the United States, Canada and the UK in 1984 (One year after the Gobots) but Takara was still marketing Diaclone at least during 1984. Hence in Japan "The Transformers" did not debut under that brand till 1985, when the line was also rolled out to the majority of the rest of the world between Takara and Hasbro. Hasbro Europe still will not accept, however, that the range was released in the UK in 1984 , not even with evidence such as Argos 1984 catalogues containing the range, the UK comic launching in September 1984 or even the 1984 Transformers product catalogue produced by "Hasbro Industries (UK) Ltd, Wokingham". It is thought that Hasbro Europe as it now stands did not come into existence till 1985, hence no records of Transformers sales in 1984. UK Transformers toys were sold in boxes identical to those of their American counterparts until around 1998/9 when the range started to have UK exclusives.
The 1984 and 1985 toy lines contained several figures of note. Megatron, the Decepticon leader, originally transformed into a realistic Walther P38 pistol with stock and barrel extensions and scope. The Megatron toy was delayed till 1985 for release in the UK. The Constructicons were the first "gestalt" team in the Transformers line, but were different from most subsequent gestalt teams in that they consisted of six members instead of five. The Autobot Jetfire was repainted from a Macross toy, specifically the VF-1 Valkyrie, and the character was renamed Skyfire in the animated television series program for copyright reasons.
In 1986 the Transformers animated movie had been released, and during the run of the movie, through a pamphlet that came with certain figures, you could order certain Transformers through the mail, such as Optimus Prime among other toys. The toys came in a standard brown mailer box, with items, booklet, and a limited Edition Movie certificate and sticker.
The 1986 line featured another significant change in that many, if not the majority, of the toys were conceived as futuristic vehicles and bore little resemblance to present-day machinery. This was due to changes in the movie and television series, which leaped ahead twenty years to the year 2005. Many have speculated that this change might have been what signaled the beginning of the end for the Transformers, as part of the novelty of the first lines was the realistic vehicles that turned into robots.
For the 1987 and 1988 lines, Hasbro introduced even more radical ideas through new sub-groups. The Headmasters and Targetmasters came with partners who transformed into the figure's head or weapon, respectively. Powermasters, including the new version of fan favorite Optimus Prime, came with partners that transformed into engines. Each line would see various permutations over the two-year span, including smaller Headmasters, Double Targetmasters, and a Powermaster with two engines.
The most controversial line of this period was the Pretenders. Pretenders consisted of a Transformer contained inside an action figure shell who could "pretend" to be either a human or a monster. Complaints with this line were numerous, including the lack of articulation of the figures (the shells could only move their arms), the simple transformation of the robots within, and their increasing lack of resemblance to any sort of modern recognizable vehicle. Still, despite the complaints, the Pretender line continued through all but the final year of Generation One, with variations such as Beast Pretenders, Monster Pretenders, Classic Pretenders, Mega Pretenders and Ultra Pretenders, each with variations on the theme or increasing levels of complexity.
Also during this time, Micromasters were introduced, and would become one of the last sub-groups of Generation One. Micromasters were tiny Transformers created to compete with the Micro Machines, a hugely popular toy line of the time. While many of the figures had simple transformations and little detail due to their small size, the line eventually expanded to feature Micromaster Transports and Bases, in which Micromasters came with larger vehicles or bases that transformed.
In 1989, the entire line became limited to Pretenders and Micromasters. For the first time, the Transformers received a new design for their title logo. But many also regarded this as a time of a dearth in creativity and the lowest point in the toyline's history. The year 1990 saw the last American burst with the release of more Micromaster characters and the introduction of the Action Masters, non-transforming action figures who came with Transforming companions. Larger Action Master sets came with transforming vehicles and bases. The Action Master line was criticized for its perceived desperation for a gimmick, although it had a few defenders. The line predictably faded and would be the last Transformers output in the US until 1992.
While Transformers ended poorly for the US market, the same can not be said for the UK, Canada, and Japan markets as they went on to produce their own continuing series between 1991 and 1993, despite the UK market in particular missing a substantial amount of figures prominent in the comics and animated series throughout the line's run. Each country produced their own continuity. The UK and Canada continued with new Action Master figures and introduced the Turbo Masters and Predators. Japan continued with the Micromasters concept.
The 1992 and 1993 European and Canadian releases make up what is often called "Generation 1.5", much to the annoyance of many UK fans. These toys are similar in design to the Generation 2 Transformers, having lightpipe eyes, and pastel colors. The 1993 European figures used the G2 faction symbols which Hasbro UK designed because their licence on the G1 symbols had expired. The 1993 figures were repackaged for European G2 release in 1994, and three subgroup molds got used in the US G2 line.
The term Generation 1 is a retronym; the series was simply known as "Transformers" until the release of the Generation 2 series. However, the term has become semi-official, as both Hasbro and Takara have referred to this era as "Generation 1". New characters are still occasionally added to the line, primarily by E-hobby. (Examples: Sunstorm, Hauler, Detritus, and the like.) Large-scale production of new characters in this line ended with the onset of Generation 2. Transformers fans often are very upheld with the G1 community. This has led to controversy among fans who consider G1 to be the only "pure" form of Transformers.
The line was later commemorated as a sub-series of the Transformers: Universe line.
Transformers: Generation Two (1993–1995 USA, 1994–1995 UK/Canada)

In late 1993, Hasbro relaunched the Transformers franchise with the Generation 2 line, with production again largely being done by Takara. The subgroups concept was done away with for the first year, but there were no new molds or characters. Generation 2 re-used the molds for many of the characters from the 1984 and 1985 line, but with mostly different color schemes and finishes, as well as different weapons and accessories. Megatron's figure was released later on. As noted previously, Megatron's original alternate mode, or "transformation identity", was a handgun with attachments, but in Generation Two, this was changed to a tank due to safety and security concerns. Most of the 1994 figures were re-releases or recolors of European G1 releases.
Unfortunately for both Takara and Hasbro, the Generation Two series of Transformers sold poorly, and Hasbro abandoned it after two years. There were toys planned that never saw release. Most of these were G1 combiner team recolors or recolors of recent figures. Four unreleased molds were released in the Machine Wars line, and four more resurfaced in the Robots In Disguise series.
The line was later commemorated as a sub-series of the Transformers: Universe line.
Beast Wars and Beast Machines (1996–2001)

With the failure of the Generation 2 series, Hasbro and Takara decided the franchise needed an overhaul. They went in a new direction and a new beginning. While there had been Transformers that change into robotic animals, the premise of the new line was that all figures would transform into animals with realistic appearances. The Beast Wars toy line was launched in the autumn of 1995, and Mainframe Entertainment produced a computer-generated imagery, or CGI, animated series program to tie in with the new toy line. A fresh idea coupled with a TV series program with strong stories assured this series the success Hasbro and Takara needed, as this series was a giant hit in international markets as well as in Takara's home market, Japan.
Hasbro's original plan for the Beast Wars was to have Optimus Prime, renamed Optimus Primal, and Megatron be reformatted versions of their 1980s selves. This was shown in the toys's Tech Specs, and in the comic packaged with the basic Optimus Primal/Megatron two-pack. Hasbro also wanted the "Mutant Heads" found on all of the deluxe sized first year toys as battle helmets, but Mainframe scrapped the idea as it would have required three animation models for each character instead of two. Another designed feature for the 1995/1996 toys was carried over from Generation 2, transparent "light pipe" eyes. However, most toys had those parts cast in opaque plastic.
The Beast Wars line was also the first appearance of "flip changer" Basics, where flipping a part of the animal mode (usually the head or tail) would transform the entire toy, and moving the part back would transform the toy back to beast mode. Like other features, this was only used in the 1995/1996 Basics and their repaints.
Beast Wars: Transformers had to be renamed in some countries, particularly Canada, because of concern over the word "war" in the title. So, in some countries, it was released under the title Beasties. Long-time Transformers fans noticed the prominence of the words "Beast Wars" over "Transformers", the latter appearing in small type under the former. The Transformers' fan base splintered into two groups as a direct result, with the one enjoying Beast Wars for what it was and the other refusing to accept it as official canon in the Transformers mythology.
The success of Beast Wars and the change in storyline resulted in its second phase: Beast Machines. Like Beast Wars, the name Transformers was used only as a secondary title. While still a success, the storyline and direction borne by Beast Machines was questioned and criticized by the most ardent fans who knew the previous history of the Transformers. Also, there was a clamor for a return to the original idea of the Transformers, that of their being protean robots with nearly humanlike artificial intelligences who transformed into vehicles or devices.
The line was later commemorated as sub-series of the Transformers: Titanium and Transformers: Universe lines.
Robots in Disguise (2001–2002)

While Beast Machines was still running in Canada, Japan's Takara made a bid to return to the familiar vehicle-transforming robots concept. In 2000, Car Robots was released. This line was brought by Hasbro to America as the Robots In Disguise series, and featured the Autobots facing off against the Predacons. This series is usually regarded by most as filler while Hasbro contemplated the next direction for Transformers. However most fans of Transformers recognise that most if not all of the toys released from this line were of excellent quality (with the Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus figures gaining considerable praise), combining the ball-joint articulation with detailed, well painted alternate modes.
Once again Optimus Prime and Megatron were re-engineered, with Prime now a fire truck and Megatron a six changer, whose modes included a dragon, bat, jet, land-craft and a giant hand. Another G1 character to get a new toy for this line was Ultra Magnus, who could combine with Optimus Prime to form Omega Prime. Other combiners were created for the series too, such as Landfill and Rail Racer. Bruticus, a combiner from G1 was also recoloured and introduced into the series, with a coinciding toy re-release. The Combaticons that formed Bruticus were the first of the Decepticons to be introduced into the show along with Scourge, who as a toy was a black repaint of G2 Laser Prime. These were not the only toys to be re-released for this series, with many from past lines being repainted and packaged in RID boxes. Robots In Disguise was responsible for introducing a lot of concepts that would be re-used often in the next incarnations of Transformers.
Also of note, Megatron's toy was repainted and re-released (retooled to allow 4 new altmodes) under the name Galvatron, beginning a tradition of repaints that would follow through with Armada and subsequent toy lines.
The line was later commemorated as a sub-series of the Transformers: Universe line.
Transformers: Armada (2002–2003)
In 2003, Transformers: Armada launched a pivotal new era in the toy line. After several lines of toys produced by one company or the other, Hasbro and Takara united to produce what was purported to be a single, identical line of Transformers for release worldwide. In tandem with this new endeavor, Armada signaled a new continuity in its accompanying animated series and a new focus in both the show and the toys on Mini-Cons, a new faction of Transformers. The Mini-Cons were much smaller robots (not much larger than humans) who were neutral in the Autobot/Decepticon fight, but due to their incredible power and abilities, were sought by both factions.
The lowest priced toys in the Armada line were three-packs of Mini-Cons. Each larger price point consisted of an Autobot or Decepticon who came with a Mini-Con partner. Mini-Cons could be used to unlock a variety of features on each larger robot, such as firing weapons, electronic lights and sounds, or alternate modes. Some three-pack Mini-Cons combined into other forms or had additional features. According to the storyline, Mini-Cons also enhanced the power of other Transformers, giving incentive to collect as many of them as possible.
Other items of note in the Armada line:
The Armada line featured the first commercially available figure of Unicron, who is a legendary character from Generation 1, and the main villain of The Transformers: The Movie. Unicron is a robot who transforms into an entire planet.
The Mini-Cons often mimicked features associated with Generation 1 sub-groups such as the Headmasters and Targetmasters, transforming into weapons and, in three cases, a Transformer's head.
The line was later commemorated as a sub-series of the Transformers: Universe line.
Transformers: Universe (2002–present)

A catch-all line initially filled with mostly redecos and repackages of older toys. This line was revitalized in 2008 with new molds and the introduction of various sub-series from previous popular Transformers lines like Classics.
Transformers: Energon (2003–2005)
After the successful Armada toy line, Hasbro/Takara introduced Transformers: Energon. The accompanying television series program was a direct continuation of the events of Transformers: Armada and featured many of the same characters in new forms. This was reflected in the toy line, as characters such as Hot Shot, Jetfire, Optimus Prime and Megatron were all released with entirely new molds.
Transformers: Energon introduced several new concepts to the toy line. Two new sub-groups, the Omnicons and Terrorcons, joined the fray, representing smaller factions of the Autobots and Decepticons respectively. The smaller toys in these sub-groups came with Energon weapons that could be used by the larger Autobots and Decepticons, along with Energon chips that could be fastened to the larger figures to enhance their power. Energon weapons and chips came in a variety of colors of translucent plastic. Many Autobot figures in the line were able to combine with a partner to form a larger robot through the "Powerlinx" process. The Decepticons were designed instead with alternative "attack modes". While no longer the focus of the line, there were several Mini-Con releases in Energon as well.
Other items of note in the Energon line:
Energon contains perhaps the most homages to Generation 1 Transformers in any subsequent line, with toys featuring similarities to classic figures such as Omega Supreme, Skids, Wheeljack, Galvatron and Ravage.
Many larger figures in the line came with no weapons, to fit with the concept that Omnicons and Terrorcons provided energy and weaponry for them. Fittingly, then, the smaller robots were often armed to the hilt with weaponry.
In a break from tradition, Energon Optimus Prime's large mode resembled a configuration similar to Voltron or to the Super Sentai action figures. This design was unpopular with many fans due to design issues with the toy. The small robot's body was large in proportion to his arms and legs which made the figure appear fat, earning it the nickname "Fatimus Prime" or "Obese-imus Prime". The 4 vehicles that combined with the robot were small, lacking the intricate detail that made other toys in the line popular. Fans were also angered by early releases of this toy in which the head was molded with a mouth rather than the traditional face plate design. Later releases of the toy eliminated the visible mouth feature.
Transformers: Cybertron (2005–2007)
Transformers: Cybertron, named Galaxy Force in Japan, was a follow-up to the successful Armada and Energon lines. The companion anime series program was not originally conceived or produced as a continuation of the Armada/Energon storyline, and it was only later that it was retconned to be a continuation. Thus, several inconsistencies exist. Once again, a new feature was introduced for the line—Cyber Keys, which activated special functions on the figures in a manner similar to the Mini-Cons in Armada. Each figure came with a Cyber Key regardless of size, but there were several Cyber Keys crucial to the plot of the anime series which only came with certain figures. Again, many of the same characters were included but with entirely new figures from new molds.
Also of note in the Cybertron line:
Primus, the creator of the Transformers conceived by Simon Furman for the UK Transformers comic, received action figure treatment in the Cybertron line. He transformed into the planet Cybertron itself.
For the first time since Rodimus Prime in Generation One, Cybertron featured a Prime other than Optimus — Vector Prime, said to be one of the first 13 Transformers ever created.
By this time, Hasbro/Takara was using a higher ratio of repaints consisting of figures from the Armada and Energon lines. In addition, by the end of its run, Cybertron was competing with several other simultaneous lines, including Universe, Alternators and Titanium.
Many of the repaints taken from the Armada line had remolded parts retro-fitted to the original designs so their Mini-con features would now use a planet key instead.
The line was later commemorated as a sub-series of the Transformers: Universe line.
Transformers: Kiss Players (2006)

(translated from the Japanese Wikipedia article)
The Transformers: Kiss Players was a Japan-only line of Transformers toys, manga, and audio dramas released in 2006. Kiss Players is set in an alternate Transformers universe where the Transformers are powered by the kisses of young girls. The toys themselves come packaged with small, scale figurines of the girls who power them. The toyline was openly admitted to be aimed at a specific part of the market — adults, rather than children. The comic that accompanied the Kiss Players was an unashamed reflection of this, with several images which were considered by some to be very sexually themed.
Kiss Players continued the theme of the metaphysical power potential of human beings empowering Transformers. Previous examples were the Japanese series programs Masterforce and Car Robots.[2]
Transformers: Classics (2006)

Transfomers: Classics was a filler line for Hasbro, to fill the gap between the end of Cybertron and the 2007 Movie line. It mostly consisted of "Classic" Generation One characters, with contemporary re-designs and updated alternate modes.
The line was later commemorated as a sub-series of the Transformers: Universe line, where it had the nickname of "Classics 2.0".
Transformers film (2007)

The live-action Transformers movie was slated to premiere in the U.S. on July 3, 2007, and was a joint collaboration among DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures and Hasbro, Inc. Paramount Pictures was slated to release the film in the United States, as it had by now made DreamWorks Pictures one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, and was also to be responsible for the international release of the film through United International Pictures, its joint venture with Universal Studios. The feature was directed by Michael Bay from a screenplay written by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. It was a new story, set apart from the previous incarnations of the cartoon(s) and comic(s). A new origin and characters were introduced. Steven Spielberg, who with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen had established DreamWorks SKG, was the main executive producer of the film, with Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto and Don Murphy serving as co-executive producers. In practice, this meant that they were the primary financial sponsors of the film.
Shia LaBeouf portrays the lead human character, Sam Witwicky, in the film with Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, and Megan Fox in supporting roles. Peter Cullen reprises his role as the voice of Optimus Prime. Megatron's voice is provided by Hugo Weaving.
It was expected that the release of a new movie would involve the production and release of associated toys from Takara and Hasbro. Images surfaced, on-line, of some toy prototypes, notably Starscream and a new Decepticon who was to be named Blackout, along with packaged samples of movie preview "Protoform" Optimus Prime and Starscream toys. Similarly, fans found preliminary artwork of multiple characters, although it was not known at the time how close these were to the final designs. The designs were significantly different from those of the Generation 1 characters with the same names. Reactions varied widely: some fans objected strongly to the designs, occasionally going so far as to threaten a boycott if the designs were not changed to be more traditional, while others liked them. The issue became a divisive one, as detractors accused supporters of lacking respect for the franchise's history, while supporters accused detractors of being "stuck in the past", and not accepting change.
In the "Transformers" film, the robots had more of an alien feel to them to fit the theme of an alien invasion. The robots (stated by Optimus Prime) in the film are actual sentient organisms and not just giant, mindless, and mechanical machines. The robots can also speak their own alien language sounding like what seems to be based on different pitches and frequencies. Alongside that, they gave them more alien features that probably wasn't mentioned in the comics or T.V. series such as a highly advanced exoskeleton, force field, and a special "alien meteoroid" mode which they transform into individually and arrive on earth in. The exoskeleton is a "self-regenerating metal" in which the aliens are composed of (stated in the film) that is the equivalent of living skin that heals itself.
Even though the transformers were heavily modified for the film for a more alien "feel", they still kept some key features from the G1 look to stay true to the character's origins. Examples: Optimus' faceplate and primary colors, and Megatron's arm cannon. Megatron's head also resembles a helmet-like shape.
Also, as a new feature, most figures include advanced "automorph technology", which is designed to create quicker and easier conversion, which means moving one part of the vehicle or robot causes other parts to move, creating a final shift to battle mode; this was successful because the transformation was more complex in the movie line than in any other Transformers toy line.
Transformers Animated (2008)

The Transformers Animated series was broadcast internationally in 2008 except in Japan, where it aired in 2010. This new series uses a very different art-style from the previous series. The Autobots and Decepticons, while fighting in space for possession of the Allspark, crash-landed onto a futuristic Earth and resume their battle after laying dormant for years. In addition to the Decepticons, the Autobots have to face the human villains as well. Classic characters such as Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Prowl, Starscream, Megatron, Jazz and Ultra Magnus appear in this series.
Originally, Transformers: Animated was to be called "Transformers: Heroes", but its name was changed to avoid confusion with the Transformers live-action film.
The line was released alongside a sub-series of the Transformers: Universe line for its Legends size figures.
Star Wars Transformers (2006)
This line features robot versions of various Star Wars characters. Confirmed figures are Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Boba Fett, Commander Cody and Jango Fett. Darth Vader turns into his custom Tie Fighter while Luke Skywalker turns into an X-wing. Jango Fett and Boba Fett become Slave I, and Commander Cody turns into a Turbo Tank. There is combiner of Millennium Falcon of two characters, Han Solo and Chewbacca and Primus/Unicron-like Death Star that transforms into a giant Darth Vader. There are more Star Wars characters into Transformers like General Grievous and Obi-Wan Kenobi. This line was later revived and merged into the Transformers: Crossovers toy line, many more Transformers included characters from Star Wars: The Clone Wars like Ahsoka Tano who transforms into her Jedi starfighter, and Captain Rex who transforms into an AT-TE.[3]
Transformers: Crossovers (2008)
This is a new line which features robot versions of various Marvel Comics superheroes (and later more of the Star Wars Transformers figures once it merged with this line). Confirmed figures are Iron Man, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Venom and Hulk. Hulk turns into a tank while Iron Man turns into a jet. Spider-Man becomes a helicopter, Wolverine turns into a 4WD, Venom turns into a turbocharged retro car. They are not to be confused with the Marvel Megamorphs toy line, which also featured transformable mecha piloted by the superheroes. Eventually, the Star Wars Transformers figure joined the line with reissues of previous figures, as well as all new molds.
Transformers: Disney Label (2009)
A Japanese exclusive, this is a new line of Transformers toys shaped from Disney characters that were first introduced in 2009. Originally revealed in the November 2008 issue of Figure Oh! Magazine in Japan, it was a collaboration project between Takara Tomy and the Walt Disney Company. The first line of the toy series is the Mickey Mouse Transformer which was modeled after Optimus Prime with the same colors as its Transformer counterpart and can transform into a cartoonish trailer truck like the original version. The toy was released on February 26, 2009 following with the Black and White Version a month later on March 26, 2009. A figure of Donald Duck based on both Bumblebee and Herbie the Love Bug, and a second repaint of the Mickey Mouse trailer in Halloween colors, are also planned for release.
In 2010, a Transformer version of Buzz Lightyear was released to celebrate the release of Toy Story 3. This figure transforms into his spaceship (similar to the box packaging of the original Buzz Lightyear toy), with his head transforming into a miniature Buzz Lightyear pilot figure.
Power of the Primes "MAGA"
In 2017, the Jazz action figure from the "Power of the Primes" line featured printed in Cybertronian alphabet "MAGA", an acronym for the phrase "Make America Great Again" most notably associated with Donald Trump and Alt-right. A spokesperson for Hasbro responded to io9 about the issue and stated that it was inserted onto the figure by one of their vendors and would address it with them.[4]
Transformers cereal
Ralston marketed many breakfast cereals based on cartoons in the 80s and 90s. One of these was Transformers. The Transformers Chocolate Flavored Cereal was a chocolate-flavored concoction, not unlike Cocoa Puffs, manufactured by the Ralston Corporation. However, the cereal was sold only in some parts of the United States and was short lived. The cereal box had Optimus Prime on its cover. The box claims the cereal had "more taste than meets the eye" and also had the ability to "transform ordinary milk into chocolate flavored milk". There also was a mail-away offer for a Jazz toy. The few boxes that still exist are collectables,[5] (one of which went for $349 on eBay).
Transformers events
The official international Transformers convention is BotCon, but other fan events include Auto Assembly and TransForce in the UK and past Transformers only events have included BotCon Japan, BotCon Europe and "OTFCC". The first larger Transformers convention in the Nordic countries is called "The NTFA Mini-Con", with official support from Hasbro Nordic, and was held by members of the NTFA - The Nordic TransFans Association, for the first time on November 3–4, 2007. The second NTFA convention with official support from Hasbro Nordic, now renamed "NordCon" (to avoid copyright problems with the name "Mini-Con") was held in Aalborg, Denmark from 19 June to 20 June 2010. It featured Simon Furman as a guest of honour. In 2011, NordCon and Auto Assembly joined forces to create a new convention called Auto Assembly Europe, which first took place in Uppsala, Sweden, in November 2011.[6][7]
A Transformers Hall of Fame was created in 2010. Initial inaugurees presented at Botcon 2010 ceremonies included Bob Budiansky, Peter Cullen, Hideaki Yoke, Ōno Kōjin, and the characters Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, Starscream, and Dinobot.[8][9]
Transformers video games
In 1986, Ocean Software Ltd. released a video game based on the Transformers. It was available for ZX Spectrum[10] and Commodore 64.[11] It was rated slightly above average in the reviews. In 1986 Activision also released a Transformers game for the Commodore 64.[12]
Takara released a Famicom game named Transformers: Convoy no Nazo, which put the player in control of Ultra Magnus. The game was poorly received in Japan and was not released overseas.
Another game was released for the Sony PlayStation 2 by Atari; simply titled as Transformers, it was based on The Transformers: Armada. The game's reception was mixed, particularly due to the popularity of a PS2 Transformers game released at the same time for a Japanese-exclusive market, though the Armada game was of a higher quality and featured much better gameplay. The game not released in America was based on the Generation 1 storylines.
Hasbro sold the digital gaming rights various properties, including My Little Pony, Magic: The Gathering, Tonka, Playskool, and The Transformers, to Infogrames for $100 million USD in 2000, buying back the rights for $65 million USD in June 2005.[13]
Activision and Traveller's Tales, creators of the Lego Star Wars games, released Transformers: The Game in 2007, accompanied by Transformers Autobots and Transformers Decepticons, to tie in with the live-action feature film for the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PC, Sony PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation 2. The player was able to play as both the Autobots and the Decepticons, pick up and throw objects, and transform at any time. The steering in vehicle mode was compared to that of the Grand Theft Auto games and had a free-roaming environment.
A movie tie-in game for the sequel to the 2009 movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was released along with the movie on June 24, 2009. It has similar gameplay and features as Transformers: the Game, and has online multiplayer gaming for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3.
Transformers: War for Cybertron was released in June 2010 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo DS. The game takes on Cybertron during the Great War between the Autobots, led first by Zeta Prime and then Optimus Prime, and the Decepticons, led by Megatron. Transformers: Cybertron Adventures was released alongside War For Cybertron for the Wii and utilizes the same characters and setting.
A movie tie-in game for the sequel to the 2011 movie Transformers: Dark of the Moon was released a few weeks prior to the movie on June 14, 2011 (the movie is set to be first screened on July 1, 2011). It has similar gameplay and features as that of the War for Cybertron game as it's made by the same developers, High Moon Studios. The game takes place on Earth just two years after the events of Revenge of the Fallen and will focus on both factions in their "final battle". Adjustments to the previous concept of the game had been made, including the online multiplayer where you can customize iconic characters appearance, abilities and weapons rather than the unknown transformers that were in the game prior to this one by High Moon Studios where you could only customize the appearance, abilities and choose the weapons.
A sequel to War for Cybertron titled, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, was released in 2012. This game was followed by Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark and the cancelled Transformers Universe.
See also
Transformers SCF

(in Japanese)

TFWiki.net, the Transformers Wiki
Tech Spec at the Transformer Wiki

How many Transformers toys sold in their first year of production?


The Norwegian Nobel Committee each year awards the Nobel Peace Prize (Norwegian and Swedish: Nobels fredspris) "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses".[1] As dictated by Nobel's will, the award is administered by the Norwegian Nobel Committee and awarded by a committee of five people elected by the Parliament of Norway.[2]
Each recipient receives a medal, a diploma, and a monetary award prize (that has varied throughout the years).[3] It is one of the five prizes established by the 1895 will of Alfred Nobel (who died in 1896), awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature, peace, and physiology or medicine.[4]
Overview
The Peace Prize is presented annually in Oslo, in the presence of the King of Norway, on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel's death, and is the only Nobel Prize not presented in Stockholm.[5] Unlike the other prizes, the Peace Prize is occasionally awarded to an organisation (such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, a three-time recipient) rather than an individual.
The Nobel Peace Prize was first awarded in 1901 to Frédéric Passy and Henry Dunant — who shared a Prize of 150,782 Swedish kronor (equal to 7,731,004 kronor in 2008) — and, most recently, to Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad in 2018.
Linus Pauling, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 1962, is the only person to have been awarded two unshared Nobel Prizes; he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954.[6]
At 17 years of age, Malala Yousafzai, the 2014 recipient, is the youngest to be awarded the Peace Prize.
Controversy
The prize is considered the most controversial of the Nobel Prizes; with several of the selections having been criticised,[7][8] and, on 19 occasions (as of 2018), no prize was awarded.
Despite having been nominated five times, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi never won the Prize. Following his assassination in 1948, the committee considered awarding it to him posthumously but decided against it — and, instead, withheld the Prize that year with the explanation that "there was no suitable living candidate."[9]
In 1961, Dag Hammarskjöld, who died after his nomination but several months before the announcement, became the only laureate to be recognised posthumously; following this, the statutes were changed to render a future posthumous prize nearly impossible.[10]
In 1973, Le Duc Tho declined the Prize, because "he was not in a position to accept the Prize, citing the situation in Vietnam as his reason."[6]
Laureates
As of 2018, the Peace Prize has been awarded to 106 individuals and 24 organizations. Seventeen women have won the Nobel Peace Prize, more than any other Nobel Prize.[11] Only two recipients have won multiple Prizes: the International Committee of the Red Cross has won three times (1917, 1944 and 1963) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has won twice (1954 and 1981).[6] There have been 19 years since its creation in which the Peace Prize was not awarded, more times than any other Nobel Prize.
Lê Đức Thọ is the only person to refuse to accept a Nobel Peace Prize.[12] He was jointly awarded the 1973 award with Henry Kissinger but declined the prize on grounds that such "bourgeois sentimentalities" were not for him[93] and that the Paris Peace Accords were not being adhered to in full.

See also
List of Nobel laureates
List of peace activists
Notes
Elihu Root, Austen Chamberlain, Charles G. Dawes, Frank B. Kellogg, and Norman Angell were all awarded their respective Prizes one year late because the Committee decided that none of the nominations in the year in which they are listed as being awarded the Prize met the criteria in Nobel's will; per its rules the Committee delayed the awarding of the Prizes until the next year, although they were awarded as the previous year's Prize.[25][33][36][39]
Carl von Ossietzky's Prize was awarded in absentia because he was refused a passport by the government of Germany.[121]
Dag Hammarskjöld's Prize was awarded posthumously.
Lê Đức Thọ declined to accept the Prize.[70]
Andrei Sakharov's Prize was awarded in absentia because he was refused a passport by the government of the Soviet Union.[122]
Aung San Suu Kyi's Prize was awarded in absentia because she was being held prisoner by the government of Burma. Following her release from house arrest and election to the Pyithu Hluttaw, Suu Kyi accepted her award in person on 16 June 2012.[123]
Liu Xiaobo's Prize was awarded in absentia because he was imprisoned in China.[124]

Citations

Sources

Who was the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize?


Guangdong ([kwàŋ.tʊ́ŋ](listen); formerly romanised as Kwangtung or Canton Province) is a province in South China, on the South China Sea coast. Guangdong surpassed Henan and Shandong to become the most populous province in China in January 2005, registering 79.1 million permanent residents and 31 million migrants who lived in the province for at least six months of the year;[1][2] the total population was 104,303,132 in the 2010 census, accounting for 7.79percent of Mainland China's population.[3] This also makes it the most populous first-level administrative subdivision of any country outside of South Asia, as its population is surpassed only by those of the Pakistani province of Punjab[4] and the Indian states of Bihar, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.[5] The provincial capital Guangzhou and economic hub Shenzhen are among the most populous and important cities in China. The population increase since the census has been modest, the province registering 108,500,000 people in 2015.[6]
Most of the historical Guangdong Province is administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC). However, the archipelagos of Pratas in the South China Sea are controlled by the Republic of China (ROC, a.k.a. Taiwan), and were previously part of Guangdong Province before the Chinese Civil War.[7][8]
Since 1989, Guangdong has topped the total GDP rankings among all provincial-level divisions, with Jiangsu and Shandong second and third in rank. According to state statistics, Guangdong's GDP in 2017 reached 1.42 trillion US dollars (CNY 8.99 trillion), making its economy roughly the same size as Mexico. Since 1989, Guangdong has had the highest GDP among all provinces of Mainland China. The province contributes approximately 12% of the PRC's national economic output, and is home to the production facilities and offices of a wide-ranging set of Chinese and foreign corporations. Guangdong also hosts the largest import and export fair in China, the Canton Fair, hosted in the provincial capital of Guangzhou.
Name
"Guǎng" (simplified Chinese:广; traditional Chinese:廣) means "expanse" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226.[9] Guangdong and neighbouring Guangxi literally mean "expanse east" and "expanse west". Together, Guangdong and Guangxi are called Loeng gwong (Liangkwang; traditional Chinese:兩廣; simplified Chinese:两广; pinyin:liǎng guǎng; Cantonese Yale:léuhng gwóng; literally: 'Two Expanses') Vietnamese: QuangDong Province. During the Song dynasty, the Two Guangs were formally separated as Guǎngnán Dōnglù (廣南東路; 广南东路; 'vast south east region') and Guǎngnán Xīlù (廣南西路; 广南西路; 'vast south west region'), which became abbreviated as Guǎngdōng Lù (廣東路; 广东路) and Guǎngxī Lù (廣西路; 广西路).
"Canton", though etymologically derived from Cantão (the Portuguese transliteration of "Guangdong"), refers only to the provincial capital instead of the whole province, as documented by authoritative English dictionaries. The local people of the city of Guangzhou (Canton) and their language are called Cantonese in English. Because of the prestige of Canton and its accent, Cantonese sensu lato can also be used for the phylogenetically related residents and Chinese dialects outside the provincial capital.
History

The Neolithic era began in the Pearl River Delta (珠江三角洲) 7,000 years before present (BP), with the early period from around 7000 to 5000 BP (c. 5050–3050 BC), and the late period from about 5000 to 3500 BP (c. 3050–1550 BC). In coastal Guangdong, the Neolithic was likely introduced from the middle Yangtze River area (Jiao 2013). In inland Guangdong, the neolithic appeared in Guangdong 4,600 years before present (BP). The Neolithic in northern inland Guangdong is represented by the Shixia culture (石峽文化), which occurred from 4600–4200 BP (c. 2650–2250 BC).[10]
Originally inhabited by a mixture of tribal groups known to the Chinese as the Baiyue ("Hundred Yue"), the region first became part of China during the Qin dynasty. Under the Qin Dynasty, Chinese administration began and along with it reliable historical records in the region. After establishing the first unified Chinese empire, the Qin expanded southwards and set up Nanhai Commandery at Panyu, near what is now part of Guangzhou. The region was independent as Nanyue between the fall of Qin and the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. The Han dynasty administered Guangdong, Guangxi, and northern Vietnam as Jiaozhi Province, southernmost Jiaozhi Province was used as a gateway for traders from the west—as far away as the Roman Empire. Under the Wu Kingdom of the Three Kingdoms period, Guangdong was made its own province, the Guang Province, in 226 CE.
As time passed, the demographics of what is now Guangdong gradually shifted to (Han) Chinese dominance as the populations intermingled due to commerce along the great canals, and abruptly shifted through massive migration from the north during periods of political turmoil and nomadic incursions from the fall of the Han dynasty onwards. For example, internal strife in northern China following the rebellion of An Lushan resulted in a 75% increase in the population of Guangzhou prefecture between the 740s–750s and 800s–810s.[11] As more migrants arrived, the local population was gradually assimilated to Han Chinese culture[12] or displaced.
Together with Guangxi, Guangdong was made part of Lingnan Circuit (political division Circuit), or Mountain-South Circuit, in 627 during the Tang dynasty. The Guangdong part of Lingnan Circuit was renamed Guangnan East Circuit guǎng nán dōng lù in 971 during the Song dynasty (960–1279). "Guangnan East" (廣南東) is the source of the name "Guangdong" (廣東; 广东).[13]:227
As Mongols from the north engaged in their conquest of China in the 13th century, the Southern Song court fled southwards from its capital in Hangzhou. The defeat of the Southern Song court by Mongol naval forces in The Battle of Yamen 1279 in Guangdong marked the end of the Southern Song dynasty (960–1279).[14]
During the Mongol Yuan dynasty, large parts of current Guangdong belonged to Jiangxi.[15] Its present name, "Guangdong Province" was given in early Ming dynasty.
Since the 16th century, Guangdong has had extensive trade links with the rest of the world. European merchants coming northwards via the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea, particularly the Portuguese and British, traded extensively through Guangzhou. Macau, on the southern coast of Guangdong, was the first European settlement in 1557.
In the 19th century, the opium traded through Guangzhou triggered the First Opium War, opening an era of Western imperialists' incursion and intervention in China. In addition to Macau, which was then a Portuguese colony, Hong Kong was ceded to the British, and Kwang-Chou-Wan (modern day area of Zhanjiang) to the French.
Due to the large number of people that emigrated out of the Guangdong province, many overseas Chinese communities have their origins in Guangdong.  In particular, the Cantonese and Teochew dialects have proportionately more speakers among overseas Chinese people than Mandarin-speaking Chinese. Additionally, many Cantonese-speaking Chinese emigrated to Western countries, with the results that many Western versions of Chinese words were derived from the Cantonese dialects rather than through the main stream Mandarin language, such as "dim sum".   Some Mandarin Chinese words originally of foreign origin also came from the original foreign language by way of Cantonese. For example, the Mandarin word níngméng (simplified Chinese:柠檬; traditional Chinese:檸檬), meaning "Lemon", came from Cantonese, in which the characters are pronounced as lìng mung.[16] In the United States, there is a large number of Chinese who are descendants of immigrants from the county-level city of Taishan (Toisan in Cantonese), who speak a distinctive dialect related to Cantonese called Taishanese (or Toishanese).
During the 1850s, the Taiping Rebellion, whose leader Hong Xiuquan was born in Guangdong and received a pamphlet from a Protestant Christian missionary in Guangdong, became a widespread civil war in southern China. Because of direct contact with the West, Guangdong was the center of anti-Manchu and anti-imperialist activity. The generally acknowledged founder of modern China, Sun Yat-sen, was also from Guangdong.
During the early 1920s of the Republic of China, Guangdong was the staging area for Kuomintang (KMT) to prepare for the Northern Expedition, an effort to bring the various warlords of China back under the central government. Whampoa Military Academy was built near Guangzhou to train military commanders.
In recent years, the province has seen extremely rapid economic growth, aided in part by its close trading links with Hong Kong, which borders it. It is now the province with the highest gross domestic product in China.
In 1952, a small section of Guangdong's coastline was given to Guangxi, giving it access to the sea. This was reversed in 1955, and then restored in 1965. Hainan Island was originally part of Guangdong, but it was separated as its own province in 1988.
Geography

Guangdong faces the South China Sea to the south and has a total of 4,300km (2,700mi) of coastline. The Leizhou Peninsula is on the southwestern end of the province. There are a few inactive volcanoes on Leizhou Peninsula. The Pearl River Delta is the convergent point of three upstream rivers: the East River, North River, and West River. The river delta is filled with hundreds of small islands. The province is geographically separated from the north by a few mountain ranges collectively called the Nan Mountains (Nan Ling). The highest peak in the province is Shikengkong with an elevation of 6,240 feet (1,902 meters) above sea level.
Guangdong borders Fujian to the northeast, Jiangxi and Hunan to the north, Guangxi autonomous region to the west, and Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions to the south. Hainan is offshore across from the Leizhou Peninsula. The Pratas Islands, which were traditionally governed as part of Guangdong, are now administered by the Republic of China on Taiwan.[17]
Cities around the Pearl River Delta include Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Shenzhen, Shunde, Taishan, Zhongshan and Zhuhai. Other cities in the province include Chaozhou, Chenghai, Nanhai, Shantou, Shaoguan, Zhanjiang, Zhaoqing, Yangjiang and Yunfu.
Guangdong has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa inland, Cwa along the coast), though nearing a tropical climate in the far south. Winters are short, mild, and relatively dry, while summers are long, hot, and very wet. Average daily highs in Guangzhou in January and July are 18°C (64°F) and 33°C (91°F), respectively, although the humidity makes it feel much hotter in summer. Frost is rare on the coast but may happen a few days each winter well inland.
Economy

The economy of Guangdong is large enough to be compared to that of many countries. In 2017, the gross domestic product (GDP) is about $1331.19 billion, Guangdong has been the largest province by GDP since 1989 in Mainland China. Guangdong is responsible for 10.87 percent of the China' $12.25 trillion GDP.[18] In 2015, Guangdong's GDP was slightly larger than that of Mexico ranking 15th in terms of US dollar or Purchasing Power Parity. Comparable to that of country subdivisions in dollar terms, Guangdong's GDP is larger than that of all but 6 country subdivisions: England, California, Texas, New York and Tokyo.  It is comparable to the GDP of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

This is a trend of  of the gross domestic product of the Province of Guangdong with figures in millions of Chinese Yuan:

After the communist revolution and until the start of the Deng Xiaoping reforms in 1978, Guangdong was an economic backwater, although a large underground, service-based economy has always existed. Economic development policies encouraged industrial development in the interior provinces which were weakly joined to Guangdong via transportation links. The government policy of economic autarky made Guangdong's access to the ocean irrelevant.
Deng Xiaoping's open door policy radically changed the economy of the province as it was able to take advantage of its access to the ocean, proximity to Hong Kong, and historical links to overseas Chinese. In addition, until the 1990s when the Chinese taxation system was reformed, the province benefited from the relatively low rate of taxation placed on it by the central government due to its post-Liberation status of being economically backward.
Guangdong's economic boom began with the early 1990s and has since spread to neighboring provinces, and also pulled their populations inward.  The economic growth of Guangdong province owes much to the low-value-added manufacturing which characterized (and in many ways still defines) the province's economy following Deng Xiaoping's reforms. Guangdong is not only China's largest exporter of goods, it is the country's largest importer as well.[21]
The province is now one of the richest in the nation, with the most billionaires in mainland China,[22] the highest GDP among all the provinces, although wage growth has only recently begun to rise due to a large influx of migrant workers from neighboring provinces. In 2011, Guangdong's aggregate nominal GDP reached 5.30 trillion RMB (US$838.60 billion) with a per capita GDP of 47,689 RMB.[23] By 2015, the local government of Guangdong hopes that the service industry will account for more than 50percent of the provinces GDP and high-tech manufacturing another 20percent.[21]
In 2009, Guangdong's primary, secondary, and tertiary industries were worth 201 billion yuan, 1.93 trillion yuan, and 1.78 trillion yuan, respectively.[24] Its per capita GDP reached 40,748 yuan (about US$5,965).[25] Guangdong contributes approximately 12% of the total national economic output.[26] Now, it has three of the six Special Economic Zones: Shenzhen, Shantou and Zhuhai. The affluence of Guangdong, however, remains very concentrated near the Pearl River Delta.
In 2008 its foreign trade also grew 7.8% from the previous year and is also by far the largest of all of China. By numbers, Guangdong's foreign trade accounts for more than a quarter of China's US$2.56 trillion foreign trade or roughly US$683 billion.[27]
Economic and technological development zones
Shenzhen Export Processing Zone
Shenzhen Futian Free Trade Zone[28]
Shenzhen Hi-Tech Industrial Park
Yantian Port Free Trade Zone
Foshan National New & Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone[29]
Guangzhou Development District
Guangzhou Export Processing Zone
Guangzhou Free Trade Zone
Guangzhou Nansha Economic and Technical Development Zone
Guangzhou Nanhu Lake Tourist Holiday Resort (Chinese Version)
Guangzhou New & Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone
Huizhou Dayawan Economic and Technological Development Zone
Huizhou Export Processing Zone
Huizhou Zhongkai Hi-Tech Development Zone
Nansha Free Trade Zone
Shantou Free Trade Zone
Shatoujiao Free Trade Zone
Zhanjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone (Chinese Version)
Zhuhai National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone
Zhuhai Free Trade Zone
Zhongshan Torch High-tech Industrial Development Zone
Demographics

Historical populationYearPop.±%1912[30] 28,011,000—1928[31] 32,428,000+15.8%1936-37[32] 32,453,000+0.1%1947[33] 27,210,000−16.2%1954[34] 34,770,059+27.8%1964[35] 42,800,849+23.1%1982[36] 59,299,220+38.5%1990[37] 62,829,236+6.0%2000[38] 85,225,007+35.6%2010[39] 104,303,132+22.4%Hainan Province part of Guangdong Province until 1988.
Guangzhou part of Guangdong Province until 1947; dissolved in 1954 and incorporated into Guangdong Province.
Guangdong officially became the most populous province in January 2005.[1][2] Official statistics had traditionally placed Guangdong as the 4th-most populous province of China with about 80 million people (also, Sichuan, traditionally the most populous province, was divided into Sichuan and Chongqing in 1997) but recently released information suggests that there are an additional 30 million migrants who reside in Guangdong for at least six months every year, making it the most populous province with a population of more than 110 million.[40] The massive influx of migrants from other provinces, dubbed the "floating population", is due to Guangdong's booming economy and high demand for labor. If Guangdong were an independent nation, it would rank among the twenty largest countries of the world by population, more populous than France, Germany, or the United Kingdom, and more populous than the largest three US states (California, Texas, and Florida) combined.
Guangdong is also the ancestral home of large numbers of overseas Chinese. Most of the railroad laborers in Canada, Western United States and Panama in the 19th century came from Guangdong. Many people from the region also travelled to the US / California during the gold rush of 1849, and also to Australia during its gold rush a decade or so later.
The majority of the province's population is Han Chinese. Within the Han Chinese, the largest subgroup in Guangdong are the Cantonese people. Two other major groups are the Teochew people in Chaoshan and the Hakka people in Huizhou, Meizhou, Heyuan, Shaoguan and Zhanjiang. There is a small Yao population in the north. Other smaller minority groups include She, Miao, Li, and Zhuang.

Guangdong has a highly unbalanced gender ratio that is among the highest of all provinces in China.  According to a 2009 study published in the British Medical Journal, in the 1–4 age group, there are over 130 boys for every 100 girls.[43]
Religion
According to a 2012 survey[41] only around 7% of the population of Guangdong belongs to organised religions, the largest groups being Buddhists with 6.2%, followed by Protestants with 0.8% and Catholics with 0.2%. Around 93% of the population is either irreligious or may be involved in Chinese folk religions worshipping nature gods, ancestral deities, popular sects, Taoist traditions, Buddhist religious traditions & Confucian religious traditions.
According to a survey conducted in 2007, 43.71% of the population believes and is involved in ancestor veneration,[44] the traditional Chinese religion of the lineages organised into lineage churches and ancestral shrines.

Politics

Guangdong is governed by a dual-party system like the rest of China. The Governor is in charge of provincial affairs; however, the Communist Party Secretary, often from outside of Guangdong, keeps the Governor in check.
Relations with Hong Kong and Macau
Hong Kong and Macau, while historically parts of Guangdong before becoming colonies of the United Kingdom and Portugal, respectively, are special administrative regions (SARs). Furthermore, the Basic Laws of both SARs explicitly forbid provincial governments from intervening in local politics. As a result, many issues with Hong Kong and Macau, such as border policy and water rights, have been settled by negotiations between the SARs' governments and the Guangdong provincial government.
Media
Guangdong and the greater Guangzhou area are served by several Radio Guangdong stations, Guangdong Television, Southern Television Guangdong, Shenzhen Television, and Guangzhou Television.  There is an English programme produced by Radio Guangdong which broadcasts information about this region to the entire world through the WRN Broadcast.
Culture

The central region, which is also the political and economic center, is populated predominantly by Yue Chinese speakers, though the influx in the last three decades of millions of Mandarin-speaking immigrants has slightly diminished Cantonese linguistic dominance. This region is associated with Cantonese cuisine. Cantonese opera is a form of Chinese opera popular in Cantonese speaking areas. Related Yue dialects are spoken in most of the western half of the province.
The area comprising the cities of Chaozhou, Shantou and Jieyang in coastal east Guangdong, known as Chaoshan, forms its own cultural sphere. The Teochew people here, along with Hailufeng people in Shanwei, speak Teochew, which is a Min dialect closely related to mainstream Southern Min (Hokkien) and their cuisine is Teochew cuisine. Teochew opera is also well-known and has a unique form.
The Hakka people live in large areas of Guangdong, including Huizhou, Meizhou, Shenzhen, Heyuan, Shaoguan and other areas. Much of the Eastern part of Guangdong is populated by the Hakka people except for the Chaozhou and Hailufeng area. Hakka culture include Hakka cuisine, Han opera (simplified Chinese:汉剧; traditional Chinese:漢劇), Hakka Hanyue and sixian (traditional instrumental music) and Hakka folk songs (客家山歌).
Zhanjiang in southern Guangdong is dominated by the Leizhou dialect, a variety of Minnan; Cantonese and Hakka are also spoken there.
Mandarin is the language used in education and government and in areas where there are migrants from other provinces, above all in Shenzhen. Cantonese maintains a strong and dominant position in common usage and media, even in eastern areas of the province where the local languages and dialects are non-Yue ones.
Guangdong Province is notable for being the birthplace of many famed Xiangqi (Chinese chess) grandmasters such as Lü Qin, Yang Guanli, Cai Furu and Xu Yinchuan.
Education
Colleges and universities

National

Sun Yat-sen University
South China University of Technology
Jinan University
South China Agricultural University
Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Provincial

Dongguan Institute of Technology
Dongguan University of Technology
Foshan University
Guangdong Education and Research Network
Guangdong General Hospital
Guangdong Institute of Education
Guangdong Institute of Science and Technology
Guangdong Medical College
Guangdong Ocean University
Guangdong Petrochemical Academy
Guangdong Pharmaceutical University
Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University
Guangdong Radio and TV University
Guangdong University of Finance & Economics
Guangdong University of Finance
Guangdong University of Technology
Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts
Guangzhou Education College
Guangzhou Medical College
Guangzhou Normal University
Guangzhou Sports University
Guangzhou University
Hanshan Teachers College
Huizhou University
Panyu Polytechnic
Shaoguan University
Shenzhen Party School
Shantou University
Shenzhen University
Shenzhen Technology University
Shenzhen Polytechnic
Shunde University
South China Normal University
South University of Science and Technology of China
Southern Medical University
Wuyi University
Xijiang University
Xinghai Conservatory of Music
Zhanjiang Normal University
Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering
Zhaoqing University
Sports
List of current professional sports based in Guangdong:

Tourism
Notable attractions include Danxia Mountain in Shaoguan, Yuexiu Hill, Baiyun Mountain  in Guangzhou, Star Lake and the Seven Star Crags, Dinghu Mountainin Zhaoqing, and the Zhongshan Sun Wen Memorial Park for Sun Yat-sen in Zhongshan.
Administrative divisions

Guangdong is divided into twenty-one prefecture-level divisions: all prefecture-level cities (including two sub-provincial cities):

The twenty-one Prefecture of Guangdong are subdivided into 119 county-level divisions (64 districts, 20 county-level cities, 34 counties, and 3 autonomous counties). For county-level divisions, see the list of administrative divisions of Guangdong.
Urban areas

International relations
Guangdong is twinned with:
 Aichi Prefecture, Japan[50]
See also

Major national historical and cultural sites in Guangdong
Governors of Guangdong

Citations

Sources
Economic data
 at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council

Main Page travel guide from Wikivoyage
 (in Chinese)
 from 1821–1850 (in English) (in Chinese)