Under　the　dual　effects　of　global　climate　change　and　intensive　human　development　activities,　vulnerability　to　coastal　erosion　in　bay　areas　is　becoming　increasingly　serious.　This　study　focuses　on　15　counties　and　districts　along　the　coast　of　the　Pearl　River　Estuary　(PRE)　Great　Bay　Area　and　selects　12　evaluation　indices　from　five　perspectives　for　analysis,　including　coastal　characteristics,　hydrodynamic　forces,　economics,　population　and　coastal　reconstruction.　The　analytic　hierarchy　process　(AHP)　method,　Technique　for　Order　Preference　by　Similarity　to　an　Ideal　Solution　(TOPSIS)　method,　independent　weight　method,　Jenks　natural　breaks　method　(Jenks),　exposure-sensitivity-adaptation　(ESA)　model　and　obstacle　degree　method　are　used　in　conjunction　with　the　above　indices　to　construct　a　coastal　erosion　vulnerability　evaluation　system　for　the　PRE.　The　results　show　that　coastal　erosion　vulnerability　in　the　PRE　is　low　in　the　eastern　hilly　area　and　high　in　the　central　and　western　delta　areas.　Coastal　characteristics,　coastal　lowlands　and　protection　capability　are　the　main　controlling　elements　of　erosion.　The　PRE　experienced　an　era　of　rapid　economic　development　from　1980　to　2010,　and　coastal　erosion　vulnerability　gradually　increased,　with　a　cost　of　ecological　environment　destruction.　Then,　an　era　of　coastal　zone　ecological　restoration　supported　by　policy　protection　occurred　from　2010　to　2020.　Compared　with　three　major　bay　areas　with　similar　developed　economies　worldwide,　the　PRE　is　characterized　by　comparatively　late　but　rapid　economic　development.　Notably,　the　development　and　utilization　efficiency　of　coastal　zones　is　very　high,　the　duration　of　damage　to　the　ecological　environment　is　short,　and　the　effects　of　ecological　repair　and　restoration　are　obvious.　The　results　of　this　study　provide　a　reference　for　economic　development　and　ecological　restoration　in　the　bay　areas　of　China　and　provide　scientific　guidance　for　coastal　zone　development,　management　and　planning.