SHANGHAI

Shanghai, ranking No.1 in population density, is the most comprehensive industrial and commercial city in China, as well as a seaport, science and technology center.

Population: 13 million
Urban Population: 10.1 million
Area: 6,185 sq km

Ethnic Groups: Han, Hui and Manchu

History: Shanghai used to be a small town supported by fishing and weaving before the first Opium war. In the 1990's the central government starts developing the area, and since, the city's economy has been booming.

Tourist Attractions: Pudong Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the new symbol of Shanghai; Yufo Si (the Jade Buddha Temple), a monastery built in 1882 to enshrine two magnificent statues which had been brought from Burma; Yuyuan Garden (Yuyuan), a classical garden south of the Yangtze River with a history of over 400 years, created in the mid-16th century, towards the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644); The Bund, an Anglo-Indian term for the embankment of a muddy waterfront, facing the river with its magnificent collection of European and Japanese colonial architecture.

Climate: The best time to visit Shanghai is autumn. The temperature during this period is mild and rain is less likely than in spring and summer. Shanghai's weather is moderate (annual average temperature is about 15Cº) and the seasons are not as distinct as in the North. Shanghai is characterized by a warm spring, hot summer, cool autumn and cold winter.