Shanghai is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people in its extended metropolitan area. Located on China's central eastern coast near the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality with province-level status. Originally a fishing and textiles town, Shanghai grew to importance in the 19th century due to its favourable port location and as one of the cities opened to foreign trade by the 1842 Treaty of Nanking. The city flourished as a center of commerce between east and west, and became a multinational hub of finance and business by the 1930s.However, Shanghai's prosperity ended after the 1949 Communist takeover and the subsequent cessation of foreign investment. Economic reforms in 1990 have resulted in intense development and financing, and in 2005 Shanghai became the world's busiest cargo port.

If compared to Paris in its 1930s, Shanghai nowadays is more like New York. Arriving in Shanghai, immediately, you will be overwhelmed by all the crowds, autos, malls and skyscrapers. As the largest city in mainland china in terms of population (18 million) and density (2,945/kmq, Shanghai is a booming melting pot of East and West. Since 1992, Chinese from other provinces have kept moving to Shanghai to seek better working and living opportunities, including people from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Global enterprises swarm into Shanghai, which has brought along large amount of foreigners, especially westerners.

Shanghai offers you a wide choice of sightseeing, shopping and living. At the Bund, facing Pudong (east side of the river), you can feel the excitement and vitality of the city. Architectures of world famous banks and skyscrapers erect on both sides of the river with cargo ships bustling on. Jinmao Tower in Pudong is the tallest building mainland China and ranks the fifth in the world. The nearby Shanghai World Financial Center, the world's tallest building to be, is now under construction and will be complete by 2008. Strolling around French Concession and Nanjing Road, you may find that modern Shanghai is swaying over fashions and fads. Shopping malls, tiny shops and flagship stores are emerging on almost every main street, making Shanghai a shopper's paradise. Also you will never worry about finding bars, restaurants, bookstores, museums, or galleries in main commercial centers of Shanghai. Shanghai at night is a sleepless city with dazzling neon lights and flashing billboards along the street sides. People keep going it and out of bars, parties, restaurants, and cinemas till late night. The most attractive part of Shanghai is that Western and eastern cultures coexist in the metropolis. You can appreciate European architectures on hustling avenues as well as local residency at the quite backstreets. No wonder Shanghai is fancy land for you to explore and will always surprise you.

Shanghai has hosted a number of world events, including the 2007 Summer Special Olympics and a Live Earth concert. The Shanghai International Film Festival is annually held in the city. The city will be the host of the Expo 2010 World's Fair between May and October 2010. Shanghai is also home to a number of professional sports teams, including Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League, the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, and the Shanghai Golden Eagles of the China Baseball League. The city has also hosted the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit every year since 2004.