Shanghai (Shànghǎi) Chinese: 上海 is the largest city in China, and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people. Located on China's central eastern coast just at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality of the People's Republic of China with province-level status.

Originally a fishing and textiles town, Shanghai grew to importance in the 19th century due to its favorable 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 was interrupted after the 1949 Communist takeover and the subsequent cessation of foreign investment. After 1990, the economic reforms introduced by Deng Xiaoping resulted in intense re-development and financing in Shanghai, and in 2005 Shanghai became the world's largest cargo port.

The city is a tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and City God Temple, its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower, and its new reputation as a cosmopolitan center of culture and design. Today, Shanghai is the largest center of commerce and finance in mainland China, and has been described as the "showpiece" of the world's fastest-growing major economy.

Shanghai
上海

—  Municipality  —
Municipality of Shanghai · 上海市
Chinese transcription(s)
- Mandarin(Pinyin)	Shànghǎi (help·info)
- Wu (Long-short)	Zånhae
- Shanghainese(IPA)

Country	China
Settled	5th–7th century
Incorporated  - Town	751
- County	1292
- Municipality	July 7, 1927
Divisions  - County-level  - Township-level	18 districts, 1 county 220 towns and villages
Government
- Type	Municipality
- CPC Municipal Sec.	ion: initial initial;" title="Yu Zhengsheng" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yu_Zhengsheng">Yu Zhengsheng
style: solid; border-top-color: #aaaaaa; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0.6em; padding-bottom: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.6em; border: 0px initial initial;" - Mayor	Han Zheng
Area
- Municipality	7,037 km2 (2,717 sq mi)
- Land	6,340 km2 (2,447.9 sq mi)
- Water	679 km2 (262.2 sq mi)
- Urban	5,299 km2 (2,046 sq mi)
Elevation	4 m (13 ft)
Population (2008)
- Municipality	18,884,600
- Density	2,683.6/km2 (6,950.5/sq mi)
Time zone	China Standard Time(UTC+8)
Postal code	200000 – 202100
Area code(s)	21
GDP	2009
- Total	US$224 billion (nominal) US$410.8 billion (PPP) (7th)
- Per capita	US$12,529 (nominal) US$21,795 (PPP) (1st)
- Growth	▲ 9.7%
HDI (2006)	0.917 (1st)
License plateprefixes	沪A, B, D, E, F,G ,H, J 沪C (outer suburbs)
City flower	Yulan magnolia
Website	www.shanghai.gov.cn

A view of the Pudong skyline