Shanghai Located in the Yangtze River Delta, it sits on the south edge of the estuary of the Yangtze in the middle portion of the Eastern China coast. The municipality borders the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the south, east, and west, and is bound to the east by the East China Sea. Shanghai is one of the four municipalities under the direct administration of the central government of the People's Republic of China. With a population of 24.2 million as of 2018, it is the most populous urban area in China, and the second most populous city proper in the world. Shanghai is a global financial, innovation and technology, and transport hub, with the world's busiest container port.
Shanghai is a modern metropolis, which is second to none in China and even the Far East. In this city that had opened its port more than 160 years ago,one finds not only traditional industries, but also fast-de-veloping information industry, electronic and astronautics science and technology, and also a vibrant finance industry that is well connected with the world. An increasing number of foreign investors have also demonstrated their interest and approval of Shanghai by setting up their companies in the city. More than half of the Fortune 500 companies have chosen to invest in Shanghai.
By the end of 2005, a London financial report put focus on the rapid economical development in Shanghai, and predicted that this city is set to become the worlds third largest global financial center,after London and New York At present, several international hotels had already established their businesses in Shanghai. The Central Bank of China had also set up their headquarters in Shanghai, with Chinas currency, securities, gold, stocks, and the foreign exchange-the five most active financial transaction markets taking a significant place in the economic scene of Shanghai. With all these financial developments, Shanghai is hailed as Chinas economic capital.
Standing along the Bund (uaitan)of Shanghai are several dozens European-style buildings. These buildings are signature of Huangpu River bank, and they are known as "An Exposition of Multinational Architectures". They are the legacy of the Western powers, who had, during the 1920s, plundered Chinas properles, and created the most magnificent architectures between the Suez Canal and the Bering Strait of the Far East.These buildings are known for their Gothic, Baroque and Roman styles. Notable too was the combination of Chinese and Nanpu Bridge Western architectural styles, which complement one another. In designing the architectura complex of these buildings, the architects had followed a style that was ommon to Western civilization.
