Mega Cities of the World Series (Shanghai)

INTRODUCTION

Shanghai, also spelled and pronounced as Shang-hai, city and the province of east central China. It covers an area of 6,340 square kilometers. It is one of the world’s largest seaports and a major industrial and commercial center of China. It is the biggest city of the China and also considered as one of the largest cities of the world due to its population and area. The city is located on the coast of the East China Sea between the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) to the north and the bay of Hangzhou to the south.

BRIEF HISTORY

This city has almost a history of over a thousand years and closely parallels the development of modern China. It was developed majorly during the late Qing dynasty (1644-1912) as one of the China’s major trading port. Since the economic reforms of the early 1990s the city has burgeoned to become one of Asia's major financial centers and the world's busiest container port.

Shanghai economy began to revive during the late Qing Dynasty becomes traditionally larger market at Suzhou. The exports of cotton, silk and fertilizer reached as far as Persian and European states. The first Opium War was fight by China with United Kingdom during 1839-1842 when Chinese opposed opium trade into China as proposed by East India Company during 1832. The war was ended with British victory and the Treaty of Nanjing was signed between two nations which opened up five ports in China for British merchants including Shanghai port.  Similar treaties were quickly signed with other Western nations, and French, American and German merchants joined their British counterparts in establishing a presence in Shanghai, residing in sovereign concessions where they were not subject to Chinese laws. The British established their concession in 1845, the Americans in 1848 in Hongkou, north of Suzhou Creek, and the French set up their concession in 1849 west of the old Chinese city and south of the British Concession. In 1846, Peter Richards founded Richards' Hotel, the first western hotel in China. It would later become the Astor House. In 1850, the first English-language newspaper in Shanghai, the North China Herald, was launched.

POPULATION

The contiguous built-up urban area of Shanghai almost had a population size of approximately 27.7 million as per the reports up till June 2021.

MODERN DEVELOPMENT

The rapid development of the city began in the aftermath of the Opium War of 1840 when the Western powers forced China to open five of its coastal cities, including Shanghai, to foreign trade. The colonial powers forced the weak Qing government to sign treaties granting them the right to establish foreign concessions

With a population of over 27 million people, Shanghai is a hugely popular tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund with its historical buildings lining the Huangpu River. In turn, Shanghai’s increasing financial power and China’s rapid economic development is reflected by the ultra-modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline, with the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Jin Mao, and the 492-meter (1,614 ft) World Financial Center.

FAMOUS DESTINATIONS

Shanghai is known as “The Pearl of Asia” and “The Paris of the East”. It's a city of youth, commerce, and an international beat that runs through each Side Street and river walk.

Here are most exciting sites to visit Shanghai

o  THE SHANGHAI ART MUSEUM

Also often referred to as the China Art Palace, the China Art Museum (Zhonghuá Yìshù Gong) is the largest art gallery in Asia. It's also home to the country's most important collections of modern art, housed in the city's spectacular China Pavilion

o SHANGHAI NATURAL HISTORY               MUSEUM

This is one of the country's largest museums - it covers an impressive 40,000 square meters.  This stunning world-class facility was established in 1956 and only recently opened up in its new state-of-the-art location in Jing'an Sculpture Park in 2015. 

o THE SHANGHAI SCIENCE AND       TECHNOLOGY MUSEUM

Opened in 2001, the museum offers numerous things to see and do, including interactive multimedia exhibits, permanent displays, and state-of-the-art science theaters. Highlights include a large collection of animals native to the region, scientific achievements, a fascinating exhibit on robotics, as well as exhibits focusing on space travel.

o  SHANGHAI'S PROMENADE: THE BUND

Always bustling, it's a splendid place for a stroll day or night as you take in the Bund's 52 unique buildings, constructed in a variety of styles including Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Renaissance influences. The Bund is also home to what amounts to one of the world's most impressive collections of Art Deco architecture.