Population Estimate ('06) - 18,670,000
Official Languages - Shanghainese
Area (Total) - 7,037.50km²
Curreny - Yuan
Time Zone - UTC+8

Well known as the “Oriental Pearl”, Shanghai is a breathtaking city, famous for its modern metropolitan look and rich historical and cultural resources. Located near the coast on the Huangpu River, the city is one of the ten largest in the world and enjoys a north subtropical marine climate with four distinct seasons. The best times to visit are during Spring and Autumn (April/May and September/October).

It offers a huge range of hotels, from local budget style to magnificent and luxurious. It’s a shopping paradise - just about anything can be bought - the most famous area being Nanjing Road. For the foodies, Shanghai cuisine is a popular school, famous for seafood and freshwater food alike.

Probably the most famous area of Shanghai is The Bund - the famous mix of colonial buildings housing chic bars, restaurants and designer shops along the river front, facing the ultra modern new city on the other.

Must-do’s for tourists include the Yuyuan Gardens, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, People’s Square and the Ocean Seabed World Aquarium.