Rising from a fishing village, Shanghai is one of the four municipalities directly under the central government. Aside from Pudong New District, Shanghai has jurisdiction over 13 districts and six suburban counties. The total area of Shanghai is 6340 square kilometers.

Shanghai sits in a sub-tropical monsoon climate, with moderate temperatures and humidity and adequate sunshine. Rainfall is abundant and the seasons are distinct. The average temperature of Shanghai is 15.4 degrees Celsius, with the high averaging 27.4 degrees in July-August and the low 3-5 degrees below zero in January.

Shanghai is a city with a long history. In the long-term development, it has formed its own unique city scene and varied cultures and arts. Up to now, a lot of cultural relics beginning in the Tang (618-917) and Song (960-1279) Dynasties, many museums and contemporary memorial halls are well preserved. There are a lot of tourist centers in urban districts and suburbs of Shanghai, which form many tourist areas, tourist lines and special-interest tourist items.

With a distance of five kilometers, the Nanjing Road is the most famous business street in Shanghai. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower, completed in 1994 and standing 468 meters, is the tallest TV tower in Asia and the third tallest in the world.