As the most populated city in the most populated country in the world, Shanghai is well known for dubious reasons. Bursting at the seams with a population of over twenty million people, this city is easily among the largest on the face of the planet. Like many port cities, the sheer enormity of Shanghai is only a recent development as, prior to the twentieth century, this hulking behemoth of a metropolis was simply a quaint fishing town at the mouth of the famed Yangtze River.
Around the time of the Communist takeover of China in the late 1940s, much capital was invested into Shanghai with the intent of making it the largest cargo port in the world. Thanks to the city’s lucky positioning on the Yangtze and into the East China Sea, Shanghai fulfilled its destiny in 2005 and now is second to none in the world of shipping and cargo. As unbelievably crowded as Shanghai is, it still commands a rather large tourist industry thanks to its age and its collection of some of the most important and impressive historical landmarks ever erected. The City God Temple, for instance, is of great interest to worshipers and historians alike and its ornate decoration has set the standard by which all other temples are measured. The enormous Bund is also a huge draw and the Pudong skyline at night is a breathtaking example of Shanghai’s rapid growth. Only a few cities around the world, like New York and London, can compare to the Pudong in terms of size and beauty. Features like these have helped Shanghai to be the shining centerpiece of communist China and the city is considered to have the fastest economic growth of any city on Earth. As a result, Shanghai is now considered to be the financial capital of the entire nation.
Like Beijing, Shanghai’s rapid growth and massive urbanization caused the city to undergo an environmental crisis during the eighties. The smog and pollution was so great that countless citizens were becoming unhealthy and dying of lung failure and other pollutant related illnesses. During China’s environmental reconfiguring, when they invested billions to reduce emissions and clean up the air, many people thought it was too late to do any good but these days Shanghai, while not completely free of smog, is far cleaner than it was just a decade ago. If you are planning a trip to the Far East you absolutely must pay a visit to Shanghai. Whether you are interested in the rich cultural tapestry that Shanghai’s long history provides or you are simply visiting for a business meeting, Shanghai has that exotic element that makes it far more interesting than Hong Kong, Beijing, or any other Chinese city. While it may be one of the more crowded cities, China’s strict leadership has helped to ensure that Shanghai is far less dangerous or violent than cities with less than half its population. The much improved environmental condition of the city is also cause for applause and a trip to the city these days poses no risk to your health.
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