Shanghai Overview

Updated 12 September 2026

Population: as of the 2020 national census, approximately 24.87 million (2024 estimate: about 24.8 million). By total municipal population Shanghai ranks second in China after Chongqing, whose much larger administrative area includes extensive rural counties; by urban/built-up population, Shanghai is often cited as China's largest city.

Climate: subtropical climate, very hot and humid summers, very mild winters. For this reason, the time from September to November and April to June is best for travel. In July and August, the heat in Shanghai is almost unbearable. The yearly average temperature is 15.4 degrees Celsius.

Geographic position: Shanghai borders on the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu. Shanghai lies in the southern portion of the Yangtze (pinyin: changjiang) River Basin

Administration Type: Municipality

Meaning of the name: The name Shanghai consists of two characters, the sign for "above/onto" (shang) and the sign for "sea" (hai)

Tourist information

Downtown: the Bund (waitan) in Shanghai lies on the bank of the Hangpu River and is one of the emblems of Shanghai. From there one can reach Nanjing Lu, the shopping district of Shanghai. Shanghai's French Quarter is also worth a visit, as are the Yu Yuan Garden in the Old Town, and the former residence of China's founder, Sun Yat-sen.

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