Shanghai is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the longest river in China, on the west bank of the East China Sea and in the middle of China's coastline. Through its coastal position Shanghai acts as a link between China's inland regions and the outside world, and it is comfortable with both eastern and western cultures.

With a history of more than 700 years, Shanghai was once the financial center of the Far East. Since the reforms that began in the 1990's great changes have taken place in the city. The municipal government is working towards building Shanghai into a modern metropolis and a global economic, financial, trading and shipping center by 2020.

Today, with a land area covering 6,340 square kilometers and a population of 16 million people, Shanghai has become the largest economic center in China and an important port city. It has maintained a GDP growth rate of over 10 percent in the last 11 years. More than 100 foreign countries and regions have investments in some 30,000 local projects, takingadvantage of the 74 deep-water berths and 20 international container piers at the Shanghai Port. The Yangshan International Deep Water Port that is currently under construction is expected to give a modern twist to the port city. Hongqiao and Pudong International airports link Shanghai with 141 cities in 29 foreign countries and regions everyday.

Shanghai is also a prominent historical city in China with a rich cultural heritage. The vintage western style buildings on the Bund and the modern Lujiazui Financial Center in Pudong face each other across the Huangpu River. On the other hand, Yuyuan Garden and Longhua Temple display graceful ancient Chinese architecture.

• western [´westən]   a.西的；西方的   (初中英语单词)
• financial [fi´nænʃəl]   a.金融的，财政的   (初中英语单词)
• working [´wə:kiŋ]   a.工人的；劳动的   (初中英语单词)
• shipping [´ʃipiŋ]   n.船运业；船舶(总数)   (初中英语单词)
• advantage [əd´vɑ:ntidʒ]   n.优势；利益   (初中英语单词)
• construction [kən´strʌkʃən]   n.建设；修建；结构   (初中英语单词)
• international [,intə´næʃənəl]   a.国际的，世界的   (初中英语单词)
• cultural [´kʌltʃərəl]   a.文化(上)的；教养的   (初中英语单词)
• temple [´tempəl]   n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴   (初中英语单词)
• graceful [´greisfəl]   a.优美的，流畅的   (初中英语单词)
• inland [´inlənd, in´lænd]   a.&n.内地的 ad.在内地   (高中英语单词)
• municipal [mju:´nisipəl]   a.市政的；地方性的   (高中英语单词)
• everyday [´evridei]   a.每日的，日常的   (高中英语单词)
• architecture [´ɑ:kitektʃə]   n.建筑术；建筑学   (高中英语单词)
• yangtze [´jæŋtsi:]   n.长江   (英语四级单词)
• container [kən´teinə]   n.容器；箱，匣   (英语四级单词)
• heritage [´heritidʒ]   n.遗产，继承物   (英语四级单词)
• taking [´teikiŋ]   a.迷人的 n.捕获物   (英语六级单词)