HISTORY
Shanghai used to be a small, populated village in the 5th to 7th centuries. Despite its lack of residents, its location along the Yangzi River Delta spurred economic growth. When the Song dynasty began, Shanghai first developed into a fishing location. With more Chinese migrants fleeing from Mongols, the village's population began to enlarge. Shanghai had begun to be more recognized by the rest of the country for its deep water ports and its advantageous location in comparison to other cities. When the 17th century hit, around 70% of Shanghai had been cultivated for cotton and many of its residents became workers for the product. Then, in the 1839, China faced a loss to Britain in the Opium War. As a result, they handed Shanghai over and the city underwent unrestricted foreign trade. The French and Americans also took advantage of Shanghai and took ownership over designated areas.
Source: Britannica
Source: Britannica
LOCATION
Shanghai is a city on the Eastern coast of China. It boarders Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and resides along the East China Sea, while the Hangzhou Bay rests at its southern end. Its exact coordinates are at 31°41' north latitude and 121°29' east longitude. Its location allows Shanghai to be a major sea and river port. Shanghai is easily able to transport goods via ocean to nearby cities or even foreign countries such as: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, South America, South Africa, and more. By river, Shanghai can contact other ports at the end of the Yangtze; by lake, Shanghai can reach Eastern coastal cities using the Jiangnan water system. Shanghai is also located south of the mouth of the Yangtze River which is plentiful in oysters and snails. This makes it a great area to practice aquaculture. Many nearby provinces rely on Shanghai for its production of oil, coal, water, and other energy / fuel sources. As a result, Shanghai has been dubbed the city of high quality secondary energy resources.
|
STRUCTURE MAP
CAPITAL
Despite Shanghai being China's most populous city, it is not the capital of the country. Instead, the capital of China is the city of Beijing. Beijing is the second most populated city after Shanghai, and its name literally translates to "northern capital." Previously, Beijing was named City of Ji, Zhongdu, Dadu, and Yanjing. The majority of the names, when translated, stay true to the capital theme. This city is also home to many tourist attractions such as The Forbidden City, The Birds Nest, and the infamous Great Wall of China. Other interesting facts about the capital is that China's official language, Standard Chinese or Mandarin, is based off of Beijing dialect.
Source: ChinaTravelGuide
Source: ChinaTravelGuide
Photo used under Creative Commons from rickmassey1