Bordering jiangsu and zhejiang provinces,shanghai is washed by the east china sea on the east and hangzhou bay on the south. the city covers a total area of 6,341 squares kms with a population of 16 million. with a pleasant Climate -- shanghai enjoys four distinct seasons, generous sunshine and abundant rainfall every year. its spring and autumn are relatively short comparing with the summer and winter.the average temperature is around 18 degrees celsius and the annual precipitation 1,240 millimeters.within its jurisdiction are 18 districts and one county now.actually 18 million people living here,placeing it alongsid tokyo and mexico cty as one of the largest and most congested metropolitan centers in the world.

From the busy streets and endless rows of office buildings comes a place where opportunity knocks eternal and the pace of life is caought somewhere between hectic, ultra modern and decidedly unprogressive.

But even with all of shanghai's business and action,the pace here is surprisingly easy going.there is a buzz here,but it is not overshadowed by the monotony of the workday as visitors find in other asian city lik tokyo or seoul, it seems that shanghainese have found a nice medium between work and play.

Without a doubt,there is something about this city thatquickly settles into your blood,like a smoggy aphordisiac,shanghai entices you by constantly invading your sense and playing on your dreams. there is something you can no resist about a city that offers the unobtainable to anyone focused enough to seek it and welthy enough to pay for it.

the city has completed many projects to help improve the quality of the life of local people. the projects involved in matters closely related to people's dailylife,such as traffic, husing, vegetable supply, utilities, education, medical care, social order and community services, while a revisit may arouse nostalgic memories of 1930s, the present shanghai at the dawn of a new era will also surprise the travelers in infrastructure projects-world-class bridges crossing the huangpu river, Metro lines, underground tunnels, light railways, inner and outer ring roads,elevated highways, flyovers and maglevtrains, in addition to the new faces hustling and bustling at the heart of the city for the benfit of the people. major highway links and massive subway system have greatly helped to ease the traffic jam in the city.

Shanghai witnessed mighty changes in the last century and a solid foundation has been laid for the city's proming future.

perhaps nothing can demonstrate the city's vicissitudes better than the changes of its landmarks, in the past the park hotel was regarded as the city's symbol with its grandeur and history.

but over past 10 years, the oriental pearl TV tower has stood on the pudong skyline as a powerful reminder of the rpgress of shanghai. it embodies the city 's very spirit-simple and dynamic, visually strong and functional.