September 25, 2001

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  Me, Chris, Gao, Rich and Yasu Posing at the Bund
  
  The Setting
  

  Shanghai is located at 31 degrees 14 minutes North Latitude, 121 degrees 29 minutes East Longitude.   She is at the frond of Changjian Delta, on the east of East Sea, to the south of Hangzhou Bay, on the west of Zhejiang and Jiangsu Province, in the middle of China's north and south coastline.  She has transport facilities and a favourable geographical position.  She is a world famous port.

  
  

  Shanghai has a semi-tropical monsoon climate with four distinct seasons, enough sunshine and rainfall.  Shanghai's spring and autumn are shorter, winter and summer are longer.  The average temperature of the year is around 16 degrees C.  In spring (Mar - May) and automn (Sep - Nov), people usually wear jackets and sweaters.  In summer (Jun - Aug), people usually wear shirts.  In the winter, if people go outside, they usually wear overcoats.  In the transition from spring to summer and summer to autumn, there is usually more rainfall and people usually take a raincoat and umbrella with them whenever they go out.

  
  

  The total area of Shanghai is 6340.5 sq km.  The 3rd largest island of CHina - Chongming Island is in Shanghai.  Wangpu River is the most famous water system in the Shanghai area.  It originates from Tai Lake.  It is 113 km long and flows right through the city area.  It is very wide and deep, never frozen, and is an important water channel.

  
  

  Bye the end of 1997, Shanghai had a population of 13,054,600.  Shanghai's birthrate was 4.9% and death rate was 7%.  She is the first city in China to have negative population growth.

  
  

  In 1997, Shanghai's GDP reached 336 million RMB, 4.6 times that of 1978.  From 1979 to 1996, the average growth of each year was 9.4%.  In the recent five years, the GDP of Shanghai has been increasing by over 13% each year.

  
  

  Shanghai has all kinds of industries and is in the lead in terms of technology.  Automobile industry, telecommunication industry, steel, oil and chemical industry, complete sets of equipment for powerplants, mechanical and electrical products industry, and household appliances industry are six pillar industries of Shanghai's economy.

  
  

  State-owned banks are the main part of Shanghai's financial system; other kinds of financial institutions are coexisting with it.  Shanghai contains the largest stock exchange center in China.

  
  

  Shanghai's  transportation extends in all directions.  Shanghai's railway transportation holds a vital position in China's railway transportation.

  
  

  Shanghai is the biggest harbour in China.  Her water transportation can reach more than 160 countries and 400 harbours worldwide.

  
  

  Shanghai has two airports: Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong International Airport.  The air transportation from Shanghai reaches 31 cities in 18 countries.

  
  

  Shanghai's highway transportation has strong capacity.  By the end of 1997, Shanghai had altogether 1078 highways and the number of passengers were 2.378 billion.  Shanghai had altogether 41,000 taxis.

  
  

  As early as 1995, Shanghai had set up an eight figure number telephone system, the first one in China.  Up till now, Shanghai has opened international phone call service with 31 countries and districts, and international express mail service with 96 countries.

  
  

  Since the 1990's, the Chinese government has given Pudong New Area a series of preferential policies.  Pudong has very positive prospects.  The foreign investment to Pudong is increasing year by year.  By 2010, Shanghai will have been developed into one of the top economic, financial and trade centers in the world.  Pudong New Area will become a world first-rate, multi-functional, modern new district.

  
  

  Growing vigorously and changing with each passing day, Shanghai has built up a group of first-rate of cultural and visiting facilities, among them are Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Yangpu Bridge, Nanpu Bridge, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai Library, Shanghai Art Gallery, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai History Museum, etc.  Shanghai is a famous cultural city with a long history.  There are many historical relics with architectural characterisitics of Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasty.

  
  

  The above is an excerpt from a leaflet the school gave us.  Full of propoganda yes, but I believe there is a lot of truth in the promise of Shanghai's future.

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