Municipality of Chongqing 重庆市 Chóngqìng Shì
The Great Hall of the People (Chongqing)
Location within China
Coordinates: 29°33′00″N 106°30′25″E / 29.55, 106.50694
Country	People's Republic of China
County-level divisions	40
Township divisions	1259
Settled	ca. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES See also Administrative divisions of the Republic of China Due to China 's large Population and area the political divisions of China have consisted See also Administrative divisions of the Republic of China Due to China 's large Population and area the political divisions of China have consisted 316 BC
Government
- CPC Chongqing	Bo Xilai Committee Secretary
- Mayor	Wang Hongju
Area (ranked 26th)
- Municipality	82,300 km² (31,776. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the This is a Chinese name; the family name is Bo. Bo Xilai (薄熙来 Pinyin: Bó XÄ«lái pronounced A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. This is a list of the first-level administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China (PRC including all provinces autonomous regions special administrative Direct-controlled municipality (直辖市 zhíxiáshì) is the highest level classificiation for Cities used by Chinese governments with status equal to Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 2 sq mi)
Elevation	43. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. 5 m (143 ft)
Population (2006)
- Municipality	31,442,300
- Density	382/km² (989. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Direct-controlled municipality (直辖市 zhíxiáshì) is the highest level classificiation for Cities used by Chinese governments with status equal to Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 5/sq mi)
- Urban	4,196,000
- Ranks in China	Populations: 20th; Density: 12th
- Major nationalities	Han - 91% Tujia - 5% Miao - 2%
Time zone	China Standard Time (UTC+8)
Postal code	4000 00 - 4099 00
Area code(s)	23
License plate prefixes	渝 A, B, C, F, G, H
ISO 3166-2	CN-50
GDP (2007)	CNY 411. This is a list of the first-level administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China (PRC including all provinces autonomous regions municipalities This articles lists of the first-level administrative divisions of People's Republic of China (P The following is a list of ethnic groups in China where "China" is taken to mean areas controlled by either of the two states using "China" in their formal Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. The Tujia (土家族 Pinyin:Tǔjiāzú Endonym: Bizika 毕兹卡 with a total Population of over 8 million is the 6th largest ethnic The terms Hmong (m̥ɔ̃ŋ and Mong ( both refer to an Asian ethnic group in the mountainous regions of southern China. China standard time or Beijing time is the Time zone observed in the People's Republic of China ( PRC) UTC+8 is a band of Timezones separated from the Greenwich Mean Time by 8 hours A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks The People's Republic of China issues vehicles Licence plates at its Vehicle Management Offices under the administration of the Ministry of Public Security ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 18 billion
- per capita	CNY 14,622 (19th)(2007)
HDI (2005)	0. This is a list of the first-level administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China (PRC including all provinces autonomous regions and municipalities in order of The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 745 (18th) — medium
City trees Ficus lacorCity flowers Camellia (Camellia japonica)
Website: (Chinese) www.cq.gov.cn (English) english.cq.gov.cn/

Chongqing (simplified Chinese: 重庆; traditional Chinese: 重慶; pinyin: Chóngqìng; Postal map spelling: Chungking; Wade-Giles: Ch'ung-ch'ing) is the largest and most populous of the People's Republic of China's four provincial-level municipalities, and the only one in the less densely populated western region of China. A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or Ficus is a Genus of about 850 Species of woody Trees Shrubs Vines Epiphytes and hemi-epiphytes in the family A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also Camellia ( ( Japanese: 椿 Tsubaki) is a Genus of Flowering plants in the family Theaceae, native to eastern and southern Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Chinese Postal Map Romanization ( Traditional Chinese: 郵政式拼音 Simplified Chinese: 邮政式拼音 Pinyin: Yóuzhèngshì Pīnyīn refers to the Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES A province, in the context of China, is a translation of sheng ( which is an administrative division Direct-controlled municipality (直辖市 zhíxiáshì) is the highest level classificiation for Cities used by Chinese governments with status equal to Formerly (until 14 March 1997) a sub-provincial city within Sichuan Province, the municipality of Chongqing has a registered population of 31,442,300 (2005). Events 1489 - The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar ( Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in western China with its capital in Chengdu. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The boundaries of Chongqing municipality reach much further into the city's hinterland than the boundaries of the other three provincial level municipalities (Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin), and much of the municipality, which spans over 20 million acres (80,000 sq. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million ( Postal map spelling: Tientsin) is the second largest city in northern coastal China. km. ) is rural. The population of the urban area of Chongqing proper was 4. 1 million in 2005 although this figure is disputed owing to difficulties as to where the urban area of Chongqing begins and ends. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

The municipal abbreviation, 渝 (Yú), was approved by the State Council on 18 April 1997. The State Council ( which is largely synonymous with the Central People's Government ( is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Chongqing was also a municipality of the old Republic of China. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Its abbreviated name is derived from the old name of a part of the Jialing River that runs through Chongqing and feeds the Yangtze River. The Jialing River ( is a tributary of the Yangtze River with its source in Gansu province.

History

Chongqing is said to be the semi-mythical State of Ba that the Ba people supposedly established during the eleventh century BCE. Ba (巴 was an ancient state in eastern Sichuan, China. Its original capital was Zhi ( Fuling) Chongqing. Ba (巴 was an ancient state in eastern Sichuan, China. Its original capital was Zhi ( Fuling) Chongqing. By 316 BCE, however, it had been overrun by the State of Qin. Events By place Macedonian Empire Eumenes and Antigonus, rivals to Cassander for control of Macedonia meet in the Battle Qín or Ch'in ( Wade-Giles) (秦 ( 778 BC - 207 BC) was a State during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods The Qin emperor ordered a new city to be constructed, which was called Jiang (江州) and Chu Prefecture (楚州).

Chongqing was subsequently renamed in 581 CE (Sui Dynasty) and 1102, to Yu Prefecture (渝州) and then Gong Prefecture (). Events By Place Europe Tauric Chersonesus is besieged by the Gokturks. The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. It received its current name in 1189, after Prince Zhao Dun of the Southern Song Dynasty described his crowning as king and then Emperor Guangzong as a "double/repeated happy celebration" (simplified Chinese: 双重喜庆; traditional Chinese: 雙重喜慶; pinyin: shuāngchóng xǐqìng). See also List of Song Emperors Architecture of the Song Dynasty Culture of the Song Dynasty Economy The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Hence, Yu Prefecture became Chongqing subprefecture to mark the occasion. Subprefecture is an Administrative division of a country that is below Prefecture or Province.

In 1362, (Yuan Dynasty), Ming Yuzhen, a peasant rebel leader, established the Daxia Kingdom at Chongqing for a short time. The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai

In 1621, another short-lived kingdom of Daliang was established there.

Between 1627-1645, with the fall of the Ming Dynasty, Chongqing, together with Sichuan, were captured by the Revolts who overthrew the Ming Dynasty across the nation. Later during the Qing Dynasty, immigration to Chongqing and Sichuan took place with the support of Qing emperor.

In 1891, Chongqing became the first inland commerce port open to foreigners. Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

From 1929, Chongqing became a municipality of the Republic of China. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES During the Second Chinese-Japanese War (1937-1945), it was Chiang Kai-shek's provisional capital and was heavily bombed by the Japanese Air Force. The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash The bombing of Chongqing ( Traditional Chinese: 重慶大轟炸 Simplified Chinese: 重庆大轰炸 Japanese: 重慶爆撃 from 18 February 1938 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The (IJAAF was the land-based Aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army. Luckily, due to its mountainous environment, many people were saved from the bombing. Many factories and universities were moved from eastern China to Chongqing during WWII, transforming this city from inland port to a heavily industrialized city.

In 1954, the municipality was reduced to a provincial city within the Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Provincial cities (省轄市 shěngxiáshì) sometimes translated provincial municipalities, are cities lesser in rank than Direct-controlled municipalities ( Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in western China with its capital in Chengdu.

On 14 March 1997, the Eighth National People's Congress decided to merge the city with the neighbouring Fuling, Wanxian, and Qianjiang prefecture-level districts that it had governed on behalf of the province since September 1996. Events 1489 - The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar A similar term is "National Congress" which is a less common translation of People's Political Consultative Conference. Fuling District (涪陵 Bồi Lăng is a district of Chongqing Municipality, People's Republic of China. Wanzhou District ( formerly Wanxian or Wan County ( is a district of Chongqing Municipality of the People's Republic of China Qianjiang District ( Vietnamese: Kiềm Giang is a district in the southeastern part of Chongqing Municipality of the People's Republic of China Events in September It is the start of the academic year in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The resulting single division was the Chongqing Municipality, containing 30,020,000 people in forty-three former counties (without intermediate political levels). The municipality became the spearhead of China's effort to develop its western regions and coordinate the resettlement of residents from the reservoir areas of the Three Gorges Dam project. Zh-yue三峽大壩 The Three Gorges Dam ( is a hydroelectric River Dam that spans the Yangtze River in Sandouping, Its first official ceremony took place on 18 June 1997. Events 618 - Coronation of the Chinese governor Li Yuan as Emperor Gaozu of Tang, the new Emperor of China, initiating three centuries Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar

Administrative divisions

People's Liberation Monument (World War II victory monument). World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Commercial high-rise buildings around the People's Liberation Monument.

The confluence of the Jialing River and Yangtze River, as seen from Chongqing. The Jialing River ( is a tributary of the Yangtze River with its source in Gansu province.

Hydrofoil on the Yangtze, within the Chongqing municipality. A hydrofoil is a Boat with wing-like foils mounted on struts below the hull.

See also: List of administrative divisions of Chongqing

Chongqing Municipality is divided into forty county-level subdivisions (three abolished in 1997), consisting of nineteen districts, seventeen counties, and four autonomous counties. Chongqing, an independent municipality in China is divided into forty county-level subdivisions (three abolished in 1997 consisting of nineteen districts seventeen

^a Indicates with which district the division was associated below prior to the merging of Chongqing, Fuling, Wanxian (now Wanzhou) and Qianjiang in 1997. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese ( Banan District ( Chinese: 巴南区 Pinyin: Bānán Qū Vietnamese: Ba Nam literally means the south of Ba (abbreviation for Chongqing in memory Beibei District ( Chinese: 北碚區 Pinyin: Běibèi Qū is a District of Chongqing municipality People's Republic of China Changshou ( is one of districts in Chongqing, China, located by Yangtze river, with a history spanning several thousands years Dadukou District ( Dàdùkǒu Qū; Đại Độ Khẩu) a district of Chongqing municipality Fuling District (涪陵 Bồi Lăng is a district of Chongqing Municipality, People's Republic of China. Hechuan ( is district in the northern part of Chongqing, China, located at the meeting point of the Jialing, Fu and Qu rivers with Jiangbei District ( Jiāngběi Qū) a district of Chongqing municipality which is currently undergoing much development Jiangjin ( is one of districts of Southwest Chongqing, China, located by the upper reaches of Yangtze river, with a history of 1500 years Jiulongpo ( Vietnamese: Cửu Long Pha is a district belonging to Chongqing. Nan'an District (南岸区 | Nán'àn Qū | Nam Ngạn) which literally means "the southern bank of Yangtze River " in Chinese is one of the Nanchuan District ( Nánchuān Qū; Nam Xuyên) is a district of Chongqing municipality. Qianjiang District ( Vietnamese: Kiềm Giang is a district in the southeastern part of Chongqing Municipality of the People's Republic of China Shapingba ( Vietnamese: Sa Bình Bá is a district of Chongqing, People's Republic of China, it was once known as Shaci Qu ( during Shuangqiao District ( Chinese: 双桥区 Pinyin: Shuāngqiáo Qū Vietnamese: Song Kiều is a district o Chongqing municipality Wansheng District ( Chinese: 万盛区 | Wànshèng Qū; Vietnamese: Vạn Thịnh) is a District of Chongqing municipality Wanzhou District ( formerly Wanxian or Wan County ( is a district of Chongqing Municipality of the People's Republic of China Yubei District (渝北区 | Yúběi Qū | Du Bắc) literally means the north of Yu (the abbreviation for Chongqing), is a district Yongchuan ( is one of districts of Southwest Chongqing, China, located by the north side of upper reach of Yangtze river,with a history of 1200 years Yuzhong District ( Vietnamese: Du Trung is a district of Chongqing municipality Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese ( Administration Bishan County administers 2 subdistricts, 10 towns and 1 township and, with a total area of 915 square kilometers Chengkou County ( is a county in Chongqing municipality, China. Dazu County ( Vietnamese: Đại Túc) is a county of Chongqing Municipality in China. Dianjiang County ( is a county of Chongqing Municipality in China. Fengjie County ( Simplified Chinese: 奉节县 Pinyin: Fèngjié Xiàn, Vietnamese: Phụng Tiết) is a county of Kai County (开县 | Kāi Xiàn | Khai) is a county of Chongqing Municipality in China. Liangping County ( Chinese: 梁平县 Pinyin: Liángpíng Xiàn is a county of Chongqing Municipality in China. Qijiang County ( Chinese: 綦江县 Pinyin: Qíjiāng Xiàn is a county of Chongqing, China. Rongchang County (荣昌县 | Róngchāng Xiàn | Vinh Xương) is a county of Chongqing Municipality in China. Tongliang County ( Chinese: 铜梁县 Pinyin: Tóngliáng Xiàn is a county of Chongqing Municipality in China. Tongnan County (潼南-中国西部绿色菜都 | Tóngnán | Đồng Nam) is a County of Chongqing Municipality in China "Wulong" redirects here For the Tekken character see Lei Wulong. Wushan County ( Chinese: 巫山县 Pinyin: Wūshān Xiàn Vietnamese: Vu Sơn is a county located in Chongqing municipality Wuxi County ( is a county of Chongqing Municipality in China. Yunyang County (云阳县 | Yúnyáng Xiàn) is a county of Chongqing Municipality in China. Zhong County ( Chinese: 忠县 Pinyin: Zhōng Xiàn) formerly named Linjiang (临江 is a county of Chongqing Municipality Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese ( Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County (彭水苗族土家族自治縣 Pinyin: Pengshui Miaozu Tujiazu Zizhixian is located in southeastern Chongqing Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, or Shizhu County for short(石柱土家族自治县 Pinyin: Shízhù Tǔjiāzú Zìzhìxiàn is located in southeastern Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, or Xiushan County for short(秀山土家族苗族自治县 Pinyin: XiùShān Tǔjiāzú Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, or Youyang County for short(酉阳土家族苗族自治县 Pinyin: YǒuYáng Tǔjiāzú

The urban area of Chongqing proper (重庆市区) includes the following districts:

• Yuzhong (渝中区, or "Central Chongqing District"), the central and most densely populated district, where government offices are located
• Nan'an (南岸区, or "Southern Bank District")
• Jiangbei (江北区, or "North of the River District")
• Shapingba (沙坪坝区)
• Jiulongpo (九龙坡区)
• Dadukou (大渡口区)

Geography

Chongqing skyscrapers

Geographic coordinates  

105°17'-110°11' East, 28°10'－32°13' North

Annual average temperature 

18°C (64°F)

Temperature range  

0 C - 43 C (32 F - 109 F)

Total annual hours of sunshine 

1000 to 1200

Annual precipitation 

1000 to 1400 mm (39 in - 47 in)

Neighboring provinces  

Hubei (east), Hunan (southeast), Guizhou (south), Sichuan (west), Shaanxi (north)

Located on the edge of the Yungui Plateau, Chongqing is intersected by the Jialing River and the upper reaches of the Yangtze. Yuzhong District ( Vietnamese: Du Trung is a district of Chongqing municipality Nan'an District (南岸区 | Nán'àn Qū | Nam Ngạn) which literally means "the southern bank of Yangtze River " in Chinese is one of the Jiangbei District ( Jiāngběi Qū) a district of Chongqing municipality which is currently undergoing much development Shapingba ( Vietnamese: Sa Bình Bá is a district of Chongqing, People's Republic of China, it was once known as Shaci Qu ( during Jiulongpo ( Vietnamese: Cửu Long Pha is a district belonging to Chongqing. Dadukou District ( Dàdùkǒu Qū; Đại Độ Khẩu) a district of Chongqing municipality A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to ( Postal map spelling: Hupeh) is a central province of the People's Republic of China. ( is a province of China, located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting (hence the name Hunan, meaning ( also spelled Kweichow) is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country ( Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in western China with its capital in Chengdu. ( Postal map spelling: Shensi) is a north-central province of the People's Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau or Yungui Plateau covers southwestern China. The Jialing River ( is a tributary of the Yangtze River with its source in Gansu province. It contains Daba Shan in the north, Wu Shan in the east, Wuling Shan in the southeast, and Dalou Mountain to the south.

The city is very hilly and is the only major metropolitan area in China without significant numbers of bicycles.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Chongqing

The politics of Chongqing is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in the People's Republic of China. The politics of Chongqing is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in the People's Republic of China (PRC

The Mayor of Chongqing is the highest ranking official in the People's Government of Chongqing. The politics of Chongqing is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in the People's Republic of China (PRC Since Chongqing is a centrally administered municipality, the mayor occupies the same level in the order of precedence as provincial governors. However, in the city's dual party-government governing system, the mayor has less power than the Chongqing Communist Party of China Municipal Committee Secretary, colloquially termed the "Chongqing CPC Party Chief". The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the In the Politics of the People's Republic of China, a party chief (Chinese 党委书记 variously called a party boss, and officially termed the Communist Party

In terms of political status, Chongqing is as important as Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai.

Economy

Chongqing was made into its own municipality in 1997 to jumpstart its development and subsequently China's relatively poorer western areas (see China Western Development strategy). China Western Development ( also China's Western Development, Western China Development, Great Western Development Strategy, or the Open Up the West Chongqing has been rapidly modernizing for a decade and is now a significant industrial area in western China. ^[1] Chongqing is, by some measures, the world's largest city and is the world's fastest growing metropolis. In a single day, new construction added approximately 137,000 square meters of usable floor space to satisfy demands for residential, commercial and factory space. Every day, migrants added to the local population more than 1,300 people and the local economy grew by almost ¥100 million ($12 million USD). ^[2]

Close-up view of the People's Liberation Monument.

Traditionally, due to its geographical remoteness, Chongqing and neighboring Sichuan are important military bases in weapons research and development. ( Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in western China with its capital in Chengdu. Chongqing's industries have greatly diversified now but unlike eastern China, its export sector is small due to its inland location. Instead, factories producing local-oriented consumer goods such as processed food, autos, chemicals, textiles, machinery, and electronics are common. As a testament to its industrial strength, Chongqing is home to Asia's largest aluminum plant, South West Aluminium. ^[3] Agriculture remains a significant part of the economy. Rice and fruits (especially oranges) are the area's main produce. Natural resources are also abundant with large deposits of coal, natural gas, and more than 40 kinds of minerals such as strontium and manganese. Strontium (ˈstrɒntiəm /ˈstrɒnʃiəm/) is a Chemical element with the symbol Sr and the Atomic number 38 Manganese (ˈmæŋgəniːz is a Chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. ^[4] The mining sector however has been criticised for being wasteful, heavily-polluting, and unsafe. ^[5] Recently there has been a drive to move up the value-chain by shifting towards more hi-tech, knowledge-instensive industries. New development zones such as the Chongqing New North Zone (CNNZ) located north of downtown area has been established for this reason. ^[6]

In order to attract more foreign investment and expertise, the city has invested heavily to improve its infrastructure. The network of roads and railways connecting Chongqing to the rest of China have also been expanded and upgraded to reduce the cost and time of goods transportation - a major deterrent to foreign investment and growth. Furthermore, once the Three Gorges Dam is completed, ocean-going ships can reach Chongqing's Yangtze River port. Zh-yue三峽大壩 The Three Gorges Dam ( is a hydroelectric River Dam that spans the Yangtze River in Sandouping, Shipping goods to Shanghai at the eastern end of the river and on to overseas markets will now be possible. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million This improved infrastructure combined with the city's highly-educated and relatively cheaper labor have begun to produce some results. In the past few years, Ford and Mazda have launched their joint-venture project with local rival Changan Auto to open an assembly plant in the area with a capacity of 270,000 vehicles per year. Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following ( is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Hiroshima, Japan. ^[7]

Chongqing is also set to be the terminal end of the planned 2,380-km-long China-Myanmar (Burma) oil and gas pipeline which will start from the deepwater port of Sittwe off Myanmar's western coast. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Sittwe is a Town in Rakhine State, in the westernmost part of Myanmar (Burma The pipeline will cross Kunming in Yunnan province before reaching Chongqing. Kunming ( kʊn'mɪŋ UN/LOCODE: CNKMG is a Prefecture-level city and capital of Yunnan province in Southwestern China. ^[8] It will provide China with an alternative source of fuel from Myanmar and in addition, imported oil and gas from the Middle East and Africa can be docked in Sittwe and sent to mainland China using these pipes, bypassing the crowded and heavily-pirated Strait of Malacca. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Strait of Malacca is a narrow 805 km (500 mile stretch of water between Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra Construction on these pipelines has not yet started. ^[9] But once the project is fully underway, CNPC (parent company of PetroChina) plans to build a 10-million-ton-capacity refinery in Chongqing to process the imported crude. The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC ( Simplified Chinese: 中国石油天然气集团公司 Traditional Chinese: 中國石油天然氣集團公司 PetroChina Company Limited () (,) is a Chinese oil company and is the listed arm of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC Mainland

Chongqing is a booming city. It has the third fastest economic growth of all Chinese cities. However, Chongqing's overall economic performance is still lagging behind eastern cities such as Shanghai. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million For instance in 2007, the nominal GDP of Chongqing was only 411. 18 billion yuan (US$58. 7 billion) - about 1. 65% of total national product, although it registers a year-on-year growth of 15. 3%. Its per capita GDP too was relatively low at 14,339 yuan (US$2,050) - below the national average. Nevertheless, Chongqing is a city that is full of promises and ambition. In the near future, it plans to transform itself into the financial centre of western and central China. By doing so, it will become the beachhead for the development of the western part of the country - emulating a "Chinese Chicago" by opening up the country's interior to further investment and industrialization.

Media

Chongqing is served by the Chongqing People's Broadcast Station as the largest radio station. Chongqing Broadcasting Group (Station (CQBS (Chinese 重庆电视台 Pinyin chóng qìng diàn shì tái is a television broadcaster based in Chongqing The only municipal-level TV network is Chongqing TV station, claimed to be the 4th largest television station. Chongqing Daily is the largest newspaper group, controlling more than 10 newspapers and one website.

Transportation

The three main forms of public transport in Chongqing are subway, light rail transit and intercity railway.

River port

Chongqing is the biggest inland river port in western China. Historically, most of its transportation, especially to eastern China, is via the Yangtze River.

Railways

• Chongqing-Chengdu (Sichuan province) railway
• Chongqing-Guiyang (Guizhou province) railway
• Chongqing-Xiangfan (Hubei province) railway
• Chongqing-Huaihua (Hunan province) railway
• Chongqing-Suining (Sichuan province) express railway
• Chongqing Wanzhou-Yichang (Hubei province) railway (under construction)
• Chongqing-Lanzhou (Gansu province) railway (under construction)

Highways

• Chongqing-Chengdu highway
• Chongqing-Wanzhou-Yichang highway (Wanzhou-Yichang section under construction)
• Chongqing-Guiyang highway
• Chongqing-Dazhou-Xi'an highway (Dazhou-Xi'an section under construction)
• Chongqing-Suining highway

Airport

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, located in Yubei district, north of Chongqing, provides links to most parts of China and to other countries. ( Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in western China with its capital in Chengdu. ( also spelled Kweichow) is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country ( Postal map spelling: Hupeh) is a central province of the People's Republic of China. ( is a province of China, located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting (hence the name Hunan, meaning ( Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in western China with its capital in Chengdu. ( Postal map spelling: Hupeh) is a central province of the People's Republic of China. ( is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport ( Simplified Chinese: 重庆江北国际机场 Traditional Chinese: 重慶江北國際機場 Pinyin: Chóngqìng In year 2007, a total of 10,355,730 person-time transporting volume was reported, which ranks this airport as the 10th largest one in China and the third largest one in southwest China.

Future

According to Chongqing Municipal Government's ambitious plan in May 2007, Chongqing is going to invest 150 billion RMB in 13 years to finish 513 km of underground/light track system. A transportation network will consist of 9 straight and 1 circular line. However, only one light track line of 19km (Chongqing lightrail line 2 project 1) was finished (2005).

It has been announced that Chongqing will receive six railways and a ring road by 2020. These improvements will add 363. 5 kilometers of road and railway to the pre-existing transportation stock. In addition to this 93 new train stations will be built to supplement 111 stations that are already in place.

Looking forward to 2050, Chongqing is planned to have nine railway lines, totaling 513 kilometers, with 270 stations. The Line 1 is a subway while Line 2 and Line 3 are light rail transit. ^[10]

Climate

Magnolia street lights in Chongqing.

Chongqing has a humid subtropical climate, with the two-season monsoonal variations typical of South Asia. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months

Chongqin's summers are among the hottest in China. The temperature can be as high as 43°C (109°F), with an average high of 95°F (35°C) in August. Yet even in the hottest weather the wind is often cold, making such high temperatures more bearable.

Winters are fairly mild, but damp and overcast; average January highs are 48F (9C). Chongqing has one of the lowest sunshine totals annually in China.

Chongqing can get foggy sometimes. Chongqing is famous for its foggy weather in spring and winter days, which gives this city a nickname of "雾都", in English "foggy city". This special weather once protected Chongqing from being overrun by the Japanese invaders during the Second World War. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

With the weather at its best in the spring and fall, these are the best times for one to visit the city of Chongqing.

Tourism & Landmarks

Chongqing has a number of tourist attractions.

The Dazu Rock Carvings (Chinese: 大足石刻; pinyin: Dàzú Shíkè), in Dazu county, are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings, dating back as far as the 7th century A. The Dazu Rock Carvings ( are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings dating back as far as the 7th century A D. , depicting and influenced by Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist beliefs. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Dazu Rock Carvings are made up of 75 protected sites containing some 50,000 statues, with over 100,000 Chinese characters forming inscriptions and epigraphs. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16

Fishing Town or Fishing City (Simplified Chinese: 钓鱼城; Traditional Chinese: 釣魚城; Pingyin: diaoyucheng), also called the “Oriental Mecca” and “the Place That Broke God's Whip”, is one of the three great ancient battlefields of China. It is famous for its resistance to the Mongol armies in the latter half of the Song Dynasty. One of the most notable events was the death of Mongol leader Mongke Khan by cannon shot, which forced the immediate withdrawal of Mongol troops from Europe and Asia and prevented the Mongolian Empire from expanding towards Africa and Western Europe.

In 2005 Chinese tourist authorities began development of an attraction to be known as "Ladies’ Town" in the Shuangqiao District. The 'town's' motto is to be: "Ladies Can Never Be Wrong, and Gentlemen Should Never Refuse Ladies’ Requests. " The project is expected to be completed in 2008-2010.

Chongqing has an impressive skyline consisting of numerous skyscrapers. The city is also well known for it's more than three thousand bridges.

Hot pot is Chongqing's local culinary specialty. For the style of "hot pot" cooking that uses a clay pot see Clay pot cooking. Tables in hotpot restaurants usually contain a central vat (or pot) where food ordered by the customers is boiled/deep fried. As well as beef, pork, lotus and other vegetables, items such as pig's kidney, brain; duck's bowels; and cow's stomach are often added to the pot.

The Great Hall of the People in Chongqing.

A night view of People's Grand Hall in Chongqing

• The city is home to one of the largest public assembly buildings in China, the Great Hall of the People which, though built in modern times, emulates traditional architectural styles. It is adjacent to the densely populated and hilly central district, with narrow streets and pedestrian only walkways.

• There is a museum at the World War II headquarters of General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including General Joseph Warren Stilwell ( March 19, 1883 – October 12, 1946) was a United States Army four-star General

• A giant ferris wheel offers spectacular views of the metropolitan area, although it is currently out of action. A Ferris wheel (also known as an observation wheel or big wheel) is a Nonbuilding structure consisting of an upright wheel with passenger gondolas attached

• A modern and well stocked zoo exhibits many national and regional animals, including the Giant Panda and the extremely rare South China Tiger. A zoological garden, shortened to zoo, is an institution in which living animals are exhibited in captivity The Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, "black-and-white cat-foot" is a Mammal classified in the Bear family ( Ursidae) native to The South China tiger or South Chinese tiger ( Panthera tigris amoyensis) also known as the Chinese Amoy or Xiamen tiger is a Subspecies of

• The People's Liberation Monument, located in the center of Chongqing city, attracts many visitors. It is surrounded by numerous shopping centres.

• Red Rock Village Museum is a place to attract a lot of people, it is the home of Communist Party Leaders Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai stayed there for negotiation with Kuomintang on coalition between two parties.

• In July 2007, the city built a bathroom with 1,000 toilets spread out over 32,290 square feet. July 2007 is the seventh month of that year It began on a Sunday and 31 days later ended on a Tuesday. Some urinals are uniquely shaped, including ones inside open crocodile mouths and several that are topped by the bust of a woman resembling the Virgin Mary. Officials submitted an application to Guinness World Records to have the free four-story public bathroom listed as the world's largest. Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records (and in previous U ^[11]

Astronomical phenomena

The previous total solar eclipse as seen from downtown Chongqing was the solar eclipse of 26 June 1824. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth so that the Sun is wholly or partially obscured The next will be the solar eclipse of 22 July 2009. The Solar eclipse that will take place on Wednesday July 22, 2009 will be a total eclipse of the Sun with a magnitude of 1

Sister cities

• Washington, D.C., USA
• Düsseldorf, Germany
• Seattle, USA
• Hiroshima, Japan
• Mito, Ibaraki, Japan
• Toronto, Canada
• Brisbane, Australia
• Toulouse, France
• Leicester, England
• Detroit, Michigan, USA
• Shiraz, Iran

Chongqing Municipality has a Memorandum of Understanding (a form of twinning arrangement) with Wales, UK and became a 'sister region' of Wales in March 2008. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Düsseldorf (ˈdʏsəldɔɐf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Japanese city of ( is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū, the largest of Japan 's For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan and has a central location moderately offset towards the coast in that prefecture For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Brisbane City Council is the governing council for Brisbane, which is the capital of Queensland, Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Toulouse ( pronounced in standard French, and in the local accent ( Occitan: Tolosa, pronounced) is a city in southwest This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Leicester (ˈlɛstə is the largest city and Unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England, and is the traditional England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Shiraz ( شیراز Shīrāz) is the fifth most populated city in Iran and the capital of Fars Province. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[12]

In June 2007, a twinning agreement between Chongqing and Sør-Trøndelag was signed. is a county in the area Trøndelag in Norway, bordering Nord-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Oppland and Hedmark. ^[13]

City Tree and Flower

The city's tree is the evergreen magnolia (magnolia delavayi) abundant in street plantings, with the tulip-like shape of its mature unopened blooms repeated in street lights. Magnolia is a large Genus of about 210 Flowering plant Species in the subclass Magnolioideae of the family Chinese Evergreen Magnolia or Delavay's Magnolia ( Magnolia delavayi) is a species of Magnolia native to southern China, occurring The city's flower is the Common Camellia (Camellia japomica ).

Colleges and universities

Institutions without full-time bachelor programs are not listed. Chongqing University （ Chinese: 重庆大学 Pinyin: Chóngqìng Dàxué） is a Project 211 and Project 985 university in China, Southwest University (SWU"西南大学" is a key comprehensive university under the direct administration of the Ministry of Education of PR Chongqing Institute of Technology (重庆工学院 is a public university located in Chongqing, China. Chongqing Jiaotong University (重庆交通大学 is a public university located in Chongqing, China. Chongqing Normal University (CNU (重庆师范大学 is a public university located in Chongqing, China. Chongqing Technology and Business University (重庆工商大学 is a public university located in Nan'an District, Chongqing, China. Chongqing Three Gorges University (重庆三峡学院 is a public university located in Chongqing, China. Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications (重庆邮电大学 is a public university located in Chongqing, China. Sichuan Fine Arts Institute (四川美术学院 is a public university located in Chongqing, China. Sichuan International Studies University (四川外语学院 is a public university located in Chongqing and Chengdu, China. Southwest University of Political Science and Law ( SWUPL) ( Chinese character: 西南政法大学 is a national public university located in Chongqing, Western Chongqing University (渝西学院 is a public university located in Chongqing, China.

Sports

Professional sports teams in Chongqing include:

• Chinese Football Association Super League
  • Chongqing Lifan
• Chinese Basketball Association
  • None

See also

• List of cities in the People's Republic of China by population
• List of laojiaos in Chongqing municipality

Notes

External links

• Chongqing Municipal Government website
• Chongqing travel guide from Wikitravel