Shanghai

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Largest urban settlement and mainland port in China, on the East China Sea in Jiangsu province, on the Huangpu and Wusong rivers, 24 km/15 mi from the Chang Jiang estuary; population (2000) 14,231,000. The municipality of Shanghai, which has the status of a province, answering directly to the central government, has an area of 5,800 sq km/2,239 sq mi; population (2000 est) 16,740,000. Shanghai is one of the largest seaports in the world and is China's principal commercial and financial centre, as well as being a major centre of industry. Textiles, paper, chemicals, steel, vehicles, agricultural machinery, precision instruments, and flour are produced; other industries include vegetable-oil milling, shipbuilding, and oil refining.

History
Founded as a fishing village in the 11th century, and a county town in 1292, Shanghai grew important after 1842 when it was opened to foreign trade under the Treaty of Nanjing. Much of its large foreign community lived in the International Settlement, which had its own administration. Chinese resistance to the foreign presence grew, and in 1927 the nationalist Guomindang and communist forces combined to capture the city, after which the Guomindang suppressed the communists. It was occupied by the Japanese from 1937 to 1945. When Shanghai returned to Chinese rule the International Settlement was formally ended. The city was recaptured by communist forces in May 1949.

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