Quick answerShanghai is the largest city of China, with 24,874,500 people inside the city limits in 2023. The wider metropolitan area had about 30.1 million people in 2023. It is best known for the The Bund, the Lujiazui skyline and the Shanghai Tower. Its official language is Chinese, and its currency is the Chinese yuan.
Shanghai is China's largest city, with about 24.9 million people in the municipality (2023) and about 30.1 million in the urban area (2026). It stands on the Yangtze River delta and is home to the Bund, the Lujiazui skyline and the world's busiest container port.
Key facts
| Country | China |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 24,874,500 (2023) |
| Population (metro) | 30,050,000 (2023) · Urban area, 2026 (UN World Urbanization Prospects, via Wikipedia) |
| Elevation | 4 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Asia/Shanghai |
| Language | Chinese |
| Currency | Chinese yuan (CNY, ¥) |
| Coordinates | 31.2325° N, 121.46917° E |
Overview
Shanghai is a provincial-level municipality on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, where the Huangpu River cuts through the city. The municipality had 24,874,500 residents in 2023, and the wider urban area held about 30,050,000 people in 2026, making Shanghai China's most populous city and one of the largest cities in the world. It sits only about 4 metres above sea level, on flat delta land.
Shanghai grew from a fishing village into a global port after it was opened to foreign trade in the 1840s. The Bund, the waterfront along the Huangpu, still shows the banks and trading houses of that era, while across the river the Lujiazui district holds the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai Tower. The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port, and the city is China's main centre for finance, trade and shipping.
Today Shanghai is home to the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the first free-trade zone in mainland China, and the largest metro network in the world by route length. Its food, from soup dumplings to hairy crab, and its mix of Art Deco lanes, old shikumen houses and glass towers make it one of China's most visited cities.
What Shanghai is known for
- The Bund
- Lujiazui skyline
- Shanghai Tower
- World's busiest container port
- Soup dumplings
- Yu Garden
Landmarks
- The Bund
- Oriental Pearl Tower
- Shanghai Tower
- Yu Garden
- Nanjing Road
- Jade Buddha Temple
- Shanghai Museum
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Shanghai?
About 24.9 million people live in the Shanghai municipality (24,874,500 in 2023). The wider urban area had about 30.1 million people in 2026. That makes Shanghai China's most populous city and the fifth-largest city in the world by population, ahead of Beijing and Guangzhou.
Where is Shanghai located?
Shanghai is in eastern China, on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, where the Huangpu River runs through the city. It is China's largest city and its main financial centre, famous for the Bund waterfront, the Lujiazui skyline and the world's busiest container port. Its coordinates are 31.23° N, 121.47° E.
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Keep exploring
- China — the country Shanghai is in
- Beijing — another city in China
- Guangzhou — another city in China
- Shenzhen — another city in China
- All cities in China
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.