Shanghai is a city of superlatives. China's largest city, with a population of almost 19 million in the municipal area and more than 10 million in the urban core, it is the nation's richest, most progressive, most stylish and most modern metropolis. It's also perhaps the least Chinese of cities in China, having been molded and formed since the mid-19th century by decades of close interaction with other nationalities, most notably Europeans, Americans and Japanese. Originally a sleepy fishing port on the west bank of the Huangpu River, Shanghai has always been associated with water. To the east lies the South China Sea, while to the north, distant just 24km, the vast Yangzi River draws a decisive geographic dividing line between North and South China.

Over the centuries this watery setting has brought Shanghai prosperity as a port, especially after the establishment of the International Settlements in the city following the First Opium War in 1842...

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