Chongqing

Chongqing is a massive direct-administered municipality in southwestern China.

This special status means it is governed directly by the Central People's Government. It is one of only four such cities in China. The others are Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. Chongqing is unique because it is the only one located deep inland.

The municipality covers a huge area roughly the size of Austria. It includes many urban areas and large rural regions. Because of this classification, it is the largest city proper in the world by population. It is the only Chinese city with over 30 million residents.

The geography of Chongqing is defined by complex terrain and many rivers.

It sits in a transitional zone between the Sichuan Basin and the Yangtze River plains. The land is not flat. It is filled with mountains, hills, and steep slopes.

The Daba Mountains are in the north. The Wuling Mountains sit in the southeast. The Wu Gorge is located in the east. The area features a karst landscape. A karst landscape is a type of terrain formed by the dissolving of rocks like limestone. This creates stone forests, many peaks, and deep caves.

One famous site is the Wulong Karst, which features the Three Natural Bridges.

Water plays a vital role in the shape of the land.

The Yangtze River flows from west to east through the entire municipality. It cuts through the Wu Mountains at three different places. These locations form the famous Three Gorges: the Qutang, Wuxia, and Xiling gorges.

The Jialing River also flows through the region. It runs from the northwest and joins the Yangtze in Chongqing.

The central urban area, called Chongqing proper, is built on mountains. It is partially surrounded by both the Yangtze and Jialing rivers.

Chongqing has a long and layered history.

In ancient times, the area was the capital of the Wuzai Kingdom. During the Qin dynasty, it was known as Jiangzhou. The name Chongqing was adopted in 1189. This name celebrated a "double celebration" for Emperor Guangzong.

In the 14th century, a rebel leader named Ming Yuzhen established the Daxia Kingdom. Later, in 1621, She Chongming established the short-lived Daliang Kingdom. The city has seen many changes through different Chinese dynasties.

The city became a major center during the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937 to 1945.

During this time, it served as the provisional capital for the Republic of China.

The city faced massive bombing campaigns by the Imperial Japanese Navy and Army Air Forces.

To stay safe, many people used air-raid shelters built into the mountains.

Because of the courage shown by its people, Chongqing is known as the "City of Heroes." During these years, many universities and factories moved to the city for safety. This helped transform Chongqing from an inland port into an industrial center.

In 1997, the municipality underwent a major administrative change.

On 14 March, the government separated Chongqing from the Sichuan province. This was done to help develop the central and western parts of China. The new municipality merged with several prefectures like Fuling and Wanxian. This created a single entity with 30,020,000 people.

In 2010, Chongqing became one of China's nine National Central Cities. This status helps encourage development in Western China. The city also hosts the Liangjiang New Area, which is a state-level new area.

Today, Chongqing is a vital economic and scientific hub.

It is a key part of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. It also serves as a base for the Belt and Road Initiative.

The city is a major center for scientific research. It is one of the top 35 cities globally for research output. It is home to universities like Chongqing University and Southwest University.

The city is also a leader in manufacturing. Changan Automobile, a major car maker, is headquartered here.

Modern transportation in Chongqing is quite remarkable.

The city's monorail system is the longest and busiest in the world. It has 70 stations, which is more than any other system.

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is also very important. It is the second-busiest airport in China.

The city is also home to 12 foreign representations. This is the fifth-most in China, following Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu.