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Shanghai Facts & Worksheets

Shanghai is one of the four major municipalities in China, along with Beijing, Chongqing, and Tianjin. It’s considered the largest city in China due to its population of 24 million people.

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Shanghai is one of the four major municipalities in China, along with Beijing, Chongqing, and Tianjin. It’s considered the largest city in China due to its population of 24 million people. It is not only famous for its architectural landscape – Shanghai also boasts a rich history in economic and cultural transformation.

See the fact file below for more information on the Shanghai or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Shanghai worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

SHANGHAI’S GEOGRAPHY

  • Shanghai China is located at the northern estuary of the Yangtze River and in the middle of China’s east coast.
  • It covers an area of 6,340.5 square kilometers, stretching about 120 kilometers to the north and south and almost 100 kilometers to the east and west.
  • Shanghai’s urban district is 2,643 square kilometers, and its water area is 122 square kilometers.
  • Shanghai’s topography is mostly flat with a few hills in the southwest corner.

LIFE IN SHANGHAI

  • Shanghai was one of the most populated cities in the world. There were 24 million people in 2018.
  • Shanghai’s population mostly accelerates because of migration.
  • Their natural growth rate has been suffering since 1993 as it recorded its lowest fertility rate of 0.6% in 2010, the lowest in the world.
  • The 2010 National census revealed that 89.3% of Shanghai’s population live in urban areas, and 10.7% live in rural areas.
  • Several religions exist in the province due to Shanghai’s migration history. Religions present here include Daoism, Buddhism, Catholicism, and Islam.
  • Residents had been using Shanghainese before it was replaced by Mandarin, China’s national language.
  • Shanghai’s education is a center in higher education in China. It boasts 64 universities and colleges, 913 secondary schools, 721 primary schools, and 30 special schools

SHANGHAI’S ECONOMY

  • Shanghai’s economic activities vary from manufacturing industries, commerce, agriculture, tourism, and transportation.
  • Shanghai has an excellent position in terms of economic growth opportunities compared to other cities in China.
  • Various other service industries have also boomed, including hotel, entertainment, real estate, culture, health, physical training, TV and broadcast, consultation and information services, technology services, public utilities, and social welfare.

HISTORY OF SHANGHAI

  • Shanghai started as a small agricultural fishing village.
  • Shanghai became a city in 1291 during the Yuan Dynasty with many residents engaging in the shipping trade.
  • It became a major cotton and textile center by the end of the Ming Dynasty.
  • Exports of cotton, silk, and fertilizer reached as far as Polynesia and Persia.
  • After losing to Great Britain in the Opium War in 1842, China gave up Shanghai to Great Britain as part of the Treaty of Nanjing.
  • This concession opened up opportunities for the Westerners to establish territories and put up banks and commercial houses in the city.
  • Japan also became an additional foreign power in Shanghai after the First Sino-Japanese War and as part of the Treaty of Shimonoseki.
  • They built Shanghai’s first factories.
  • Gaslight was first used in 1866 and electric light in 1882. Electric trams began running, and the first cinema was built in 1908.
  • The industrialization of Shanghai was halted due to the Battle of Shanghai when the Japanese bombed the city in 1937. The war lasted for more than three months. Japan occupied China after winning the battle.
  • When the Jews sought refuge in China, Japan, as a German ally, had to restrict Jews in an area called the Shanghai Ghetto. It was the most populated area in Shanghai at the time, resulting in poor living conditions, and where the infectious diseases like dysentery had become common.
  • After the attack at Pearl Harbor, Japan receded its concession to China.
  • Other countries followed too. It was given back to Communist China.
  • It was a hard start for Shanghai after World War II. Their government economically crippled them by having them as the largest contributor of tax revenue to the Central Government because they had homed the revolutionary leftist.
  • It was the newly elected Communist leader Jiang Zemin who relieved them of the unfair tax burden in 1989. Their economic growth became an unstoppable force, eventually being the largest and most significant commercial and industrial city in China.

CHALLENGES IN SHANGHAI

  • Today’s population in Shanghai is 24 million, closing in on China’s population cap of 25 million for the city.
  • Having these numbers caused congestion to rise and an increase in the standard of living.
  • Traffic has also become a norm into the life of its people. Because of road congestion, there were more than 265,000 reported accidents in a year.
  • Pollution has also become a huge problem in Shanghai as industrialization kept booming.
  • It recorded PM2.5 levels of pollution, nine times higher than the WHO’s recommended exposure level.
  • NASA also took a photo showing vast areas of white and grey smog in space over Shanghai and China.

TOURISM IN SHANGHAI

  • Like most municipalities in China, Shanghai has several scenic spots that are worth visiting. But the three must-go places are the following:
    • Yu Garden was built 400 years ago during the Ming Dynasty, its classical Chinese architecture and intricate carvings and sculptures are worth a visit.
    • The fifth highest tower in the world, Oriental Tower, is the official landmark of Shanghai. It contains three sight-seeing spheres where tourists can enjoy the magnificent view of Shanghai.
    • In 1882, Jade Buddha Temple was built after a monk from Burma brought the two jade Buddha statues to Shanghai. The temple was destroyed in wars, but the statues were saved and can now be enjoyed by tourists from around the world.

Shanghai Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Shanghai across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Shanghai worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Shanghai which is one of the four major municipalities in China, along with Beijing, Chongqing, and Tianjin. It’s considered the largest city in China due to its population of 24 million people. It is not only famous for its architectural landscape – Shanghai also boasts a rich history in economic and cultural transformation.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Shanghai, China Facts
  • Shanghai’s Data
  • The Four Municipalities
  • Evolution of Shanghai
  • Where’s Shanghai?
  • Two Treaties
  • Paint Me, Paint Me Not
  • Wonders in Shanghai
  • Shanghai’s Dilemma
  • Shanghai Fun
  • Shanghai Unfolds

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Link will appear as Shanghai Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, March 20, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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