Chongqing, China's fourth municipality directly under the central
government (MDUCG), is situated in the southeastern part of Sichuan
Basin, occupied an areas of 82,400 square kilometres with a population
of 30.42 million.
Chongqing is a state-listed historical and cultural city. The largest
city in Southwest China, it is a hub of water and land communications
and an important industrial centre. It is also the starting point
for a cruise on the Yangtze River to see the many scenic spots and
historical sites along its banks. Chongqing is rare among Chinese
cities, because it is built on a rocky promontory hugging the river.
Actually, it sits right at the confluence of two rivers where the
Jialing River joins the Yangtze River, and has always been an important
trading centre. The city is not constructed on traditional grid
lines. The houses in the old city centre are typical of the architecture
in this region, closing to the slopes with their black roofs resembling
swallows nests. The top floor has a door to the street and the lower
floors overlook one of the two rivers.
