SHANGHAI

Rank: 6th in Asia

Shanghai is often regarded as the centre of finance and trade in mainland China.

It is the largest city in China in terms of population (20 million) and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world.

Shanghai has one of the world's busiest ports.

In 2008, Shanghai's GDP posted a 9.7 per cent growth to 1.37 trillion yuan. The Shanghai Stock Exchange is the world's fastest growing.