Chongqing is a modern city, with an ancient history spanning more than 3,000 years. It is the nation's fourth municipality after Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. It encompasses within its borders, a great wealth of water reserves, mineral resources, dense forests and abundant flora and fauna. Being the focal point of the unique Yangtze Three Gorges tourist industry, Chongqing is a tourist attraction as well as being a commercial city.

Situated in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River - at the confluence of Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, in Southwest China, Chongqing is a port city with the largest area and population in China. It has an area of 82,400 square kilometers (31, 800 square miles) and share borders with the provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Shaanxi. Beside the Han people that forms the majority of its total population of 30.9 millions, there are numerous ethnic groups residing in Chongqing, such as Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Qiang, You and Tujia.

History

Since its discovery 3,000 years ago, Chongqing was originally called Jiangzhou, Yuzhou and thenGongzhou, before getting its present name nearly 800 years ago. From the Qin Dynasty (221BC~206BC) onwards, many dynasties have set up various administrative institutions there, which endowed the city with brilliant culture. Perched beside the "Golden River" of the Yangtze River, Chongqing is the symbol of Changjiang civilization and also the cradle of Bayu culture.

What to see

Chongqing attracts visitors from home and abroad for its cultural heritage and tourist attractions. The city is the starting point of the Yangtze River Cruise, which is expected to explore the wonderful scenery of the Three Gorges. Other attractions include Dazu Grottoes, carved during the ninth century, which are valuable works of art and not to be missed is the Gold Buddhist Mountain, reputed as a rich repository of diverse animals and plants; and there's the Fishing Town, which is one of the three ancient battlefields in China. Traveling in Chongqing, one will feel fortunate to be able to savor the delicious local food, such as Sichuan cuisine and the world-famous hot pot dishes. Also, the handicrafts made from bamboo have been enjoying great popularity among the visitors.

When to go

Chongqing's nickname as the "Fog City" or "Furnace" is no exaggeration. Annual average temperature is 18C to 20C, with the lowest temperature of 6 C in winter and the highest temperature of 38C in summer. One will enjoy a warm winter but a hot summer. Annual average rainfall is about 1000 (39.4 inches) to 1400 (55.12 inches) millimeter. Chongqing has plenty of night rain all year round. So the best time to visit Chongqing should be in spring, autumn and winter.