Shanghai Geography and Climate

Shanghai Geography

China is the fourth largest country in the world after Russia, Canada and the United States. It is located in Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam. Land area: 9,326,410 sq. km.

Shanghai , called "Hu" for short, is a bustling metropolis with a total area of 6,341 square kilometers (about 2,448 square miles).

Shanghai is situated at 31'14' north latitude and 121'29' east longitude in central-eastern China, along China's coastal line, facing the East China Sea at the mouth of the Yangtze River. Connected with Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in the west, the city is bordered by the East China Sea in the east and Hangzhou Bay on the south. North of the city, the Yangtze River flows into the East China Sea. The name Shanghai means 'on the sea'.

Thanks to its advantageous geographic location, Shanghai has become an excellent river and sea port, boasting easy access to the vast interior of China. It is now one of the major port cities of the world.

On the outside, Shanghai may be one of the most futuristic looking cities in the world. It stands as the proud symbol of China's rise to economic powerhouse status. Shanghai is an independent City administered directly by the central government.

Shanghai, has one of the largest urban populations on Earth. The official population is around 17 million making it the largest city in China. However with the ever increasing migration of migrant workers into the city some estimates post the ‘real’ population at over 20 million people.

Except for a few hills lying in the southwest corner, most parts of the Shanghai area are flat and belong to the alluvial plain of the Yangtze River Delta. The average sea level elevation is about four meters. Dotted with many rivers and lakes, the Shanghai area is known for its rich water resources. Most of the rivers are tributaries of the Huangpu River . Originated from the Taihu Lake , the 113-kilometre-long Huangpu River winds through the downtown area of the city. The river is about 300 to 770 meters wide with an average width standing at 360 meters. The ice-free Huangpu River is the main waterway in the Shanghai area.

Shanghai Climate

Shanghai enjoys generous sunshine, abundant rainfall and four distinct seasons , with freezing temperatures during the winter season and a 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) average high during the hottest months of July and August.

Occasionally, the summer temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahreheit). Winter is typically grey, and summers can be quite humid.

Spring and Autumn in Shanghai are cool and crisp, and generally agreed as the best time to be in Shanghai, but are relatively short compared with summer and winter.

Winter begins in mid December and ends around early March.

The city has a frost-free period lasting up to 230 days a year, and receives and average annual rainfall of 1,200 millimeters. However, nearly 60% of the precipitation comes during the May-September rain season, which is divided into three rainy periods, namely, the Spring Rains, the Plum Rains and the autumn Rains.

• Spring                March to May - A period of warm weather, blue skies and sunny days before the rainy season.
• Rainy Season     June to August.
• Summer             June to September - Hot and humid days and nights.
• Autumn              October to November - Very comfortable, mild weather, dry and sunny. 
• Winter                December to February - Long days of grey skies, rain and cold.

Average Monthly Temperature and rainfall in Shanghai, China