China Travel: Chongqing Municipality

Photo from Thalia Kwok.

Chongqing is unique in China: it is one of only for municipalities, or cities located in provinces that reports to the national, not the local, government. The others includes Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai; however, Chongqing is the only one not on the east cost. It is also the newest municipality, incorporated in 1997, and the municipality with the greatest population: over 30 million people were counted there in a 2005 census.

The name Chongquing comes from the Jialing River that runs through the city into the nearby Yangtze River. Supposedly Chongqing was established around the eleventh century BCE by the Ba people and by 316 BCE, the State of Quin had overrun the city.

This photo of Liberation Tower is from Thalia Kwok.

Chongqing’s climate and geography are typical of areas in central China. The land surrounding Chongqing is very rough and full of many hills, making agricultural development there difficult. Chongqing has a semi-tropical climate with two seasonal monsoon variations. The annual average temperature in Chongqing is 18°C, but the summers are quite hot: temperatures reaching 45°C have been recorded in summer. The area is also known for its severe fog, which was a great tool used during the World War II for protection. In addition, the great amounts of coal burning without any controls on pollution, air pollution is a large problem.

Photo from Thalia Kwok.
Chongqing has been known historically for its large trading inland ports. However, during the mid twentieth-century Chongqing was transformed into a major industrial city. Many military industrial plants and factories began there, though recently these Chongqing’s industry has been under reform, ending production of military items and increasing production of materials for the development of the average civilian.

Photo from Thalia Kwok.

Many natural resources are available in an abundance, including coal, natural gas, and strontium. Nearly 4.8 billion tonnes of coal reserves, among the highest amounts of reserves available in China, are estimated to be in Chongqing. The city is also home to the worlds second largest strontium reserve. With all of these resources at its disposal, Chongqing is growing at a rate even higher than China’s national growth, with its economy growing at just over 12% on a yearly basis. The nominal GDP in 2005 $38.75 billion US dollars.

In addition to its strong industrial economy, Chongqing also has a powerful tourism industry, making nearly $26 million USD in this industry annually. Among the most famous tourist destinations is the Three Gorges, a breathtaking area located upon the Yangtze river and the most frequently visited canyon in China. A high number of historic landmarks cites are in the metropolitan area due to Chongqing’s role as a political and administrative center in World War II.

Chongqing also has a few quirky achievements. The worlds largest public bathroom was created in July 2007. The bathroom is a four story building with 1,000 toilets uniquely shaped. Several urinals have the look of an open crocodile mouth or a woman resembling the Virgin Mary showing her bust.