Go Chongqing

Chongqing is one of four municipalities in China, large cities that are not part of a province but report directly to the national government; it is the only municipality not located on the east coast, (the other three are Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin). Chongqing municipality is technically the largest city in China in surface area and therefore could be defined better as a "provincial" municipality due to its massive size. While independent since 1997, it was historically and culturally part of south east Sichuan and still shares the same love for hot and spicy food dishes.

Chongqing was temporarily the capital of the Republic of China during World War 2, after Nanjing was occupied by the Japanese. The capital was subsequently relocated back to Nanjing after the Japanese surrendered in 1945.

Neighbouring provinces: Hubei (east), Hunan (east), Guizhou (south), Sichuan (west), Shaanxi (north)

Located on the edge of the Yungui Plateau, and surrounded by small green capped mountains, Chongqing City is intersected by the Jialing River and the upper reaches of the Yangtze. It contains the Daba Shan in the north, Wu Shan in the east, Wuling Shan in the southeast, and Dalou Mountain to the south. Chongqing is notorious for its hot and humid weather. The air quality in the warmer months as well as the winter can be challenging to people with respiratory problems due to massive amounts of smog. Chongqing has been ranked by the World Bank as one of the most polluted cities in the world.

from wikitravel