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Lying in southwestern China on the upper reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River, Chongqing Municipality is the largest industrial and commercial center in the southwest and a land and water communications hub on the upper reaches of the Changjiang River. It has 40 districts, cities, and counties under its jurisdiction, a population of 30.2 million, and an area of 82,000 square kilometers. In 1997, Chongqing was made the fourth municipality directly under the central government. Camellia is the city flower and Ficus Lacor, the city tree.
Since its discovery 3,000 years ago, Chongqing was originally called Jiangzhou, Yuzhou and then Gongzhou, before getting its present name nearly 800 years ago. From the Qin Dynasty (221BC~206 BC) 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.
Chongqing is subtropical, hot in summer. Hence it had got the name "furnace city." Meanwhile. Chongqing has also got the renown as a "mountain city" because of its buildings on hillsides and mountains surrounding the city. The climate in Chongqing is often cloudy and misty.
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.
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