Chongqing

Chongqing
重庆
Chungching
Location of Chongqing Municipality within China
Coordinates (Chongqing municipal government): 29°33′49″N 106°33′01″E / 29.5637°N 106.5504°E / 29.5637; 106.5504
CountryChina
Settledc.316 BC
Separated from Sichuan14 March 1997
Municipal seatYuzhong District
Divisions
 - County-level
 - Township-level
26 districts, 12 counties
Government
  TypeMunicipality
  BodyChongqing Municipal People's Congress
  Party SecretaryYuan Jiajun
  Congress ChairpersonWang Jiong
  MayorHu Henghua
  Municipal CPPCC ChairpersonCheng Lihua
  National People's Congress Representation58 deputies
Area
  Municipality
82,403 km2 (31,816 sq mi)
  Built up area5,472.8 km2 (2,113.1 sq mi)
Elevation
244 m (801 ft)
Highest elevation
(Yintiao Ling)
2,797 m (9,177 ft)
Population
 (2020 census (total), 2018 (otherwise))
  Municipality
32,054,159
  Density390/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
  Urban
22,251,500
  Built up area
9,580,770
GDP(2023)
  MunicipalityCN¥ 3,015 billion (17th)
US$ 428 billion
  Per capitaCN¥ 94,135 (10th)
US$ 13,359
Time zoneUTC+8 (CST)
Postal codes
4000 00 – 4099 00
Area code23
ISO 3166 codeCN-CQ
 – Growth 2.6%
AbbreviationCQ / ;
ClimateCfa
HDI (2022)0.795 (9th) – high
Website
Symbols
FlowerCamellia japonica
TreeFicus lacor
Chongqing
"Chongqing" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
Simplified Chinese重庆
Traditional Chinese重慶
Hanyu PinyinChóngqìng
PostalChungking
Literal meaning"Doubled Celebration"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinChóngqìng
Bopomofoㄔㄨㄥˊ   ㄑㄧㄥˋ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhChorngchinq
Wade–GilesChʻung2-chʻing4
Tongyong PinyinChóngcìng
IPA[ʈʂʰʊ̌ŋ.tɕʰîŋ]
other Mandarin
Sichuanese Pinyin
  • Cong2qin4
  • [tsʰoŋ˨˩ tɕʰin˨˩˦]
Wu
RomanizationZon-chin
Hakka
RomanizationTshùng-khin
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationChùhnghing
JyutpingCung4hing3
IPA[tsʰʊŋ˩.hɪŋ˧]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTiông-khèng
Tâi-lôTiông-khìng

Chongqing is a direct-administered municipality in Southwestern China. Chongqing is one of the four direct-administered municipalities under the Central People's Government, along with Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. It is the only directly administrated municipality located deep inland. The municipality covers a large geographical area roughly the size of Austria, which includes several disjunct urban areas in addition to Chongqing proper. Due to its classification, the municipality of Chongqing is the largest city proper in the world by population, though Chongqing is not the most populous urban area.

The municipality of Chongqing is the only Chinese city with a resident population of over 30 million; however, this number includes its large rural population. In 2020, Chongqing surpassed Shanghai as China's largest municipality by urban population; as of 2023, it had an urban population of 22.87 million. The municipality contains 26 districts, 8 counties, and 4 autonomous counties. The city served as the wartime capital for the Republic of China (ROC) during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945). On 14 March 1997, the current municipality was separated from the surrounding province of Sichuan, with the goal of furthering development in the central and western parts of the country. University of Washington professor Kam Wing Chan considers that Chongqing is more like a province than a city.

Chongqing is one of China's national central cities. It is a connection in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and a base for the country's Belt and Road Initiative. Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is the second-busiest airport in China, and is one of the top 50 busiest airports in the world. The city's monorail system is the world's longest and busiest, as well as having the greatest number of stations, with 70. Chongqing is ranked as a Beta (global second-tier) city. It is the headquarters of the Changan Automobile, one of the "Big Four" car manufacturers in China. As of 2023, the city hosts 12 foreign representations, the fifth-most in China behind Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. It is one of the top 40 cities globally by scientific research output; the municipality is home to several notable universities, including Chongqing University, Southwest University, and Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications.