Chongqing

Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Chungking, is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Geographically, Chongqing is strategically positioned as a gateway to China's west, a key connection in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and a strategic base for China's Belt and Road Initiative. Administratively, it is one of the four municipalities under the direct administration of the Central People's Government (the other three are Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin), and the only such municipality located deep inland. The municipality of Chongqing, roughly the size of Austria or the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, includes the city of Chongqing as well as various discontiguous cities. Due to a classification technicality, Chongqing municipality can claim to be the largest city proper in the worldthough it does not have the world's largest urban area. Chongqing is the only city in China with a permanent population of over 30 million, however this number includes a large rural population. Chongqing is the fourth largest Chinese city by urban population, with urban population of 16.34 million estimation, after Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen. According to the 2010 census, Chongqing is the most populous Chinese municipality, and also the largest direct-controlled municipality in China, containing 26 districts, eight counties, and four autonomous counties. Chongqing has an extensive history and a rich culture. During the Republic of China (ROC) era, Chongqing served as its wartime capital during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945). The current municipality was separated from Sichuan province on 14 March 1997 to help develop the central and western parts of China. As one of China's National Central Cities, it serves as a financial center of the Sichuan Basin and the upstream Yangtze and is a major manufacturing and transportation center. Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, a major aviation hub serving Chongqing metropolitan areas and Western China, is one of the top 50 busiest airports in the world, and the city's monorail system is the world's longest and busiest monorail system with the greatest number of stations (70). Chongqing is ranked as a Beta (global second-tier) city.