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Chongqing, the largest and most populous municipality, became the fourth city to achieve the status of municipality (after Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai) in 1997. With summers so hot it's been called one of China's Three Furnaces, and streets so steep that no one rides a bike, terrain and weather were once its chief claims to fame. Now, this cliff-side city overlooking the confluence of the Chang Jiang and Jialing rivers has much to boast about. Chongqing is the biggest metropolitan area in the world, it's got the world's biggest dam site downriver; and it's in the midst of building the world's tallest skyscraper (the Chongqing Tower).

Most travelers come to Chongqing because it's the first or last stop on a Three Gorges cruise. Sailing down the Yangtze from Chongqing to Yichang allows visitors to see the spectacular scenery of the Three Gorges along with its splendid cultural heritage and fabled local folklore. The cruise, which combines sightseeing with scientific, artistic and folklore exploration, is a national-calibre tourist program.

Today, Chongqing is the largest city and inland harbor and a major transportation hub for southwest China.

Chongqing Municipality is divided into forty county-level subdivisions, including nineteen districts, seventeen counties, and four autonomous counties.

he urban area of Chongqing Municipality includes the following districts:

• Yuzhong (or "Central Chongqing District"), the central and most densely populated district, where government offices are located.
• Nan'an (or "Southern Bank District")
• Jiangbei (or "North of the River District")
• Shapingba
• Jiulongpo
• Dadukou
• Yubei (the northern district of Chongqing)
• Beibu (the new district at Northern Chongqing)