The most modern and populous city in China (over 24 million habitants), and often labeled as the New York of the East. Shanghai was originally a major administrative, shipping, and trading city due to its favorable port location; becoming a key hub after the First Opium War and the following foreign concessions. This vibrant city is rich in European heritage like the neoclassic buildings of The Bund and the cozy cafes of the French Concession. It also has Chinese roots like the temples of the Yuyuan Gardens or the lovely canal town of Zhujiajiao, but it is mainly known for its modern architecture with skyscrapers on the Pudong shore of the Huangpu river, including the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower.