Pudong is a district of Shanghai located east of the Huangpu, the river which flows through central Shanghai. The name Pudong was originally applied to the Huangpu's east bank, directly across from the west bank or Puxi, the historic city center. It now refers to the broader Pudong New Area, a state-level new area which extends all the way to the East China Sea.
The traditional area of Pudong is now home to the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone and the Shanghai Stock Exchange and many of Shanghai's best-known buildings, such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Jin Mao Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Center, and the Shanghai Tower. These modern skyscrapers directly face Puxi's historic Bund, a remnant of former foreign concessions in China. The rest of the new area includes the Port of Shanghai, the Shanghai Expo and Century Park, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, the Jiuduansha Wetland Nature Reserve, Nanhui New City, and the Shanghai Disney Resort.
History Pudong—literally "The East Bank of the Huangpu River"—originally referred only to the less-developed land across from Shanghai's Old City and foreign concessions. The area was mainly farmland and only slowly developed, with warehouses and wharfs near the shore administered by the districts of Puxi on the west bank: Huangpu, Yangpu, and Nanshi. Pudong was originally established as a county in 1958 until 1961 when the county was split among Huangpu, Yangpu, Nanshi, Wusong and Chuansha County.
Premier Li Peng announced the policy of Pudong's opening and development on April 18, 1990. Speaking at a celebration for the fifth anniversary of the Shanghai Volkswagen Corporation, Li stated that "some policies of the economic and technological zones and Special Economic Zones can be implemented in the Pudong area". Li stated that future investors from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan were welcomed and that China would provide preferential conditions for cooperation and improve the investment environment. The occasion is often described as Pudong's "birthday". Nonetheless, development in the area was slow for the rest of 1990.
On October 1, 1992, the original area of Pudong County and Chuansha County merged and established Pudong New Area.
In 1993, the Chinese government set up a Special Economic Zone in Chuansha, creating the Pudong New Area. Deng Xiaoping had initiated its development three years earlier to build further confidence in Reform and Opening Up. Pudong's description as a New Area served to distinguish it from existing SEZs. It had even more open policies than existing SEZs, in terms of attracting foreign direct investment and developing the local economy.
The western tip of the Pudong district was designated as the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone and has become a financial hub of modern China. Several landmark buildings were constructed, including the Oriental Pearl Tower, and the supertall Jin Mao Building (), Shanghai World Financial Center () and Shanghai Tower (), the world's first trio of adjacent supertall skyscrapers. These buildings—all along Century Avenue and visible from the historic Bund—now form the most common skyline of Shanghai.
In official discourses on urbanization in China, Pudong is considered the paradigmatic example of the 1990s approach to urbanization.
On May 6, 2009, it was disclosed that the State Council had approved the proposal to merge Nanhui District with Pudong and comprise the majority of eastern Shanghai. In 2010, Pudong was host to the main venues of the Shanghai Expo, whose grounds now form a public park.
Pudong New Area consists of the original Pudong County (northeastern portion of Shanghai County), Chuansha County, and Nanhui County.
Climate
Pudong has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), influenced by monsoons and Siberian winds as well as rains and typhoons from the Pacific. The average annual temperature in Pudong is . The temperatures are highest on average in July and August, at around , and lowest in January, at around .
Government Districts of the Direct-Controlled Municipality of Shanghai are administratively on the same level as prefecture-level cities. However, the government of Pudong has a status equivalent to that of a sub-provincial city, which is a half-level above a prefecture-level city. This is due to Pudong's size and importance as the financial hub of China. The Pudong Communist Party Secretary is the top office of the district, followed by the district governor of Pudong. The Pudong party chief is customarily also a member of the Shanghai Party Standing Committee.
On April 27, 2015, the People's Government of Pudong New Area is working with China (Shanghai) Pilot Free-Trade Zone Administrative Committee.
Demographics Pudong is bounded by the Huangpu River in the west and the East China Sea in the east. Pudong is distinguished from Puxi ("West Bank"), the older part of Shanghai. It has an area of and, according to the 2024 census, a population of 5.79 million inhabitants. Pudong's resident population growth is well above national average because it is a popular immigration destination. The 2020 census shows an 8% increase in the last decade, or an annual pace of 0.8%.
Excluding immigrants, the birth rate in 2010 was 0.806% while the death rate is 0.729, resulting a net growth of 0.077%. The total fertility rate is 1.03, well below the replacement level.Population analysis of Pudong, 2011 http://rkjsw.sh.gov.cn/dr/qxinfo/310115/2012227/000000003500038000944464363.html?openpath=spfp/qxinfo/310115 The district actually has a negative registered household population growth if immigrants are excluded, thus the growth is purely driven by immigration.
The 2020 census shows a population density of 3,006/km2. About 3/4 of the population live in the northern part and part of city center called "Northern Territory". 1/4 live in the "Southern Territory" that was the Nanhui District. The Northern Territory has a 6,667 population density, while the Southern Territory has 1,732/km2. Suburbs saw a greater increase in population during 2000–2010 with the help of the city's suburb expansion policy. Some counties in the traditional city center saw a population decrease.
Subdistricts and towns
Name Chinese (S) Hanyu Pinyin Shanghainese Romanization Population (2010) Area (km2) Weifang Xincun Subdistrict Wéifāng Xīncūn Jiēdào vij vaon sin tsen ka do 100,548 3.89 Lujiazui Subdistrict Lùjiāzuǐ Jiēdào loq ka tzyu ka do 112,507 6.89 Zhoujiadu Subdistrict Zhōujiādù Jiēdào tzoe ka du ka do 144,668 5.52 Tangqiao Subdistrict Tángqiáo Jiēdào daon djio ka do 76,916 3.86 Shanggang Xincun Subdistrict Shànggāng Xīncūn Jiēdào zaon kaon sin tsen ka do 104,932 7.54 Nanmatou Road Subdistrict Nánmǎtóulù Jiēdào neu mau doe lu ka do 107,130 4.22 Hudong Xincun Subdistrict Hùdōng Xīncūn Jiēdào wu ton sin tsen ka do 112,031 5.51 Jinyang Xincun Subdistrict Jīnyáng Xīncūn Jiēdào cin yan sin tsen ka do 206,017 8.02 Yangjing Subdistrict Yángjīng Jiēdào yan cin ka do 146,237 7.38 Puxing Road Subdistrict Pǔxìnglù Jiēdào phu xin lu ka do 177,468 6.25 Dongming Road Subdistrict Dōngmínglù Jiēdào ton min lu ka do 121,449 5.95 Huamu Subdistrict Huāmù Jiēdào hau moq ka do 221,327 20.93 Chuanshaxin Town* (Chwansha) Chuānshāxīn Zhèn tseu sa sau sin tzen 420,045 148.05 Gaoqiao town Gāoqiáo Zhèn ko djio tzen 184,486 38.73 Beicai town Běicài Zhèn poq tsa tzen 276,547 24.91 Heqing town Héqìng Zhèn req chin tzen 132,038 41.97 Tang town Tángzhèn daon tzen 129,267 32.16 Caolu town Cáolù Zhèn dzo lu tzen 186,012 45.58 Jinqiao town Jīnqiáo Zhèn cin djio tzen 81,537 25.28 Gaohang town Gāoháng Zhèn ko raon tzen 137,625 22.85 Gaodong town Gāodōng Zhèn ko ton tzen 110,552 36.24 Zhangjiang town Zhāngjiāng Zhèn tzan kaon tzen 165,297 42.10 Sanlin town Sānlín Zhèn se lin tzen 360,516 34.19 Huinan town Huìnán Zhèn we neu tzen 213,845 65.24 Zhoupu town Zhōupǔ Zhèn tzoe phu tzen 147,329 42.60 Xinchang town Xīnchǎng Zhèn sin dzan tzen 84,183 54.30 Datuan Town Dàtuán Zhèn da deu tzen 71,162 50.45 Kangqiao town Kāngqiáo Zhèn khaon djio tzen 174,672 41.25 Hangtou town Hángtóu Zhèn raon doe tzen 110,060 60.40 Zhuqiao town Zhùqiáo Zhèn tzoq djio tzen 104,945 146.28 Nicheng town Níchéng Zhèn gnij zen tzen 62,519 61.50 Xuanqiao town Xuānqiáo Zhèn si djio tzen 59,567 45.78 Shuyuan town Shūyuàn Zhèn syu yeu tzen 59,323 66.90 Wanxiang Town Wànxiáng Zhèn ve zian tzen 24,346 23.35 Laogang town Lǎogǎng Zhèn lo kaon tzen 37,408 38.90 Nanhui Xincheng Town** Nánhuì Xīnchéng Zhèn neu we sin zen tzen 47,381 67.76 Luchaogang Farm Lúcháogǎng Nóngchǎng lu dzo kaon non dzan 688 9.40 Donghai Farm Dōnghǎi Nóngchǎng ton he non dzan 508 15.20 Chaoyang Farm Cháoyáng Nóngchǎng dzo yan non dzan 862 10.67 Waigaoqiao Free-trade Zone Wàigāoqiáo Bǎoshuìqū nga ko djio po seu chiu 1,349 10.00 Jinqiao Export Processing Zone Jīnqiáo Jīngjì Jìshù Kāifāqū cin djio cin tzij djij dzeq khe faq chiu 5,514 67.79 Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park Zhāngjiāng Gāo Kējì Yuánqū tzan kaon ko khu djij yeu chiu 23,617 75.90 * – Liuzao town merged into Chuanshaxin town. ** – Luchaogang town and Shengang Subdistrict merged and form Nanhui Xincheng town.
Education Universities and higher education
Shanghai Maritime University Shanghai Dianji University Shanghai Fisheries University China Executive Leadership Academy in Pudong Fudan University in Zhangjiang New York University Shanghai ShanghaiTech University
Primary and secondary schools
Public schools: No. 2 High School Attached to East China Normal University Jianping High School Dongchang High School of ECNU Pudong Foreign Languages School of Shanghai International Studies University Shanghai Jincai Experimental Junior Middle School
International schools: Dulwich College Shanghai"Contact Us." Dulwich College Shanghai. Retrieved on October 12, 2013. "DCS MAIN CAMPUS 266 LanAn Rd, JinQiao, PuDong, 201206 地址：上海市浦东金桥蓝桉路266号，201206" and "DUCKS 425 LanAn Rd, Jin Qiao, PuDong 201206 地址：上海市浦东金桥蓝桉路425号，201206" French School of Shanghai Pudong Campus"." French School of Shanghai. Retrieved on 23 May 2014. "Campus de Pudong : 1555, Jufeng Lu, Pudong District 201208 Shanghai (Chine)" Nord Anglia International School Shanghai Pudong German School Shanghai Pudong Campus"Kontakte." German School of Shanghai Pudong. Retrieved on 23 May 2014. "DS Shanghai Pudong 1100 Jufeng Lu 201206 Shanghai - VR China" - Chinese address: "" Shanghai American School Pudong CampusHome page. Shanghai American School. Retrieved on February 19, 2014. "Puxi Campus 258 Jinfeng Road Huacao Town, Minhang Dist. Shanghai, China 201107 6221-1445" and "Pudong Campus Shanghai Links Executive Community 1600 Lingbai Road Sanjiagang, Pudong Shanghai, China 201201 6221-1445" Shanghai Japanese School (SJS) Pudong Campus (elementary and junior high),"Shanghai Japanese School Pudong Campus." Shanghai Japanese School. Retrieved on February 18, 2014. "" and SJS Senior High School"Home ." SJS Senior High School. Retrieved on February 18, 2014. "" Wellington College International Shanghai"Contact Us." Wellington College International Shanghai. Retrieved on September 30, 2015. "Wellington College No. 1500 Yao Long Road (near the Oriental Sports Center) Pudong, Shanghai 200126 " Concordia International School Shanghai Pudong Campus
Other private schools: Shanghai Gold Apple Bilingual School Shanghai Shangde Experimental School Shanghai Pinghe School
Economy
With the Nanhui District merger in May 2009, the size of Pudong's economy grew. The district's 2025 gross domestic product amounts to an estimated (US$263 billion), corresponding to around 33% of Shanghai's economy. Its GDP per capita in 2022 was , corresponding to around by nominal values.