The present Chongming County consists of Chongming, Changxing and Hengsha Island with totally 1411 Square Kilometers of its land-based area.

Among the three islands, the Chongming Island, locating at the mid-point of the western Pacific coastline of China and in the estuary of the Yangtze River, the largest river in China, is the biggest river-alluvial island all over the world as well as the third largest island only after the Taiwan Island and Hainan Island, sharing a fame of “the portal of the Yangtze River and the Yingzhou (a legendary island the immortals dwell in) of the East China Sea”.

With a long history dating back to the Tang Dynasty, the Chongming Island appeared from the sea for the first time in the Wude First Year under Kao Tsu’s reign of the Tang Dynasty (618 AD) and was called Dongsha and Xisha then. In the year of 696 AD, six fishermen came to exploit the island one after another. By the beginning of the Five Dynasties, the government had set “Chongming Town” in Xisha, and then the name of “Chongming” was inherited. From then on, numerous sandbars underwent rises and falls in the east or west as well as the north or south. It was not until the start of the Qing Dynasty that they blended into a big island and gradually settled down. In the Zhiyuan Fourteenth Year of the Yuan Dynasty (1277 AD), Chongming Prefecture was established, under the administration of Yangzhou Region. In 1396 AD (the Hongwu Second Year of the Ming Dynasty), it turned from Prefecture into a County, first subordinated to Yangzhou Region, and then to Suzhou Prefecture as well as Taicang Region. During the period of the Republic of China, it was under the administration of Nantong of Jiangsu Province at first and then Songjiang. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it belonged to the Nantong Special Administrative Area of Jiangsu Province. Since November 1, 1958, it has been under the administration of Shanghai. It is now the sole county among the 18 districts and counties in Shanghai. Starting May 18, 2005, approved by the State Council after the report of the Shanghai Municipal Government, the two administrative areas, Changxing and Hengsha, once under the administration of Baoshan District of Shanghai, were incorporated into the Chongming County, which boasts 16 towns and 2 townships at present. Chengqiao Town where the county government is situated is the political, economic and cultural center of the County. Till the end of 2009, the number of registered permanent residents in the three islands had reached 690,000. The area is inhabited by the Hans mainly, and also by the Mongolians, the Huis, the Manchus, the Zhuangs, the Bais, the Yis, the Koreans, the Uygurs, the Buyis, the Hanis, the Tujias, the Tibetans, and other ethnic minorities.

Chongming, a clean and charming island, is endowed with fresh air, a pleasant climate, a splendid landscape and an eco-environment. Together with numbers of historical sites, cultural sights and natural landscapes, it’s destined to be an ideal place for recuperation, holiday, scientific popularization and leisure tours. At the 6th International Convention on Wetlands, held in Australia in March 1996, the Chinese government announced that the East Chongming Shoal will be incorporated into the East Asia-Australia Wader Protection Network, since the surrounding wetlands have already become a post as well as a paradise for the migratory birds. Denominated in 2005 as Chongming Island National Geological Park, it now has a national eco-demonstration zone under construction. Ever since 1998, the Chongming Forest Tourist Festival has witnessed its 11th anniversary. Also, a series of tourist attractions have been newly established, such as Central Dongping National Forest Park, Qianwei Eco-village, Gaojia Manor Country Club, Genbao Football Base, Chongming Xue Gong (also known as Chongming Museum), Shou-an Temple, Jin Aoshan Park, Dongtan International Wetlands, Yingdong Eco-village, the Nanjiang Charm, Xisha Wetland, Lvgang Eco-village, Pearl Lake Park etc. In Chongming County, 11 star-rated hotels (including 5 three-star hotels) and 18 domestic travel agencies are at your service. In recent years, the island’s tourism has boomed rapidly, accommodating more than one million visitors per year.

The overall development goal: With the construction of a modern eco-island as the central goal, the Chong Island will strive to implement the overarching strategy of rejuvenating the county through science and education, accelerate the joint development of the three islands, so as to transform the island into one of the best areas with the harmonious coexistence between man and nature as well as the coordinated development between the economic and social development to meet the long-term needs of constructing a modern, cosmopolitan Shanghai.

The targets of the future prospects: The Chongming Island is an important strategic place for the sustainable development of Shanghai. The joint development of the three islands should be kept in terms of the function, industry, population and infrastructure construction so as to build them into a comprehensive eco-island, a marine equipment island and an eco-friendly recreational island respectively. Unremitting efforts based on the scientific and technological innovation will be made to promote the recycling economy and develop the eco-industry, thus making Chongming a modern eco-island noted for the harmonious and beautiful environment, the intensive use of resources and the coordinated economic and social development.