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This is the first of a series of posts I’ll be writing about the Shanghai World Expo:

The site of the Shanghai World Expo covers an area of 5.28 km² in the Nanpu Bridge–Lupu Bridge region in the center of Shanghai along both sides of the Huangpu River.

Shanghai Skyline viewed from the top of the Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo

The significance China attached to the expo can be measured by the vast sums it spent in preparation. No official tally has been disclosed but local media put the total costs at $58 billion, substantially more than the estimated $42 billion spent on the Beijing Olympics.

Shanghai World Expo: PROMENADE

Shanghai World Expo: PROMENADE AT NIGHT

After winning the bid to host the Expo in 2002, Shanghai began a monumental task to reshape the city. Shanghai began clearing 2.6 square kilometers along the Huangpu River; that involved moving 18,000 families and 270 factories.

Six new subway lines have opened between 2008 and 2010. Four thousand brand new taxis have been added in the month preceding Expo2010 opening. The city night lights have been once again improved, using energy-saving LED technology.

192 countries and 50 organizations registered to participate in the Shanghai World Expo.

Brazil Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo

Canada Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo

Poland Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo

Turkey Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo

UK Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo

The daily visitors reached 623,500 as of 7 p.m. (1100 GMT) on September 23rd, 2010 — a record high since the opening of the park — bumping up the number of visitor to more than 55 million since its opening.

I’ll be writing about my wife and I tour to each pavilion in upcoming posts, so stay tuned!

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