Chongqing (Chinese: 重庆, [ʈʂʰǔŋ tɕʰîŋ]; formerly Chungking[a]) is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities in China. Administratively, it is one of China's four direct-controlled municipalities (the other three are Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin), and the only such municipality in inland China.[9]

The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the sub-provincial city administration that was part of Sichuan Province.[10] As of 2010 census, the municipality had a population of 28,846,170.[11] According to this census, Chongqing is the most populous Chinese municipality,[12] although the urbanized area is estimated to have a population of only 6 or 7 million,[13] whereas the built-up area made up of 8 out of 9 urban districts (all but Beibei not yet built-up) was home to 6,777,229 inhabitants at the 2010 census. Chongqing is the largest direct-controlled municipality in China, and comprises 21 districts, 13 counties, and 4 autonomous counties.