上海境内最早的人类文明遗迹可追溯至6000年前的新石器时代。元朝以前，上海为沿海的一个渔港和商贸集镇。宋代设有华亭县，元代始有上海县，明朝时已较为繁荣。上海开埠后迅速成为全国经济、外贸中心，1930年代是远东最大的都会以及商业和金融中心。1949年以后，上海成为中国大陆地区最重要的工商业中心。借助1990年起浦东开发开放，上海保持了持续繁荣并快速发展，现致力于建设国际金融与航运中心。
During the Spring and Autumn period, the Shanghai area belonged to the Kingdom of Wu, which was conquered by the Kingdom of Yue, which in turn was conquered by the Kingdom of Chu.[26] During the Warring States period, Shanghai was part of the fief of Lord Chunshen of Chu, one of the Four Lords of the Warring States. He ordered the excavation of the Huangpu River. Its former or poetic name, the Chunshen River, gave Shanghai its nickname of "Shen".[26] Fishermen living in the Shanghai area created a fishing tool called the hu, which lent its name to the outlet of Suzhou Creek north of the Old City and became a common nickname and abbreviation for the city.
