Shanghai view over Huangpu River (The Bund)
At Shanghai, the river averages 400 metres wide and 9 metres deep. The river is the main supplier of drinking water for the city province. The river also forms the natural divide between the western districts that make up the inner city, commonly referred to as Puxi ('west bank') and the eastern Pudong ('east bank') district of the city. The city's historic and tourist Bund area is also largely located on the left bank of the river.
The bridges over the river in Shanghai are among the well-known and acclaimed masterpieces of modern engineering and had or have some record dimensions, from north to south they include Yangpu Bridge, Nanpu Bridge (oldest in the city centre), Lupu Bridge and Xupu Bridge. In the south of the city, the Minpu Bridge was added in 2010 for better southern access to Shanghai Pudong Airport via the A15 highway. Further south and upstream, the Songpub Bridge (a 1975 railway bridge and a 1976 highway bridge) was the first bridge in the Shanghai area over the river.