SHANGHAI -- East China's Shanghai municipality has built over 1,000 parks, including 522 urban parks, 371 pocket parks, 119 forest recreation parks and one theme park, local government authorities said on Thursday.

As a metropolis with limited land resources, Shanghai has creatively expanded its green spaces by transforming idle land, underutilized areas and spaces under elevated roads, according to the Shanghai Landscaping and City Appearance Administrative Bureau.

Additionally, green spaces belonging to institutions, schools and enterprises have been opened to the public, adding over 100 hectares of accessible greenery.

Since 2021, Shanghai has increased its total parkland area by over 2,500 hectares, raising its per capita green space from 8.5 to 9.5 square meters, the bureau said.

Over the next five years, Shanghai aims to build over 500 additional parks and increase its per capita green space by another square meter, according to bureau official Guan Qunfei.