The official guide to the Shanghai Expo, A Guide to Expo 2010 Shanghai China, was launched Friday.

Yang Zhenwu, director of the publicity department of Shanghai, said the guide, written in English and Chinese, included introductions to the pavilions, activities and forums and offered service information like transport, tickets and accommodation.

With a first edition run of 500,000 copies, the book will be provided for free in the press center of the Expo, airports and train stations of the Yangtze River Delta as well as governments, schools and some enterprises of Shanghai and neighboring Jiangsu Province.

The guide book is compiled by the Xinhua New Agency.