The enclosed area is functionally divided into five zones numbered from A to E. Zone A is located between the Expo Boulevard to the west and the Bailianjing rivulet to the east in the Pudong Section, seating the China Pavilion and national pavilions for Asian countries excluding Southeast Asian ones.

Zone B covers an area between Zone A to the east and Lupu Bridge to the west, hosting national pavilions of Southeast Asian and Oceanian countries, Pavilions for International Organizations, Theme Pavilions, the Expo Center and Performance Center.

Zone C is located in Houtan to the west of Lupu Bridge in the Pudong Section. This is the area for European, American and African national pavilion clusters. A large public amusement park of about 10 hectares stands at the entrance.

Expo Boulevard is located in the center of the Pudong part of the Expo site and is the largest stand-alone structure within it. Expo Boulevard is a concourse acting as the main axis for human traffic flow, commercial activities, and other purposes. It has two underground throughways, one above the ground and a canopy.

The Theme Pavilions, located in Zone B to the west of Expo Boulevard, set records not only for the nation's biggest non-column-supported space and largest solar energy system on the roof, but also for the world's largest living green exteriors. These constructions, covering a total area of 12.9 hectares, demonstrate how ecology in design and construction is achieved.

To the west of the Expo Boulevard in the Puxi Section is Zone D, original site of the Jiangnan Shipyard and cradle of national industry in China. Some of the old shipyard buildings have been renovated into corporate pavilions. The docklands and slipway are reserved and made into spaces for outdoor public exhibitions and cultural exchanges.

Zone E, located to the east of the Expo Boulevard in the Puxi Section, will host stand-alone corporate pavilions such as the Urban Civilization Pavilion, Urban Exploration Pavilion and the Urban Best Practices Area.

With a spread of 15 hectares, the Urban Best Practices Area (UBPA) provides an opportunity for cities to participate in the World Expo independently. This special showcase will not only present commonly acknowledged, original and valuable programs and practices designed to improve urban life quality, but also act as a platform for the 50 participants to share and exchange experiences in urban construction and development.