SHENYANG, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The website of Expo Shanghai Online, the first site associated with a World Expo, will hit the Internet before the end of the year, an Expo spokesman said Monday.

No date for the site's launch was given.

The site will offer surfers a virtual 3D experience of pavilions and interaction in real time with organizers and participants.

It will showcase 205 countries and international organizations as well as 34 Urban Best Practices Area (UBPA), said Xu Wei, the Expo spokesman.

The UBPA section offers opportunities for cities to propose possible solutions to urban problems such as environmental protection and sustainable development.

Expo Shanghai Online would update participants' ongoing information following trial operations, Xu said.

Expo Shanghai will take place from May 1 to Oct. 31 next year with the theme of "Better City, Better Life".

About 70 million visitors are expected at the Expo, among whom 3.5 million will be from overseas. A total of 7.25 million tickets has been already been sold.