China's population is the largest in the entire world. It would seem that in such a situation, every free plot should be used for the construction of housing complexes, so that all these guys can live comfortably in their own country. But what do local builders do? They are building ghost towns where no one lives. Many people have heard about this phenomenon, and not everyone understands why this is done. Let's try to figure it out.

First, it’s worth clarifying: this is not a myth. These cities actually exist and can be seen in photos from Google Earth and in videos taken by people visiting these areas. Full-fledged cities, located in different parts of the country, consist of a huge number of skyscrapers, offices and other buildings necessary for comfortable life. All of them are connected by roads, which are empty just like apartments in high-rise buildings. All these cities are similar to each other.Firstly, they resemble the scenery of a disaster movie.Secondly, all such projects are located in remote areas that are poorly suited for living. One of these cities, for example, is located in the desert. According to statistics, there are now more than 60 million such houses in China. And every year the number of ghost towns increases by an average of twenty.

There are several theories that explain such an active pace of building up the Celestial Empire with empty skyscrapers.

First explanation , probably inspired by the gloomy atmosphere in the photographs. It is believed that these cities in China are being built in case of a nuclear war throughout the world. This confirms the presence of bomb shelters under every house. There you can hide from both simple bombing and atomic bombs. In addition, due to the fact that the cities are not populated and are located in hard-to-reach places, there would be no point in bombing them. The most populated cities and megalopolises will be attacked first. Therefore, in the event of a disaster, the Chinese will be able to move to this territory. Since no one will be involved in restoring the building during the war, having a couple of cities “in reserve” is very profitable. In just a couple of days, survivors will be able to move to a new place and try to start life anew. After all, all the conditions for this have been created in advance. In addition, such cities will be able to accept refugees from other allied countries.

According to the same theory, such cities can appear on the territory of the Celestial Empire not for someone to live in them, but to show the government of countries that own nuclear weapons that China is ready for war. That's why local residents Simple threats from different parts of the world will not intimidate. Indeed, the picture already looks impressive today. But, again, there is not so much space in the Celestial Empire to waste it simply on creating the illusion of security for the people.

However, there is another, less gloomy explanation for the emergence ghost towns in China. For example, in Guadong Province there is the city of Huizhou. We are not interested in the city itself, but in its separate district – Daya. It can well be called a “ghost”, because, despite the fact that there are houses and all the buildings necessary to provide the population with work and a comfortable life for the Chinese, no one lives in this area. The fact is that due to the fact that the area is located on the outskirts, it is inconvenient to get anywhere from there. Thanks to this, housing prices here are very low. Therefore, enterprising Chinese invest money in housing, but do not live in purchased apartments. 70% of homeowners prefer to stay in the bustling and vibrant city of Shenzhen, which is only 70 kilometers away. By the way, it is worth noting that all these investments in real estate have already paid off. Housing in this area this moment costs twice as much as when purchased. So, right now, investing money in local real estate is much more profitable than transferring it to Western bank accounts. There are many cities with areas like Daya. This is why such frightening stories about empty areas arise.

There is another city, the example of which can be considered the third version of the emergence of “ghost towns” .

This is Ordos, which began to be built more than twenty years ago. This may explain the fact that empty cities are located near Mongolia, often in deserted and uninhabitable areas. At that time, the country was experiencing the so-called “Mongolian coal rush.” They made money from coal mining. Therefore, they were invested in the development of cities where ordinary workers would live. At this time, many cities were built where the population of several small countries could comfortably accommodate. Ordos, for example, was set up with the expectation that about a million inhabitants would live here. Not only ordinary residential buildings were built there, but also offices, theaters and entertainment centers. But, alas, the Chinese did not move to the city of their dreams, and construction plans had to be stopped.

However, you shouldn’t think that everything is so bad. The ghost town, like many others, is not doomed. Now in China, villagers are actively moving to cities. Therefore, they will not be empty for a long time. And if the Chinese population continues to grow, we will even have to build new ones. By the way, all such cities are located in “safe” places from the point of view of seismological activity. Therefore, entire families can safely move there. This is both convenient and profitable from a financial point of view.

The latest version is also related to money. It is believed that such cities are built in order to artificially stimulate GDP growth. This is also quite logical and sounds true.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that many consider stories about Chinese ghost towns to be mere rumors. Even the busiest cities can seem deserted if you take photos early in the morning, when all the residents are asleep. Therefore, many Internet users assume that all these photos are just fakes, taken at the right time or photoshopped. However, this assumption can be easily verified by going to one of the cities, which is what many Chinese and tourists do.

All these versions are equally interesting. It is difficult to understand what is really happening in the Middle Kingdom. Most likely the idea Chinese government will be revealed to us only when the ghost towns are populated by people. In the meantime, one can only be surprised at the attitude of the locals towards the desert area. All these uninhabited corners of the Celestial Empire surprise with their cleanliness. Despite the fact that there is no one to clean up there, utility workers are steadily cleaning the sidewalks, sweeping the streets, and simply doing their best to maintain order in the city. Against the backdrop of abandoned Russian cities, they look very unusual.

Empty cities are a widespread phenomenon, characteristic not only of third world countries, but also of economically developed countries. Old and new, big and small, with their own history and without it, ghost towns are everywhere today, on all continents. Except perhaps Antarctica.

Dead cities in China are truly a modern phenomenon, which, however, easily lends itself to rational explanation.

You need to understand that ghost towns in China are not abandoned, once prosperous centers. These are megacities built from scratch with all the necessary infrastructure. In these dead cities no one has ever lived!

Empty cities in China are located in the center of the country, precisely in undeveloped territory.

Why do the Chinese build empty cities?

The phenomenon of ghost towns in China can be easily explained if you get to know the Celestial Empire better.

So. If you look at the demographic map of China, along the banks south seas There are significantly more Chinese living than in the north or center of the country. This is not surprising, because... all business, and therefore money, is concentrated in the coastal zone, which attracts workers from all over the Middle Kingdom. For example, almost 300 million people live in the Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Macau area!

To change this situation (to attract people to the central part of the country) there are whole government programs, which include the construction of cities “in reserve”, various types of benefits for business and production that will open in undeveloped territories. People cannot simply move to a city where there is no place to make money, and production cannot be opened where there are no people. This is such a vicious circle.

Now empty cities in China have actually become another attraction of this country, albeit a very, very peculiar one - today they stand absolutely lifeless, all these Chinese ghost towns, which almost no human has ever set foot on.

However, we must pay tribute to the Chinese city planners - they always build on a grandiose, truly socialist scale, and, as an almost unshakable rule, simultaneously with the ready-made multi-storey standard housing, they commission all the necessary urban infrastructure: wide avenues, kindergartens, schools and universities, hospitals , large shopping centers, stadiums with thousands of seats, theaters, museums and even administrative buildings - entire blocks of such buildings.

A typical example of Chinese “mismanagement” is the New South China Mall in Dongguan, southern China, the second largest shopping and entertainment complex in the world after the famous Dubai Mall. The huge building, designed for as many as 2,350 (!) stores, put into operation back in 2005, is actually empty. The exceptions are several points of fast food chain restaurants and a go-kart track on the site of a parking lot that no one needed. The reason for the local desolation is obvious - this shopping and entertainment complex is located in a remote location, on the remote outskirts of the city, far from busy highways. It is unlikely that this was simply a mistake by a short-sighted architect or designers. Most likely, this is how they want to relieve overcrowded Guangzhou, but so far the locals don’t really want to move further from the money.

And if at least some part of this very infrastructure, which is also very well-maintained, is nevertheless subsequently used at the very least by residents of adjacent areas and settlements, then new housing stands idle for decades in vain waiting for its owners, and along the deserted streets and avenues of such cities at this time only the wind blows.

According to some data, the total housing stock, for one reason or another, withdrawn from circulation in China from the very beginning of its creation today amounts to... 60 million apartments and separate houses with all the amenities and landscaped surrounding area, not to mention the above-mentioned urban infrastructure.

The most famous Chinese ghost towns

Today, at least a dozen such cities in the Middle Kingdom are known, and among them are the following abandoned cities and areas that are still waiting for their inhabitants:

• Kangbashi is a large city, the main purpose of which was supposed to be the notorious “link between city and countryside” and the further gradual urbanization of the Chinese peasantry; designed for a million citizens, but so far not even half populated.
• Ordos is a ghost town, located near the just mentioned Kangbashi, built back in 2001 and has the same extremely developed infrastructure; however, not being popular among the native population, it still remains abandoned.
• Xishuan - built in extremely unfavorable desert conditions in Inner Mongolia and is somewhat reminiscent of the well-known city of Pripyat; population - one or two and miscalculated.
• Thames Town is an area on the outskirts of Shanghai, completed in 2006; its purpose was to expand the borders of the second most important Chinese metropolis - however, due to the simple fact that the basis of the local housing stock consists mainly of one-story mansions, this area is also not particularly popular among the local population. Currently no more than 10% occupied. Used exclusively as a holiday destination for Shanghai residents.
• Tianducheng is a kind of miniature “copy of Paris” with typical – according to local ideas – European architecture, a suburb or, more precisely, a satellite city of Guangzhou, famous throughout the world for its replica of Paris Eiffel Tower, but is still not inhabited solely due to the lack of any suitable infrastructure here, which is rather an exception to general rule. A few residents live by “grazing”, planting vegetable gardens directly next to architectural monuments.

So the conclusion from all of the above is quite obvious and very simple - all these ultra-modern ghost towns in China cannot be called something extraordinary, out of the ordinary, this phenomenon is many years old, for China it has already become something commonplace and, in In every single case, there is a completely logical explanation for it.

IN Soviet times Since the fifties, a lot of housing was built in the USSR, and at the same time there was a chronic shortage of it. A country with a population of a quarter of a billion people needed new houses, districts and even cities. At the same time and a little later, the famous “Khrushchev buildings” appeared, built using block or panel technology, modest, but giving millions of citizens the opportunity to move to a separate area and forget the hateful communal apartments, not to mention the basements. In the last decade, mass construction has been launched in the PRC, but its results are strikingly different from those in the Soviet Union. Chinese citizens do not joyfully celebrate receiving warrants, do not dance at housewarming parties, but continue to live in the same conditions as before. New houses, neighborhoods and cities are empty. Why?

Housing in China is expensive. It would be more accurate to note that it is not commensurate with the income of the average Chinese. However, this concept as such is meaningless, since the stratification of society is very great. In large cities, a highly qualified worker can receive a salary of four hundred or even five hundred dollars, but in order to get a job like this, you need to try hard. The level of education, knowledge (there is an incentive not to limit yourself to an educational institute or university program, but to comprehend science and languages ​​on your own) and experience is important. In Shanghai (this city leads in terms of average salary in China) or Guangzhou (they also value specialists well), getting a good position, for example an export sales manager, requires knowledge of technology, two or three languages, communication skills and many other professional skills. This is what they will pay.

Income of the general public

There is no famine in China. There are enough products, and this is a huge achievement of the reform policy of the leadership of the Communist Party, which moved away from Maoism and proclaimed a course towards market development. However, peasants in China live poorly. From time to time they are invited to work in the city, where they are offered to perform simple operations at industrial enterprises for a very modest fee of literally a couple of dollars a day. This tedious and monotonous work is episodic in nature and provides an opportunity to earn “real money” and not just food. Arriving in his native village after two or three weeks, such a “shabashnik” is considered a wealthy person for some time (until the money runs out) and can even get married successfully. A Chinese coolie cannot count on buying a city apartment. This dream is unattainable.

Solvency of managers in China

Now about the mentioned middle managers. It is also unlikely that he will be able to save ten to fifteen thousand dollars for a separate, most modest apartment. In Shanghai or Guangzhou, food costs money, although it can be called moderate. In addition, housing has to be rented, and this also cuts the budget. Mortgage programs and, in general, lending programs exist, but they are no more favorable than Russian ones; the interest rates “bite”. And yet, with a lot of effort, you can realize this dream and achieve your goal, especially if you make a successful career and become a top manager. This is difficult, especially since trade and exports have fallen significantly in last years, and earnings, like ours, greatly depend on the volume of personal sales. Such young men and women work very diligently, they fight for every client, but it is not yet possible to see them as mass buyers of real estate.

Ghost towns

Foreigners who accidentally visit “ghost towns” are struck by many oddities here. China is a crowded country, all the cities are packed with people, but here there is silence, peace and the almost complete absence of not only residents, but also traces of their presence. Beautiful new residential high-rise buildings stand empty, with heating running in winter (obviously to avoid disastrous temperature changes) and elevators turned on. The infrastructure has also been created, the roads are smoothly paved, or the process of fine-tuning this work is underway. Another question is that all these wonders of urban civilization are located in remote northern regions, where population density has always been low, and sometimes even surrounded by desert. For example, in Inner Mongolia. There are even parks and sports facilities designed for mass visitors. Who will live here?

Defense version

The huge number of empty residential apartment buildings (in total, according to various estimates, up to 64 million) and their maintenance do not raise doubts that the government, which is investing a lot of money in all this, has some plans for numerous objects, but is in no hurry share them with the public, both Chinese and foreign. Based on this mystery, there was even an assumption that the PRC was preparing for a nuclear war, as a result of which it was ready to sacrifice large cities, but the population could be resettled here in the North. This assumption, of course, has a right to exist, but it does not seem very logical. Firstly, many millions of people need to be evacuated here, and there may not be time left for this. Secondly: what, exactly, will they do here? Sew down jackets or assemble computers? And for whom? And thirdly, it turns out that war is already very close. Why is the Chinese army so poorly prepared for it? Otherwise, houses deteriorate from standing idle for a long time...

Solution

Most likely, in this case there is a feature of Chinese national psychology, expressed, in particular, in the manner of doing business. This is how the state approach of the PRC leaders differs from the American and, alas, the Russian one. This is called the ability to see perspective. Real estate prices in China are growing quite quickly, the economic development strategy is changing in favor of increasing domestic solvency, and sooner or later all these apartments will become someone else's property. Today, one meter already costs up to five thousand yuan (more than $700), having increased by 50% in recent years. Mass construction is a forward-thinking way to invest money, rather than storing it in green American paper, with which it remains to be seen what will happen. And in the very near future.

Every year two new cities appear in China. Already now, these megacities can accommodate the entire population of Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus combined. The Chinese probably know what they are doing...

In 2010, the State Electric Networks company of the People's Republic of China conducted a census of electric meters of subscribers from 660 cities. As a result of this event, a rather strange fact emerged. According to the census results, the counters of 65.4 million apartments showed zero. That is, no one lives in these areas. As it turns out, China has been building “ghost” cities since 2000. More than twenty points under construction remain uninhabited. Why does China need empty cities? Let's try to figure it out in the article.

No housing crisis

It's hard to believe that in an overpopulated country where the birth of every child is considered practically a crime, there are empty cities. New buildings, highways, shops, parking lots, kindergartens, and offices are being erected in China. Of course, housing is provided with running water, electricity, and sewerage. Everything is ready for life. However, it is in no hurry to send its citizens to the empty ones. What is the reason for their appearance?

One of the options

Why is China building empty cities? The government of the country sacredly guards the secret, leaving it possible only to speculate on the true purpose of these points. There is an opinion that empty cities in China are just a "duck". However, there are photographs of these uninhabited areas. It’s worth saying here that getting a photo of an empty city is, in general, not difficult. In any, even large, metropolis there is a period when there are no people or cars on the streets. As a rule, this happens early in the morning. Well, if you couldn’t catch such a moment, you can use the well-known Photoshop program. However, there are objections to this opinion. First of all, it should be said that the Chinese themselves do not deny the existence of such cities. In addition, there are reliable satellite images. They clearly show that at the height of the day there is no one on the streets, and there are no cars in the parking lots.

"Conspiracy theory"

There is also a belief that every empty city in China rests on huge underground shelters. They are designed to accommodate several hundred million inhabitants. Thus, the Beijing government makes it clear to the authorities in Washington and Moscow that the country is quite ready for As you know, underground shelters are considered the most effective way protection of the population from damaging factors (penetrating radiation, radioactive contamination, radiation).

Empty cities in case of disaster

According to another assumption, the Beijing government, anticipating an imminent change of power in the United States, is preparing housing for its fellow citizens who are currently in America, but will be ready to leave if an economic collapse occurs. A version has also been put forward that empty cities will become a refuge for the inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom when the water covers all coastal territories. And houses are being built in the most remote areas.

Investment

According to another version, empty cities are a monetary contribution from the government. The Beijing authorities considered that it was more profitable to store money in real estate than in Western bank accounts. In this regard, monumental but empty cities are built - just in case. Again, this opinion can be argued. How long can an empty city last? The photos presented in the article fairly fully illustrate these uninhabited areas - some of them have been standing for more than 10 years. They will stand for another 20 years, what will happen to them next? If no one populates the empty cities, they will most likely have to be demolished.

New holiday villages

All empty cities are really built away from the coast. At the same time, the least earthquake-prone areas are selected for their construction. Actually, all this can be explained. If there is a choice of areas where to carry out such monumental construction, then it is better to immediately play it safe and provide adequate protection to future residents, at least from earthquakes and floods.

Kanbashi and Ordos

The above is a version of a profitable investment. There is some truth in this assumption. Many owners bought apartments from developers at the initial stages of construction. Now the cost of living space has increased several times. As it became known from some sources, in the city of Ordos, apartments in houses have their own owners. One of its districts - Kanbashi - is located twenty kilometers from the center. It was built in the middle of the desert. The area is designed for approximately 500,000 people. However, it looks completely empty, since about 30 thousand live there permanently. In fact, there are almost no available apartments left in the area. Ordos is considered one of the richest Chinese cities. It sits on deposits of natural gas and coal. At the same time, the Kanbashi area is something like a summer cottage for its residents. They come there for the weekend. It should also be said that the number of people who would like to work and live in Ordos increases every year. It follows from this that apartments in houses, even those built 20 km from the center, are constantly becoming more expensive.

A spoon of tar

Almost no major undertaking can do without it, even in a country like China. Any large-scale construction is based on government subsidies. Responsible officials are appointed to control the movement of funds. However, not all of them are pure. From time to time someone gets caught committing major thefts and fraud. So, for example, the construction of a fairly large settlement of Qingshuihe began back in 1998. However, over the next ten years it was never completed. By the way, average city for 500 thousand people is built in China in about 6-7 years. The money allocated for Qingshuihe magically disappeared. The culprits, of course, were found and brought to justice, but the village was never completed. For a long time it has been abandoned and completely uninhabitable. However, the story with this village is more an exception than a rule.

Finally

Most experts are still inclined to the version associated with competent economic planning. In China, the population is constantly increasing, houses are being built. People go to work on construction sites and receive a decent salary. At the same time, of course, they all pay taxes. Having savings, people invest them in real estate. They often buy the same apartments that they once built themselves. Thus, there is a uniform settlement of empty areas. According to statistics, every year a huge number of people move from villages to larger settlements. And the former Chinese megacities will soon not be able to accommodate everyone. For those who do not want to live in the village, the government provides the opportunity to purchase an apartment in a new area.

Ghost towns are a category of settlements that are sparsely populated or abandoned by residents for various reasons. Be it a decline in economic activity, war, natural and man-made disasters, or other factors that make living in a given territory uncomfortable or impossible. Unlike disappeared cities, they sometimes retain their architectural appearance and infrastructure. Here are three examples of such ghosts.

Large-scale development of residential real estate in China began about 17 years ago, after the introduction of a bill that allowed citizens to buy houses and apartments as their own. The population density in China is 139 people per square kilometer. For comparison, in Russia this figure is 8, and in the United States of America 33. It is not surprising that commercial and government developers, in pursuit of the “easy yuan”, began to build gigantic residential areas and entire cities, with pre-planned infrastructure, cultural sites, public institutions and shopping centers. As a result, supply has significantly exceeded demand, and now there are a huge number of ghost towns throughout the country that can hardly be called alive.

Chenggong

Chenggong is a city in Yunan Province, the construction of which began in 2003. The population of the province exceeds 46 million people, and next to the “ghost” there is a city of 7 million. On the territory of Chenggong there are buildings containing more than 100 thousand apartments. One of the city districts has a developed infrastructure: a school, hospitals, campuses of two universities, big stadium and a cluster of shops. However, no one lives in the city to this day except security guards and workers.

New Hebi

East of Chenggong, in Henan province, is the coal-mining city of Hebi, which received a ghost younger brother more than twenty years ago. IN ancient times four ruled in his district last emperor of the Yin dynasty, and once the capital of the vassal kingdom of Wei was located next to it. For unknown reasons, industrial city Hebi Russian tour companies even organize trips during which you can stay in one of the three-star hotels in the city. Unlike its older brother, New Hebi, which is located only forty kilometers from the historical part of the “old” one, is not needed by absolutely anyone. The city's territory covers several hundred square kilometers.

Kangbashi

The city of Kangbashi in Ordos district is a populated area with a population of 1 million people. More than $200 billion have been invested in construction over the past 12 years. At the moment, the city is not even a quarter populated, but government offices have been moved to it from the neighboring settlement. The city is completely landscaped and filled with interesting architectural solutions. Genghis Khan Square in front of the administration, a convenient street layout, a city museum that looks like a giant metal potato, a national theater, shopping centers and a library that imitates a collapsing bookshelf. I just want to remind you: almost no one lives in the city.

In fact, these cities are not as abandoned as they might seem at first glance. Almost every apartment, building and house has its own owner, who lives in a nearby, overpopulated city. Moving problem consists of a lack of jobs, loss of communication with family and loved ones. The development is used by Chinese citizens as an investment object. So, sooner or later, ghost towns will be useful both for the state (financially) and for ordinary Chinese residents who want to move from a buzzing city to a new, not particularly populated territory.

The example of Kangbashi’s “profitability”, compared to other Chinese “ghosts”, is the most transparent. The city was built near large deposits natural resources, and the faster they begin to be developed, the faster the city will be populated to capacity. The Pudong area of ​​Shanghai, twenty years ago, also looked more like scenery that was erected on the site of rice fields. Now the city's population is more than 3 million people, and it has become the financial and business center of the country.

Empty Chinese cities- this is some kind of plan for the future, which has nothing to do with Pripyat, which was deserted after the Chernobyl accident, Detroit, which is emptying due to the closure of factories, Kadychan, which “disappeared” after the collapse of the USSR, and the destroyed city on Hashima Island. They are just waiting for their residents.

P.S: Finally, we suggest you take a walk around Hashima Island and understand that the “ghosts” are completely different everywhere. It’s good that thanks to the “good corporation” you don’t have to go there.