China’s Ghost Cities: Under-Occupied Developments in the World’s Most Populous Country

When we think about Chinese cities, images of overcrowded streets with skyscrapers often come to mind. But how about the town where the largest square in the world is located, eerily empty in bright daylight? Or can you picture an Eiffel Tower with a stack of hay in front of it and some agricultural lands in the background? These are scenes from China, where there are cities and towns with populations at 10-20% of their capacity. The media and the public now refer to them as ghost cities. Why are they empty? Why are they failing to attract residents? Is that a problem or an opportunity for people tired of overcrowded metropolitan areas?