“Ghost-cities” as an emerging phenomenon in the process of urbanization in China

Abstract

In this article the author focuses attention on the new phenomenon in the process of urbanization in PRC — the so-called “ghost cities”. Ghost cities in the world practice are a well-known fact, but in China they acquire a new, China-specific meaning. A huge amount of Chinese population cannot afford buying a house due to highreal estate prices. Many people live in poor conditions on one hand, but at the same time one can witness newly built modern towns and districts which are still uninhabited. Middle class Chinese invest money in such a property, although they still live in their usual houses with well developed infrastructure around. According to the statistics of The National Electricity Company of China, about 65 million flats show zero indications on electricity meter. In the present article an attempt is made to make the review of ghost cities which are found nowadays in the country. The author also touches upon the reasons of such phenomenon appeared in the process of urbanization in China. Refs 13.

Keywords:

China, urbanization, ghost cities, population