China

Since 1970, China has undertaken the largest urbanization project in history, building cities for 760 million people—more than the total urban population of the world in 1950. This rapid expansion was driven by industrialization, economic reforms, and massive rural-to-urban migration. New cities like Shenzhen, once a fishing village, have transformed into global megacities, while planned developments such as Xiong’an New Area aim to relieve congestion from Beijing. Other examples include Tianjin’s Binhai New Area, Ordos Kangbashi, and Songdo-style smart cities. These developments support China’s economic ambitions but also raise concerns about environmental sustainability, “ghost cities,” and social integration. Through high-density, transit-oriented urbanism, China continues reshaping the global urban landscape at an unprecedented scale.