This study analyses the emergence of China’s “ghost cities,” large urban districts with very low population densities despite extensive construction. Based on 30 cases across 17 provinces, the research shows that most were developed between 2006 and 2012, when national policies pro moted rapid urban expansion and local governments relied heavily on land financing. Many pro jects were built in areas with limited economic opportunities, weak migration inflows or insufficient infrastructure, resulting in a persistent mismatch between supply and demand. Population densities in most cases fall well below the 5,000 inhabitants/km² threshold set by the National New Urbani sation Plan (2014–2020). The study concludes that these developments pose long-term economic, social and environmental challenges, underscoring the need for more sustainable and coordinated urban planning.
Morán et al. (Thu,) studied this question.