Sunset on a Forsaken City
Forest City is a $100 billion, 30-year joint development project between China’s Country Garden and Johor state, located on four reclaimed islands in Malaysia directly opposite Singapore. Designed as an eco-friendly, smart city comparable to Singapore, now it faces a "ghost town" criticism due to low occupancy (under 10,000 residents). Designed to accommodate 700,000 people with residential, industrial, and tourism spaces. Roughly 10-15% of the total project is completed, with only one of four islands developed.
The project was heavily impacted by Chinese capital restrictions, pandemic-era travel bans, and high-profile Malaysian political criticisms.
Despite its reputation, it is not abandoned, with operational amenities, a golf resort, and a small, diverse population.
Sunset on a Forsaken City
Forest City is a $100 billion, 30-year joint development project between China’s Country Garden and Johor state, located on four reclaimed islands in Malaysia directly opposite Singapore. Designed as an eco-friendly, smart city comparable to Singapore, now it faces a "ghost town" criticism due to low occupancy (under 10,000 residents). Designed to accommodate 700,000 people with residential, industrial, and tourism spaces. Roughly 10-15% of the total project is completed, with only one of four islands developed.
The project was heavily impacted by Chinese capital restrictions, pandemic-era travel bans, and high-profile Malaysian political criticisms.
Despite its reputation, it is not abandoned, with operational amenities, a golf resort, and a small, diverse population.