The world is beautiful because it is varied, but there is not much beauty in these cities. Mostly poor countries and neglected by institutions, around the world there are cities with a gloomy and depressing appearance: they almost seem to come out of an apocalyptic novel set in an Orwellian universe.
The cities with an APOCALYPTIC aspect
# Dhaka, Bangladesh
Capital of the country and among the most populous cities in the world, Dhaka is an important industrial and commercial center. It rises on the banks of the Buriganga river, with black waters and polluted by the waste from factories, whose banks are submerged by mountains of waste.
# Athens, Greece
Athens is a city with a thousand-year history, which makes us think of the city as a place immersed in a legendary and mythical aura. Unfortunately, this is not the case in reality. Leaving aside the main tourist attractions such as the Acropolis, the city is in a very bad and degraded condition. The huge amount of abandoned buildings inhabited by homeless people and drug addicts is impressive and very sad.
# Norilsk, Russia
From the area where the city of Norilsk stands very high percentages of chemical elements such as cobalt and nickel, and the economy of the city is based on the extraction and distribution of these. And this is why the city is one of the most polluted in the world, with a population suffering from diseases, allergies and malformations of various kinds.
# Amman, Jordan
Aesthetically uncared for, chaotic and dirty, the capital of Jordan is home to nearly half of the entire country’s population.
# Mumbai, India
The dichotomy between wealth and poverty in Mumbai is very evident: skyscrapers and luxurious buildings just a few meters from the slums and residences that almost stand up by a miracle. Two completely different lifestyles but which coexist in the same spaces and cross each other on the street.
But not only poor countries: in the world there are also cities with an apocalyptic aspect that are very wealthy centers or industrial urban areas that are important in the world economy.
# Kowloon, in Hong Kong
North of the Hong Kong peninsula, since the 1950s Kowloon has become a very important industrial center, in particular for textile production. This area has therefore seen enormous growth: land has even been taken away from the sea, so as to be able to build new portions of land. The city therefore presents itself as an immense ocean of gray concrete, between buildings and skyscrapers of all sizes and shapes.
# Linfen, China
Capital for coal production, Linfen appears to be the most polluted city in the world. The inhabitants enjoy direct sunlight only a few days a year, as the smog clouds are so dense that they obscure the sun. A portrait of a city that could be the sad fate of the rest of the world.
# Huaxi village, China
A perfect synthesis of socialist collectivism and Asian capitalism pushed to extremes, this city really looks like something out of a movie. Resident families live in villas that are all the same, drive luxury cars and access numerous benefits intended only for residents, such as health care. This wealth and well-being is supported by the citizens themselves, who work 7 days a week in the 58 industries present in the city, without the possibility of resigning and changing their lives. The price for all of this is therefore freedom.
# Nad Al Sheba 3, Dubai district, United Arab Emirates
Subcommunity south of Dubai, this district is home to hundreds of identical villas. Residents have access to every imaginable service, from golf courses to swimming pools: a small town capable of satisfying every citizen’s need and desire.
FABIO MARCOMIN
(Original article by Alice Colapietra)
