Turkmenistan's $5BN Mega Ghost City

A titanic project is nearing completion. A city designed to be futuristic and modern has risen from the ground in Central Asia. In Turkmenistan, billions of dollars have been spent on the construction of Arkadag, the city of the future. In this new episode of Looking 4, I invite you to discover this mega ghost city 2.0.
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Text: Guillaume Fournier/Looking 4
00:00 Arkadag: a ghost town 2.0
00:32 Town inauguration
01:10 Arkadag presentation
02:37 A smart city at the cutting edge of technology
04:43 Turkmenistan and the environment
05:29 The origins of the Arkadag project
06:33 Arkadag city objectives
07:16 Guinness Book of Records in Turkmenistan
07:52 A real ghost town
09:01 Asman City in Kyrgyzstan
09:32 New Tashkent project in Uzbekistan
#construction #architecture #turkmenistan
2023 Looking 4 (En) | All rights reserved.

[@elmundo1871]

5 billion is such a reasonable price given what the cost of some new mega-towers in New York are costing.

[@lutztech]

Mega towers, lol!! Nothing in the US even comes close to what China has.

[@ishrendon6435]

Turkmenistan is poor thats why. For the most part

[@NarasimhaDiyasena]

@@ishrendon6435it’s gas money but yeah. Turkmenistan is trynna do a Qatar when they should’ve instead done a Netherlands. Consequently what they now have is a few large and expensive cities that are empty. Kinda like Myanmar’s new capital.

[@motherearth667]

New York’s mega project would generate equivalent or more profit than the cost it takes, contrary to Turkmenistan which is literally dumping money into waste despite country being poorer than State of Washington

[@Punishedgentile]

Turkmenistan doesn’t have labor laws or unions

[@user-vx9de8xi8o]

its like someone played citybuilder game in real life.

[@Jin88866]

Although I'm not a fan of copy-paste architecture and lo density development, I think it's too early to call it a ghost city, since it's just been completed and people haven't moved in yet. I'm sure CNN will call it a Chinese debt trap or a huge waste of money but let's see how it looks in 20 years.

[@sriramcan]

first a railway and bus station needs to be built connecting the place to the city centre. Most of the projects across the world do this Mistake. Here in London where I live they build station along with the construction of residential townships as this gives one level of confidence in buying the properties.

[@KleitonGuerra]

It would be better to use this money to improve cities that already exist, such as sanitation and transport infrastructure, but governments never make the best decision when it comes to using taxes.

[@sihaanm]

Go and tell them ... Nobody cares about your opnion.

[@Kinger8777]

@@sihaanmand nobody on planet earth cares about Turkmenistan outside of its own people

[@Blackstar-ti4py]

Well you never make good decisions paying them

[@ricopunojr.4137]

They put sidewalks, but who would walk in such an unwalkable city like that?

[@tugudd]

I am from Turkmenistan, and not surprized that people far from understanding any non-western country claim it to be a ghost city. For many years, many bloggers have been calling our capital a ghost city, though more than 1 million people live there. They just film everything in the daytime when no one wants to be outside, especially when temperatures can reach 50 Celsius. Also, the city is relatively well designed and more modest compared to projects like Neom. A lot of people already moving to the city mostly because of subsidized mortgages, despite it being quite far from the capital and any other city.

[@Mr.China.]

Ikr , these creeps even refer chinese cities as "ghost cities" 🤡

[@smallSphere69]

​@@Mr.China. After few decades they will refer Dhaka and Delhi also as a ghost Town. (If these two become developed and less populated)

[@IndoSquad-yw5jz]

nvm bud, its always foreigner opinion that as if they know everything. trust me, they never visit turkmenistan.

[@ngwanawamobu8990]

It's a beautiful city, it gives me inspiration.

[@kiabtoomlauj6249]

Say whatever you want, it is within your right, as locals... But the LARGER PICTURE IS.... throughout history, in all societies all over the world.... artificially built cities (where the Dear Great Leader waves his hand, benevolently, and structures started popping "very beautifully, the most beautiful," as Donald Trump would describe every thing he touches, including fake "Trump University" and money-losing Casinos, both shut down after some years, when more information came to light as to how idiotic such projects are, how badly run they were).... just don't thrive that well... especially, again, if such projects are undertaken by benevolent dictators. It usually works well, if an organic, original town or city was there, with the benevolent dictators merely ENLARGING it. But brand new, giant cities with "geniuses" working for dictators constructing everything new, to "amaze the people," etc... such projects, again, don't have a very good track record of self-sustainment, due to many serious issues... for example: ---- unpredicted ecological, corruption, dictatorial imposition from the top by the rulers, bad or inefficient municipality infrastructures (electricity, sewage, school & civil institutions, roads, transportation hubs not connecting well with tried & true cities elsewhere, etc).

[@coyotelong4349]

The amount of vanity projects this country builds for its ruling family while the people go hungry is crazy

[@Robertoggln]

On god. Except a few countries like NK that tries a few agricultural designs, i cant think of a poor country NOT trying mega projects

[@sihaanm]

Who are you to judge?

[@boringname3657]

​@@sihaanm "Who are you to judge psychopathic dictators?" What a moronic question.

[@coyotelong4349]

@@sihaanm My apologies- Please explain to me the upside of building giant stupid marble monuments while the people live in poverty that I’m so ignorantly missing

[@ajmaeenmahtab8456]

At least they can build "Vanity" projects. In U.S you cannot properly build a project on time.

[@chiloveradiouncut]

Where are the people????

[@hdaviator9181]

If this where really futuristic, it would have a complex rail network like Tokyo, not wide roads like this.

[@Captain-Sum.Ting-Wong]

I don't know why they can never understand that. Probably because they don't take public transit, but if they see a big grand highway every time they travel in their limo it makes them feel more accomplished.

[@Sacto1654]

That's what you get with what amounts to a vanity project not exactly built with people in mind.

[@abdallayoussef1202]

Please make a video on Egypt’s new Administrative capital

[@Looking4En]

It's funny because I will upload it next saturday :)

[@osmanstatus2367]

​@@Looking4En woow 😊

[@Ok....-]

Yeah

[@YassuYasen]

That city actually costed 60b dollars of new debt

[@stevefrank8533]

​@@YassuYasenI can't believe that city cost 10 times more than this city, even though it doesn't even look much better than this city in comparison.

[@moosefactory133]

5 billion doesn't sound like nearly enough to do all this. I hope it works out for the people living there.

[@aheudit]

I agree, they just approved a 65$ billion dollars for Ukraine to fight Putin's government?

[@mindspaceinvader2606]

Wow so good🎉 many Chinese construction workers thank you so much 🙏

[@Ricko364]

as an introvert I prefer cities like this. away from engine noise and pollution. at one with nature but easily fulfills life's needs.

[@THEYUNOORGAMING]

India's only one Bridge cost 6.7 billion😅🤣

[@danyal.T.k.m.n.4158]

کشور هندوستان که خیلی بدتر از ترکمنستان است. مردمانی بسیار بی فرهنگ جاهل ونادان هستند و در خرافه پرستی در دنیا لنگه ندارند. 👌👍👋گاو را میگویند خدا!!!؟؟🐃🐃🐃😂😂😂

[@pratikpatil6342]

Because it has that much material used in it :)

[@zaraza_5948]

Really? What name of this bridge? Can u tell more about this?

[@aheudit]

My friend, a bridge can be built for 1 million dollars or 100 million dollars.

[@gilbertfranklin1537]

"If you build it, they will come..." A lot of people must have seen that movie. But they should also ask; "Can they afford it?" So many countries are overbuilding infrastructure without considering recovering the cost of the investment, or the logistics of moving the mass of people needed to fill the area and make it prosperous. Sad, indeed. 🤥

[@user-ku6tr4vd6z]

It's because these are vanity projects, motivated by the egos of dictators, not by practical realities.

[@Ok....-]

Wow ..great city .....i love to visit Turkmenistan one day ...Ameen

[@mashina9004]

Turkmenistan is our North Korea in Central Asia😂

[@hawkkim1974]

it's amazing they built such a beautiful city of at least 1 million population with only $1 billion!

[@jensbusse]

beautiful .. its horrorfull. wide big street , no bike or puplic traffic , all same housestyp , so mush space between houses that you need cars and can´t walking.

[@zukisamabusela61]

This is forward planning at its best👌🤝

[@faithfulbuochuama7295]

Impressive mega city!

[@zanzillahsaruji9966]

Beautiful City

[@hondakubo9399]

More like dystopian

[@citizenoftrone6570]

This looks like my city in any strategic game when I was 12

[@davorjez6761]

sick

[@terribrad24]

5 billion is a bargain for an entire city

[@sayedmustafa6587]

The new administrative capital in Egypt will be like this, but with a large scale.

[@mal7916]

Largest Star Shaped Building in the world: ✅ Food for citizens: 🤔

[@eldios831]

Its beautiful..as an introvert this is the place to

[@jonathanlanglois2742]

Honestly, just having a quick look at the satellite photos is more than enough to dispel the vast majority of claims that are being made about this city. Many of the most important governmental buildings are quite literally built in front of a highway. Quite a few of the parks and monuments seem to be way out there, cut off from the rest of the city. Theses are spaces that are meant to be looked at from a distance and never interacted with. It does not get much worse than that in terms of design.

[@blugreen99]

I like the idea of the rotating gold statue of the great leader.

[@altamashparwaiz2097]

New cities often neglects the lower class people. You see in a conventional city there is room for people of every class be it slum or lavish mansions. Every city needs some unregulated areas and it needs some place for lower class people because at the end of the day they are the ones that provide labour and much needed cashflow in the city economy. Thats my take on the situation. You are free to give your own opinion and correct me if i am wrong

[@tommygunn3210]

With other places like this in Asia, it makes one wonder if they're expecting habitation at some point after a large scale world "event".

[@snnn2535]

Yeah right because they have premonition powers and the rest of the world do not 😂😂😂😂

[@Prashant_Pandey4]

5Billion $ is such a reasonable price considering the fact that NEOM is to be build at cost of more than 500billion $

[@rj6404]

Usually the cities development follows the people , here its ready , not many r willing , not many r able .

[@mikemudimba5531]

USSR was indeed a great nation

[@Darkturkss1501]

Pls make Baku❤

[@svart7716]

City looks great.

[@petterv6604]

must be joking

[@kadirkara7468]

Yaşasın Türkiye Cumhuriyetleri hep beraber Çok Güçlüyüz☝️🤲💪🇹🇷💯🇹🇷

[@lyher2722]

Big budget, big dreams, big buildings = pollution. Tons and tons of diesel was used in the construction of these. Tons of C02 is produced just creating concrete to build this city so it is starting off FAR from being green. Not to mention, truck loads of silicon to adhere all the tons of fancy glass to inefficient star-shaped designs. WOW...White...just like my neighbors, just like my neighbors, just like my neighbors, just like my neighbors...

[@NITESHKUMAR-kv2zl]

Very beautiful and clean city .

[@danyal.T.k.m.n.4158]

Yes👍I have Aşhgabad city Bountiful👌❤🏢🏚🏛🕌🏩🏨🏯💒

[@user-oe2zs4td4b]

Maintenance of this inorganic monstrosity will bankrupt the city. Anyone wants to bet?

[@madsam0320]

The very first ghost city reported by the media is a district in Shanghai. Today, that ‘ghost city’, Pudong is so vibrant, it will ranked within top thirty GDP in the world if it is a country.

[@dhowe5180]

Maybe. Still a soulless pile of glass and concrete

[@Schminner]

if you build it they will come

[@Helvett222]

Percentage of residents using the Internet in Turkmenistan 19,3% for comparison in Bangladesh this value is 76%

[@abhimanyunath2001]

I am sure 75 percent Bangladeshis don't use Internet on regular basis. It maybe around 40 percent.

[@Helvett222]

@@abhimanyunath2001 Data from Wikipedia

[@humanworld7774]

Bcz strict sencership

[@tugudd]

Percentage using internet is 50% but most parts of the country is covered with the Internet. Plus, landlocked countries have it harder when it comes to network integration with the globe.

[@Helvett222]

@@tugudd There are much poorer countries with worse geography and a much higher percentage of inhabitants having access to and using the Internet, such as Bangladesh, which I gave as an example. In the case of Turmenistan, you also need to take into account Internet censorship, even if you have access to it, there are not many websites on it, such as KZbin, Facebook and many others, other legally available ones are also controlled by government censorship, just like in China.

[@franciskabiawu]

Very beautiful City 👍🏾💥

[@MrNommerz]

City of the future looking mighty similar to a Soviet bloc-style city from the 1900s. I do agree with the sentiment though that it may end up being a populated city once more time has passed. Time will tell though.

[@lupinzwolf98]

there's no public transport like bus's may by but there's no trams/light rail.

[@r3b3lvegan89]

They should let King remake the Langoliers here….would be worth the laugh at all the wasted money btw

[@peterlj613]

Utopia!

[@emmanuelacquah8312]

People will come gradually

[@donttalktome-imacat2106]

i did not know Jimmy Carr was President of Turkmenistan.

[@lil-g4879]

If it hasn’t been completed yet, how can it be a ghost town?

[@meipakyu4688]

Did China developers builds this ghost city too??? I know there is one in Johor Malaysia oo!

[@firozabdulsattar5828]

Its good send all refugees from Syria Palestinians Pakistani Iraqi Somali Sudanese

[@toxichuman208]

Yallah to saudi arabia, not Turkmenistan.

[@sukrancingoz9334]

Onların aid olduğu yer Ortadoğu coğrafyası, Orta Asya Türk Cumhuriyetleri değil... Cehaletinizi bize bulaştırmayın...

[@user-in4ig1im6x]

вы были в Туркменистане? Ким Чен Ин отдыхает 😂

[@liunan12000]

I don't believe what the media tells me unless you go out and see it for yourself. There are too many stories about ghost towns, but what happened next?

[@gusarov_ruslan]

Sasha Cohen (a.k.a. Borat) would like to visit this place in the middle of the desert.

[@DSAK55]

LOL sounds like infomercial

[@amomenttoremember1877]

So cool Turkmenistan❤ I hope our new capital city, Nusantara City can be as beautiful as Ashkabad. Greetings from indonesia

[@FasterSE]

There is nothing futuristic here. Car-centric low density vanity project is a city concept from the past.

[@phillipolsen1262]

Sounds better than packing people in like sardines and keeping them from traveling outside of the city

[@batidomartila5454]

It got me thinking, this city build for who?

[@francisthegreat4064]

The city looks gorgeous. If only the government allow its citizens to stroll around it.

[@chathpiersath8286]

It’s hardly look futuristic. Not daring to imagine far enough; however, it looks great. I am sure it isn’t to be ghostly. This narrator makes it sound like it’s hopeless. I am sure they have plans to populate. Where are all the people then?

[@thehunterkirsch]

What is a horse circus. Also so you know nobody can afford to live there. Everyone in the country is disgustingly poor n the dictator does not want or claim them

[@dust-dog]

do they also worship the hawk?

[@keahnig164]

Sorry, I have to make this joke: Is "futuristic" in the room with us?

[@soowooo7493]

Ghost city

[@alexandervt641]

Poor people who live in this ghost city.

[@georgerj2419]

The Chinese must certainly be involved in this.

[@jackbrown8735]

bro this is literally just a plain city

[@davinccihubbard3742]

People call it ghost city, I call it mega cemetery

[@aheudit]

So if you can't give any information today, then your video is a speculation?

[@PeetHobby]

Nice, they use the Soviets as inspiration.

[@vadimmartynyuk]

Better than any city here in USA

[@monegal1]

It's a new Pyongyang

[@carljohnson1719]

Pyongyang is not a ghost city. Arkadag is like Naypyidaw.

[@erhai3843]

土库曼斯坦政府做的很好,在国家的收入持续增加时政府有必要做长期或跨越式规划,这是远见而且相当高效率的做法。在这种人居环境中生活本身就是一种幸福,收入再高也无法无法替代这种条件 希望有生之年能访问贵国

[@r-labs9357]

When will Turkmenistan allow foreigners to travel here

[@nadirhikmetkuleli7335]

One day, travel is possible but residence is never. Turkmenistan does not need non-Turkic immigrants.

[@r-labs9357]

@@nadirhikmetkuleli7335 that’s stupid. Then how would the economy grow

[@Ryan-093]

@@r-labs9357 Turkmenistan economy will never grow, they are foolish!

[@nadirhikmetkuleli7335]

@@r-labs9357Growth does not require invading foreign populations. Natural growth rates of Turkic lands are more than enough to sustain economic development in these countries. Effects of foreign migrants are well seen in Europe. Multiculturalism is not sustainable. So Keep away from Turkic lands, and go whereever you want, but never to Turkic lands. Got it? We Turkic people do not want aliens in our lands. We do not want you. You are unwanted and stop insisting. Stop it. Go away, Be away! Understood?! Turkic people are different from soft Europeans who are unable to do anything against invading foreigners, do not try your chance in Turkic lands, returning from there may turn out to be in a ugly way, even result in bloodshed. So do not even think about it, ever never! Clear? Should be.

[@bitch7598]

My gosh the soon dictator of Turkmenistan is so hot 😂

[@PULATOVKHUSAN]

🇺🇿🇺🇿🇺🇿🇺🇿❤️

[@dhowe5180]

I’ve nominated arkadag to Guinness for world’s most boring cityscape. Can’t lose. This city looks like every other new or capital city in Eurasian countries run by autocrats, and I include Dubai on that list. Dubai is shiny and new but also soulless and dull in the same way as Pyongyang. Arkadag is just another bland vanity project dreamed up by some petrostate emperor. Who in the world would prefer to walk around arkadag rather than Rome or Copenhagen?

[@weprayforcars7]

It's not a ghost city, over 1 million people live there. Also Turkmenistan has an extreme weather, most of these videos were filmed during peak hours of the day when nobody is outside because temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius. So no, this city is not a ghost town.

[@Yusef-uh4wl]

Still badly designed city if u know that shortcomings but still build it the way it is with large streets etc. Good citis are alive and support economic activities

[@pavel94732]

Not bad! It is clear that there is development. But the level of Europe is still 80-100 years away

[@xro1589]

Looks like a modern gulag.

[@robgardner1951]

Didn’t know this was a country. Hmm. The more you know!

[@abuban8865]

Never heard of Turkmenistan b4 "please is it same as turkey 🇹🇷?

[@MichaelVHart]

No, it's not. It is its own country.

[@secozy]

fake information. The city is live. What do you mean ghost city? Do you visit this city before?

[@alexandervt641]

People in Turkmenistan are hungry and there is not enough bread. But for kitschy projects like this ghost town money is spent. Turkmenistan remains one of the most bizarre dictatorships, like North Korea.

[@grammoEntertainmentbd]

Turkiministan shuld take some bangladeshi and give change to live there . Speak from most densly contry

[@berdigylychrejepbayev7503]

thank you for the advice but turkmenistan has enough population to fill the city if the procedure is followed correctly. but you can move to australia new Zealand since those countries need human capital a lot more than we do.

[@grammoEntertainmentbd]

@@berdigylychrejepbayev7503 thanks for your advice

[@nadirhikmetkuleli7335]

No way. Stay where you are. Non-Turkic people are unwelcome. Why should Turkmenistan change its demographic structure? Turkmenistan is for Turkmens and other Turkic people to some extent. Afghans are not Turkic and incompatible to live together with Turkic people. Bangladeshis should stay in Bangladesh. No one wants them.

[@WheelerRickTHETIEGUY]

An other version of N Korea.

[@sunattila_official4741]

O'lik shaxar

[@biran44r]

dictators' projects... see: dubai

[@YassuYasen]

Not dictator but rich people, sinners just like Jeffrey Epstein Island, las Vegas, .... With zero taxes and much luxury, makes u wanna stay there.

[@user-ks2uo3qh7i]

At 7;55 - What are 'Milliards'? Should that read millions or presumably billions? Seems odd that a basic currency used in the graph analysis is wrong-a fundamental component.

[@Looking4En]

I forgot to change that because I translate from french language to english. Milliards is billion in english.

[@user-ks2uo3qh7i]

@@Looking4En TY for the comment. Wasn't trying to be rude. I didn't understand. Great video btw-Cheers

[@Looking4En]

You're welcome! I know do not worry, thank you! cheers

[@franciskabiawu]

$5 Billion is very reasonable. 👍🏾The One World Trade Center in New York City cost $4.2 Billion for that single Skyscrapper. The Newest class of Aircraft carriers USS Gersld R. FORD cost $13 Billion. $5 Billion for a modern city is Very Jusitifable. 👍🏾👍🏾💥

[@youknowmyfirstlastname3206]

Long live Turkmenistan. I would live in Turkmenistan with home rather than being homeless in the west

[@keangwooichoo6138]

Lol. We hv 100b usd city in forest city malaysia, 5b is chicken feed to us

[@JFLehr]

is it me or are artificial mega cities the newest trend among countries with wealthy government officials and poor(er) populations

[@user-yn1qo4qm9q]

I think it's you

[@JFLehr]

@@user-yn1qo4qm9q lol open your eyes

[@LexlutherVII]

well, good big infestructure projects are good

[@Nigelrathbone1]

Also North Korea

[@riderchallenge4250]

turkmenistan is no different than NK. it is just NK has nukes, a popular dictator, and enemy of USA which gives NK more popularity.

[@user-uf4rx5ih3v]

Turkmenistan is not at war and probably wont be for the foreseeable future. It's also not quite nearly as brutal as the government in North Korea. Far worse places exists in the world, including North Korea.

[@Chris.Davies]

Their garbage city looks like a soviet gulag - not a 21st century city.