8. Chongqing
As China continues its headlong rush toward urbanization, cities like Chongqing may represent its future. A smoky, urban behemoth with as many as 30 million inhabitants, depending on how you count, Chongqing has embarked on a frenetic building spree in recent years, rapidly expanding to accommodate an exploding population. The growth represents an effort by Communist Party officials to extend to the country's interior the fruits of growth that have long been bestowed on China's coastal enclaves. Before his ouster, Bo Xilai was the powerful party boss in Chongqing, where he embarked on ruthless anti-corruption campaigns and a revival of Maoism that presented a direct challenge to his Beijing overlords.
Above, thousands flock onto the Caiyuanba Bridge over the Yangtze River as it opens to traffic on Oct. 29, 2007. The bridge, a structural blend of tunnels and flyovers, cost 2 billion yuan and took nearly four years to build.
Liu Song/ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images
