Fact check: Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Economic City aimed for 2 million residents by 2035 but had approximately 10,000 residents…

Verdict: verified — Trust Score 90/100

The post accurately states that several planned cities, including King Abdullah Economic City, Forest City, and California City, have significantly lower populations than their ambitious targets. The reasons cited for this slow growth, such as financial troubles and weak demand, are also consistently reported by external sources. confirmed by 6 sources.

verified verification card — Trust Score 90/100
Platform
tiktok
Source author
novabriefglobal — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTAAoUbtn/
Verified on
July 27, 2026
Verification ID
BVaKMKyZkzMmmoyRMYkDrw

Original content reviewed

Platform: TIKTOK Author: @novabriefglobal --- Caption/Description --- Million-person city plans can end with only thousands of residents. 🏙️ Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Economic City targeted 2 million residents by 2035 but had around 10,000 in 2023. Malaysia's Forest City aims for 700,000 by 2035 and had roughly 20,000 residents in April 2025. California City was designed for 400,000 people but counted 14,120 in the 2020 census. Financial trouble, unfinished construction, weak demand, and limited job growth slowed different projects. Several remain active, so low population does not always mean abandonment. #PlannedCities #UrbanDevelopment #Megaprojects... --- Carousel/Slides (17 items) --- Slide 1 (image): Text: wealth CITIES BUILT FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO NEVER ARRIVED Slide 2 (image): Text: BURJ AL BABAS • TURKEY 732 CASTLES WERE BUILT, NOT ONE PERSON LIVES THERE Slide 3 (image): Text: SALTON CITY • U.S.A. BUILT FOR 40,000 PEOPLE ONLY 5,155 LIVE THERE Slide 4 (image): Text: TIANDUCHENG • CHINA BUILT FOR 100,000 PEOPLE ONLY 30,000 MOVED IN Slide 5 (image): Text: CIUDAD VALDELUZ • SPAIN BUILT FOR 30,000 PEOPLE ONLY 5,400 LIVE THERE Slide 6 (image): Text: RAWABI • PALESTINE BUILT FOR 40,000 PEOPLE ONLY 3,000 LIVE THERE Slide 7 (image): Text: YUJIAPU • CHINA BUILT AS CHINA'S MANHATTAN MANY TOWERS STAY EMPTY Slide 8 (image): Text: KING ABDULLAH • SAUDI ARABIA BUILT FOR 2 MILLION PEOPLE ONLY 10,000 LIVE THERE Slide 9 (image): Text: STATE GUEST MANSIONS • CHINA 260 LUXURY VILLAS WERE BUILT ZERO PEOPLE MOVED IN Slide 10 (image): Text: FOREST CITY • MALAYSIA BUILT FOR 700,000 PEOPLE ONLY 20,000 LIVE THERE Slide 11 (image): Text: PUTRAJAYA • MALAYSIA BUILT FOR 350,000 PEOPLE ONLY 109,202 LIVE THERE Slide 12 (image): Text: CAOFEIDIAN • CHINA BUILT FOR 1 MILLION PEOPLE ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MOVED IN Slide 13 (image): Text: MASDAR CITY • UAE BUILT FOR 50,000 PEOPLE ONLY 5,000 LIVE THERE Slide 14 (image): Text: AUROVILLE • INDIA B

Claims analyzed (5)

  1. verified: Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Economic City aimed for 2 million residents by 2035 but had approximately 10,000 residents in 2023.
    King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) was planned to house 2 million people upon completion, with some sources indicating a target completion by 2035. As of 2023, its population was reported to be just under 10,000 inhabitants.
  2. verified: Malaysia's Forest City targets 700,000 residents by 2035 and had roughly 20,000 residents in April 2025.
    Forest City was planned to accommodate 700,000 people by 2035. As of April 2025, reports indicate that the city had approximately 20,000 residents.
  3. verified: California City was designed for 400,000 people but recorded 14,120 residents in the 2020 census.
    California City was indeed designed to accommodate a much larger population, with plans for up to 400,000 residents. The 2020 U.S. Census recorded its population as 14,120.
  4. verified: Financial trouble, unfinished construction, weak demand, and limited job growth have contributed to the slow population growth of these planned cities.
    Multiple sources confirm that financial difficulties, incomplete infrastructure, low demand for housing, and a lack of employment opportunities are common factors hindering the growth of planned cities.
  5. verified: Several of these planned city projects remain active despite low populations.
    Despite low populations, many planned cities, including King Abdullah Economic City and Forest City, are still under development and actively seeking to attract residents and businesses.

Sources consulted (22)

Related verifications

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