The Densest City on Earth

Summary

This video explores Kowloon Walled City, once the most densely populated area in history. Spanning just 6.5 acres, it housed thousands in a maze of interconnected buildings. Originally a Chinese military outpost, it became a refuge for people fleeing war and poverty, operating outside Hong Kong’s legal framework. Despite its chaotic, unhealthy conditions, it developed a unique community, with businesses flourishing in the absence of regulations. The city was eventually demolished in 1993, leaving behind a complex legacy of both dystopian imagery and resilient urban life.

Takeaways

• 🏢 Kowloon Walled City was once the most densely populated place on Earth, covering just 6.5 acres with an estimated 33,000-50,000 residents.
• 🌆 The city was a complex network of interconnected buildings, functioning as a self-contained urban organism with homes, shops, restaurants, and more.
• 🌞 While apartments on the outer edges received sunlight, most units inside were deprived of natural light, making living conditions extremely harsh.
• 🇨🇳 The city had a unique legal status as a Chinese enclave within British Hong Kong, which contributed to its unregulated growth and lawlessness.
• 🛠️ Construction within the city was chaotic, ignoring building codes and creating a maze of dark, narrow passages due to its proximity to Kai Tak Airport's height restrictions.
• 💉 Despite its conditions, Kowloon Walled City attracted various residents and businesses, including unlicensed dentists and unsanitary food production, due to its lack of legal oversight.
• 🚓 The city was also a hub for illegal activities controlled by triads, including drug trafficking and prostitution, while police raids were infrequent and temporary.
• 🏠 Despite its reputation, the city was a tightly-knit community where people established lives, businesses, and social structures independent of formal governance.
• 🗺️ The city was demolished in 1993 after both the British and Chinese governments agreed on its removal, citing safety and social concerns.
• 🌳 Today, the site of Kowloon Walled City is a public park, with some historic structures preserved to remember the unique urban settlement that once stood there.

Q & A

What is Kowloon Walled City known for?

Kowloon Walled City is known for being the most densely populated place that ever existed, with over 33,000 to 50,000 people crammed into an area of just 6.5 acres. It was a chaotic, self-organized urban maze with buildings that merged into a solid block.

Why did Kowloon Walled City become so densely populated?

The unique legal status of Kowloon Walled City, being a Chinese enclave within British-controlled Hong Kong, led to a lack of governance. This allowed people seeking refuge or cheap housing to settle there, leading to rapid, unregulated construction and overpopulation.

How did Kowloon Walled City’s legal status contribute to its development?

Kowloon Walled City was not under British or Chinese governance, allowing it to operate without laws or regulations. This led to unregulated construction, as well as the attraction of both legitimate and illegal businesses that thrived in its ambiguous legal environment.

What was life like for residents inside Kowloon Walled City?

Living conditions were harsh. Most apartments lacked sunlight, air quality was poor, waste management was nonexistent, and people often relied on illegally tapped electricity. Water had to be collected from one of only six official water stations.

What types of businesses operated within Kowloon Walled City?

Businesses ranged from unsanitary food production and unlicensed dental practices to metal workshops and factories. Some also engaged in illegal activities such as drug trafficking, prostitution, and gambling, with many businesses paying protection money to triad gangs.

Why was Kowloon Walled City eventually demolished?

Kowloon Walled City was demolished due to its deteriorating living conditions, including the risk of fire and building collapse. Additionally, with the impending handover of Hong Kong back to China in 1997, both governments agreed it was time to clear the area.

What was the role of the triads in Kowloon Walled City?

The triads controlled much of the criminal activity in Kowloon Walled City. They ran illegal operations, including drug trafficking, prostitution, and gambling, and extorted protection money from local businesses.

How did the construction of Kowloon Walled City evolve over time?

Originally a Chinese military outpost, it expanded with buildings growing denser and taller over time. Individual houses became multi-story buildings, eventually forming a 14-story-high block of merged structures due to unregulated construction.

What were some of the health and safety concerns within Kowloon Walled City?

The city had no building codes, no proper waste management, and no legal oversight, resulting in overcrowded, unsanitary living conditions. The air quality was poor due to factories, and the risk of fires and building collapses was high.

How is Kowloon Walled City remembered today?

Kowloon Walled City is remembered both as a dystopian symbol of chaos and crime, and as a vibrant, self-sustained community where people built businesses and families despite harsh conditions. Today, a park and a small model of the city stand where it once was.