Lusail, Qatar

The infrastructure to accommodate 450,000 people is in place, but only 250,000 or fewer will actually live in Lusail. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the city's development has been tightly controlled by Qatari Diar, the state-owned developer. With its extreme heat, high salinity groundwater, and limited biodiversity, Lusail is an artificial oasis carved out of the desert, designed more for the benefit of global capital than local residents. Ultimately, this gleaming new city is best suited for wealthy expats and foreign investors seeking a lavish Middle Eastern outpost.