As the world’s most populous country, China is no stranger to the idea of migration and industrial development at different levels. The movement of activity to its more popular cities is an interesting phenomenon which, thanks to Google Earth’s Timelapse, can now be seen from our fingertips.

Google described Timelapse as “a global, zoomable video that lets you see how the Earth has changed over the past 32 years.”

The software is the amazing synthesis of more than five million satellite images from five different satellites, most of which came from a joint Earth observation program between NASA and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) called Landsat.

You’re free to look at any location, but if it’s glaring contrast you’re after, head straight for China.

Check out the urban development in the country’s biggest cities:

Shanghai

Beijing

Guangzhou

Shenzhen

Tianjin





Dongguan

Hangzhou

Chengdu

Which Chinese city changed the most since 1984?