The scale of this surreal city is difficult to describe: it extends an estimated 4,800 square kilometres, six times the size of New York City.

Everything looks super-sized. The streets – clearly designed for cars and motorcades, not pedestrians nor leisurely strolls – have up to 20 lanes and stretch as far as the eye can see (the rumour is these grandiose boulevards were built to enable aircraft to land on them in the event of anti-government protests or other “disturbances”).

There is a safari park, a zoo complete with air-conditioned penguin habitat, and at least four golf courses.