From Olympic stadiums to abandoned airports: billion-dollar wastes of money
lovemoney staff
26 June 2020
White elephant projects that cost a fortune
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Hambantota Port, Hambantota, Sri Lanka, cost: $1 billion (£821m)
S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty
Hambantota Port, Hambantota, Sri Lanka, cost: $1 billion (£821m)
Deneth17/CC BY-SA 3.0
Hambantota Port, Hambantota, Sri Lanka, cost: $1 billion (£821m)
LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty
Russky Bridge, Vladivostok, Russia, cost: $1.1 billion (£904m)
Saiko3p/Shutterstock
Russky Bridge, Vladivostok, Russia, cost: $1.1 billion (£904m)
Irina Ovchinnikova/Shutterstock
Russky Bridge, Vladivostok, Russia, cost: $1.1 billion (£904m)
Orlov Sergei/Shutterstock
Mayawati parks and statues, Uttar Pradesh, India, cost: $1.3 billion (£1.1bn)
STRDEL/AFP/Getty
Mayawati parks and statues, Uttar Pradesh, India, cost: $1.3 billion (£1.1bn)
Shutterstock
Mayawati parks and statues, Uttar Pradesh, India, cost: $1.3 billion (£1.1bn)
Leonegi/CC BY-SA 3.0
Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, North Korea, cost: $1.3 billion (£1.1bn)
Viktoria Gaman/Shutterstock
Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, North Korea, cost: $1.3 billion (£1.1bn)
Koryeo Group/PA
Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, North Korea, cost: $1.3 billion (£1.1bn)
Mark Scott Johnson/CC BY 2.0
Ciudad Real Central Airport, Ciudad Real, Spain, cost: $1.4 billion (£1.1bn)
Paul White/PA
Ciudad Real Central Airport, Ciudad Real, Spain, cost: $1.4 billion (£1.1bn)
Paul White/PA
Ciudad Real Central Airport, Ciudad Real, Spain, cost: $1.4 billion (£1.1bn)
Oli Scarff/Getty
Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Canada, cost: $1.4 billion (£1.2bn)
Meunierd/Shutterstock
Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Canada, cost: $1.4 billion (£1.2bn)
Meunierd/Shutterstock
Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Canada, cost: $1.4 billion (£1.2bn)
Loodogs/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Mirabel International Airport, Montreal, Canada, cost: $1.8 billion (£1.5bn)
Caribb Flickr CC
Mirabel International Airport, Montreal, Canada, cost: $1.8 billion (£1.5bn)
Caribb Flickr CC
Mirabel International Airport, Montreal, Canada, cost: $1.8 billion (£1.5bn)
Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
World Cup stadiums, Brazil: cost: $3.6 billion (£3bn)
Silvia Izquierdo/PA
World Cup stadiums, Brazil: cost: $3.6 billion (£3bn)
Filipe Frazao/Shutterstock
World Cup stadiums, Brazil: cost: $3.6 billion (£3bn)
Maracana_Rodrigo Soldon/Flickr/CC BY-ND 2.0
Maginot Line, France, cost: $3.7 billion (£3bn)
Keystone/Getty
Maginot Line, France, cost: $3.7 billion (£3bn)
Underwood Archives/Getty Images
Maginot Line, France, cost: $3.7 billion (£3bn)
Underwood Archives/Getty Images
Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest, Romania, cost: $3.9 billion (£3.2bn)
Tupungato Shutterstock
Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest, Romania, cost: $3.9 billion (£3.2bn)
Narcis Parfenti/Shutterstock
Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest, Romania, cost: $3.9 billion (£3.2bn)
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty
Naypyidaw, Myanmar, cost: $4 billion (£3.3bn)
Milosk50/Shutterstock
Naypyidaw, Myanmar, cost: $4 billion (£3.3bn)
Shutterstock
Naypyidaw, Myanmar, cost: $4 billion (£3.3bn)
Amnat Phuthamrong/Shutterstock
UK navy aircraft carriers, cost: $7.5 billion (£6.2bn)
ndrew Milligan/PA Wire/PA Images
UK navy aircraft carriers, cost: $7.5 billion (£6.2bn)
ndrew Milligan/PA Wire/PA Images
UK navy aircraft carriers, cost: $7.5 billion (£6.2bn)
Dave Jenkins/InfoGibraltar/CC BY 2.0
Olympic facilities, Athens, Greece, cost: $12.8 billion (£10.6bn)
Thanassis Stavrakis/PA
Olympic facilities, Athens, Greece, cost: $12.8 billion (£10.6bn)
Thanassis Stavrakis/PA
Olympic facilities, Athens, Greece, cost: $12.8 billion (£10.6bn)
Oli Scarff/Getty
Olympic facilities, Beijing, China, cost: $47.6 billion (£39.2bn)
GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty
Olympic facilities, Beijing, China, cost: $47.6 billion (£39.2bn)
GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty
Olympic facilities, Beijing, China, cost: $47.6 billion (£39.2bn)
GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty
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