The Bazaar City - Yiwu / China
The city of Yiwu, in Zhejiang province, eastern China, has expanded thanks to its large number of wholesale bazaar-style shops. Both international entrepreneurs and local manufacturers have made fortunes trading small items. Its market sees 210,000 customers daily.
In 2013, Yiwu reached a new milestone with the inauguration of the world's longest railway. At the time, the train was transporting 1,400 tons of Christmas toys, passing through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, and France, before ending its journey in Spain.
In May 2014, it exported $77 million worth of small plastic ornaments, $44 million worth of general plastic goods, and $36 million worth of costume jewelry. And all in a single month. However, the Chinese economy has been slowing down, and exports have declined. Many workers have been laid off because China is reducing production of cheap goods and the Yiwu market appears to be declining.