However, these building projects are on another level of huge, and with all the megacities popping up throughout the country, China boasts many of the biggest infrastructure projects in the world. Here’s the Steel Wire’s look at some of the most impressive to date.

Three Gorges Dam

China is home to the largest dam in the world, measuring 1.5 miles in length and sitting 60 (!) stories tall. The Three Gorges Dam took 1.92 million tons of rolled steel to complete, along with 10.82 million tons of cement and 1.6 million cubic meters of timber. The dam opened in 2003 on the Yangtze River and last year, generated a record-high 97.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, 4.35 percent higher than the previous year.

The Three Gorges Dam is the biggest dam in the world and is made up of 1.92 million tons of steel. (Source: Wikipedia)

Beijing Capital International Airport

Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) was the second largest and busiest airport in the world in 2016, just behind the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the U.S. PEK recorded 94,393,454 passengers that flew in and out in 2016, a 5 percent increase from 2015, and is easily the biggest airport in all of Asia.

Beijing Capital International Airport is the biggest airport in Asia, and second in the world. (Source: Top China Travel)

The first phase of the airport cost USD 3.5 billion and was completed in 2008, but in order to handle the growing number of passengers, an expansion project is planned for 2025. The estimated 5-year project will almost double PEK’s capacity and cost an additional USD 13 billion.   

Jiaozhou Bay Bridge

China is also home to the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world. The massive structure stretches over 26.4 miles and connects the cities of Qingdao and Huangdao. The 110ft width accommodates 6 traffic lanes that are supported by 5200 steel pillars.

The Jiaozhou Bay Bridge is held up by 5200 steel pillars. (Source: Feel the Planet)

The bridge first opened in 2011 and took USD 2.3 billion and over 10,000 workers to build. The Jiaozhou Bay Bridge also took 450,000 tons of steel to complete, allowing the bridge to be able to withstand earthquakes up to 8.0 in magnitude, typhoons and the force from a 300,000-ton object.  

Jiuquan Wind Power Base

Not surprisingly, the largest wind farm in the world located in China. Jiuquan Wind Power Base is made up of 7,000 turbines that generate enough electricity to sustain a small country. The plant was approved in 2008, and the government has pledged an additional USD 17.4 billion by 2020 as part of the effort to develop China’s renewable energy industry. For now, only 3.3 percent of all the electricity generated in China comes from wind turbines. With the additional investment, Jiuquan Wind Power Base will be able to generate a massive 20 gigawatts of sustainable electricity.

The Jiuquan Wind Power Base generates enough energy to power a small nation. (Source: The New York Times)

New Century Global Center

What does the biggest building in the world look like? A mini country. Located in Chengdu, Sichuan province, the New Century Global Center combines a shopping mall, water park, hotels, movie theaters, offices, restaurants, ice rink and more into 19 million sq.ft. of space. The structure is made of glass and steel and measures 500 meters long, 400 meters wide and 100 meters high. Designed by architect Zaha Hadid, it even has artificial sun for the perfect weather, 24 hours a day.

The New Century Global Center located in Chengdu is the largest city in the world. (Source: Thousand Wonders)

Port of Shanghai

The world’s biggest ports are mostly located in China, and the biggest one is the Port of Shanghai. In 2012, 744 million tonnes of cargo and 32.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of steel containers passed through the port. The entire area of the port on the Yangtze River covers 3,619km² comprised of 3 main ports: Wusongkou, Waigaoqiao and Yangshan Deep-Water Port. About 25 percent of China’s trade passes through the Port of Shanghai, or 2,000 steel container ships per month.

The Port of Shanghai is the largest port in the world and a quarter of China’s trade passes through it. (Source: Thomson Reuters)

Most recently, the 4th phase of the Yangshan Deep-Water Port was completed, making it the largest automated port in the world. It spans across 2.23 million square meters, and can automatically handle 4 million standard containers per year, or 25 per hour. It was also built to accommodate the heaviest ships in the world.

China is using its steel to build up the country’s infrastructure, and set world records along the way. Besides being impressive in size, the structures are expected to contribute to greater connectivity and economic prosperity throughout China.

Cover photo courtesy of Morgan Stanley.

Still, in the small town of Nuanquan in Heibi Province, China, just west of Beijing, a small group of farmers are keeping one of the world’s most unique fireworks displays alive.

Resource: China’s Blacksmiths Put On Dazzling Display for New Year

About 500 years ago, there were many blacksmith shops in the farming town of Nuanquan. Unable to afford expensive fireworks during the Chinese New Year holiday, lower income residents such as blacksmiths and farmers sought an alternative. Inspired by the beautiful sparks emitted during their iron working, a group of brave blacksmiths began splashing molten metal on the city walls, which resulted in the creation of beautiful flower shapes from the cooling iron.

Photo Credit: Robert Berkowitz Creative Commons

As time went on, locals began to prefer the stunning, steel-catalyzed display to fireworks, and donated their scrap metal to the blacksmiths to use during the annual performance. Eventually, a more developed system evolved and eventually became known as dashuhua, which roughly translates as “throwing tree fireworks.”

To create the display, men first soak wooden ladles in water for three days prior to the show to prevent them from combusting on impact. After dipping the ladles into the molten iron (which is made from smashed up pieces of pig iron), flames instantly shoot up. As such, the men work quickly to splash the molten iron onto the city wall to avoid injury.

As the metal strikes the cold, hard wall, it explodes into a shower of sparks, mostly over the performers. Due to the danger posed by the falling molten iron, only the bravest individuals performed in the show, wearing only a jacket made of sheepskin—a material that naturally repels the molten iron—and a straw hat to protect against the splash of hot metal.

Photo Credit: Robert Berkowitz Creative Commons

Despite being banned during the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, the tradition has since carried on through the ages. Refusing modern protective clothing to more closely maintain the tradition, today’s performers are prideful of their region’s rich cultural heritage and are eager to pass on the custom to their children. They are also pleased that the event continues to attract spectators from all over China, who gather in freezing temperatures to witness the incredible scene of a night sky illuminated by the sparks of molten iron.

However, as urbanization surges in the world’s most populated nation, the tradition is on the decline, with only four performers left. As such, the Chinese government has designated dashuhua as an Intangible Cultural Heritage and has helped organizers build a dedicated stage for their performances, with an aim to preserve the country’s past as well as Nuanquan’s steel-centric custom.

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Just about everything – from the roof over your head to the device you’re reading this on – contains steel. It is one of the most commonly used materials in the world and has been for quite some time.

World crude steel production added up to about 1.662 billion tons in 2014, based on the 2014 World Crude Steel Production Performances reported by the World Steel Association (worldsteel). Yet despite these numbers, the outlook for the steel industry suggests slow growth for global steel demand, which is mostly a result of the deceleration in China and structural adjustments in most world economies.

Nevertheless, The World Steel Association’s Short Range Outlook (SRO) for 2015 and 2016 notes that even though the growth is expected to be slow, demand is still growing. They forecast that the apparent steel growth will increase by 0.5% in 2015 and 1.4% in 2016. Additionally, in developing and emerging nations, there is an increased optimism for growth, as the steel markets are beginning to exhibit the characteristics of mature markets.

For more information on The World Steel Association’s expected outcomes for 2015 and 2016, click here.

So, which countries claim the spots of the world’s top steel producers for now? Read on to find out and to learn some interesting steel-related facts about each.

5. South Korea

Crude Steel Production: 71 million tons

Interesting Fact:

Rising 270 meters above sea level, The Yi Sun-shin Bridge was opened in 2012 and links the cities of Gwangyang and Yeosu. It is the first suspension bridge to be made solely with Korean state-of-the-art technology and equipment, including 26,000 tons of steel rods and 24,000 tons of steel products. Extending 2,260 meters, it is the longest in Korea and the fourth longest in the world, surpassing even the Golden Gate Bridge. (Source: http://bit.ly/1crFdzx)

4. India

Crude Steel Production: 83.2 million tons

Interesting Fact:

The Lotus Temple, a Bahá’í House of Worship, is one of Delhi’s most iconic architectural feats and was designed in the form of a lotus flower to symbolize the religion’s cornerstones of purity and simplicity. The lotus has three sets of leaves or petals which are made out of thin concrete shells. At the top, a glass and steel roof provides protection from the elements and facilitates the entry of natural light. The temple also utilizes a number of steel reinforcements and structural steel staging. (Source: http://bit.ly/1zWQCTh)

3. United States

Crude Steel Production: 88.3 million tons

Interesting Fact:

In 1943, more than 1 billion pennies were made with steel because the United States was, at the time, engaged in World War II and copper was being rationed to make artillery. Steel pennies weigh 2.70 grams and are fairly lighter than traditional copper Lincoln pennies that weigh 3.11 grams. Today, these pennies are quite popular among coin collectors and are worth about 25-75 cents each. (Source: http://bit.ly/1cooLjx)

2. Japan

Crude Steel Production: 110.7 million tons

Interesting Fact:

Tokyo Tower, a communications and observation tower in Japan’s capital city, was built in 1958. It was constructed of steel, a third of which was scrap metal taken from 90 US tanks damaged in the Korean War. At 4,000 tons, it is significantly lighter than the Eiffel Tower, which weighs 7,000 tons, a result of exceptional advances in construction technology and steel manufacturing. (Source: http://bit.ly/1K3tHbS)

1. China

Crude Steel Production: 822.7 million tons

Interesting Fact:

The Chinese were the first people to combine carbon and iron to make steel. They’ve been making it since the first century BC in blast furnaces powered by the Asian monsoon winds. In recent years, they’ve become the world’s largest producer of steel, and consume twice as much steel as the US, Europe and Japan combined. (Source: http://bit.ly/1KzAKpG)

Production rates according to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) 2014 World Crude Steel Production Performances.