Ghost towns are some of the most eerie reminders of how impermanent life can be. They are perhaps one of the clearest records that people have of how things can change thanks to economic forces, environment conditions, or even politics.
Though commonly associated with abandoned frontier mining camps, ghost towns exist across every continent and vary widely. Some were deserted rapidly, while others declined gradually. But for every single one, there was a deeper reason, or reasons, why people found it better to leave than to stay.
So, why do ghost towns pop up all over the world? Click on to see what the reasons are.