Beijing, China
China’s sprawling capital of Beijing has a rich history stretching back 3 millennia. But the birthplace of the Great Wall of China is sinking by as much as 4 inches (10 centimeters) in some areas per year, a 2016 study found. Researchers have placed depleting groundwater as the reason behind the erosion. While Beijing is not a coastal city, it still relies heavily on groundwater as its main source of water. The extraction of this groundwater has led to dried up soil and compacting — leading to the sinking.
