World's 10 biggest shopping malls

From Mumbai to Shanghai to California, shopping malls are sprouting up by the dozens every year. And with the retail sector booming, more such swanky shopping plazas are waiting to be built. But all is not as bright as it is projected to be.

While footfalls in most malls are increasing by the day, the volume of actual sale remains more or less static, barring the festive seasons, when sales shoot up. But this too is restricted to select outletss.

However, there is no denying that shopping malls have become an indispensable part of our lives, today.

To know more about the world's 10 biggest shopping malls (area wise), read on...

1. South China Mall

Located in Dongguan, this mall has leasable space for over 1,500 stores in approximately 6.5 million square-feet of total floor area.

It has seven zones modelled on: Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Venice, Egypt, the Caribbean, and California.

Although the mall opened in 2005, it still suffers from lack of retailers. Much of the retail space remains empty.

Analysts say that the main reason the mall is so far largely unoccupied is that it is located in the suburbs of Dongguan, which is not well connected by China's public transport system.

Image: A view of the South China Mall.