Once the symbol of American industrial might, Detroit has become the biggest US city to file for bankruptcy.
Littered with abandoned factories built in the post-war boom years, the first signs of decay set in as Japanese car manufacturers began cutting into sales.
As the automotive industry declined and workers pursued jobs elsewhere, the city’s neighbourhoods were gradually hollowed out, leaving swathes of abandoned buildings in its wake.
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The Packard Motor plant in Detroit, 1954
A car drives past the remains of the plant in 2008. It ceased production in the late 1950s
Now with more than $18 billion in long-term debt and liabilities, the city faces an uncertain future.
In these sobering pictures, we chronicle the changing face of Detroit.
