SAN FRANCISCO--For almost anyone who's visited Baghdad by the Bay, a ride on one of the city's iconic cable cars is pretty much a must. What most people don't know, however, is that, once upon a time, ...

The country is in the middle of a cable-car bonanza, much of it driven by the over-the-top developments of the Sun Group, which feature giant Buddhas, ersatz European enclaves and selfie spots galore.

The systems have been especially successful in Latin America, where massive cities and dramatic landscapes make building roads, rail lines and subway tunnels difficult. Mi Teléferico, shown here, ...