Dubai, the biggest city in the UAE and a renowned tourist destination has many of the World's largest man-made islands. These islands of Dubai are designed to give additional coastline area and more retail, dining, living, and beachfront space, aiming to transform Dubai into one of the World's top tourist attractions.
In this guide, we will share the list of man-made islands in Dubai, including facts, history, and construction updates.
The man-made islands in Dubai were originally intended to extend the coastline of the emirate to support the emirate's economy against the sinking demand for oil. Dubai could easily rely on foreign investment and tourist revenue. For this reason, the emirate had to make the most of its precious coastal land. In addition to providing a natural solution to the problem, the artificial islands in Dubai enhanced Dubai's standing as an advanced, futuristic travel destination. Here is a list of man-made islands in Dubai;
Perhaps the most iconic. It has hotels, luxurious residential properties, and a variety of entertainment venues. Palm Jumeirah was the first of the man-made islands of Dubai to begin development, and for many years it was the only project completed.
Though it is almost 50% larger, the Palm Jebel Ali shares a similar shape to the Palm Jumeirah. Palm Jebel Ali's advantageous position is among its most appealing qualities. Connections to other areas of Dubai and the vibrant capital of Abu Dhabi are made possible by the Sheikh Zayed Road (E11), which passes through the property.
In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Bluewaters Island is one of the main man-made artificial islands in Dubai off the shore of Jumeirah Beach Residence. Dubai-based real estate developer Meraas Holding created it.
The World Islands are a group of smaller islands, each named after a country in the World, that are intended to represent the World in miniature. Imagine a three-dimensional (3D) map of the World made up of man-made islands, one for each continent. The World Islands, an ambitious project by Nakheel Properties, consists of seven island groups corresponding to Earth's continents.
Another project whose development stopped in 2008 was the Dubai Islands (formerly known as Deira Island). It was supposed to be almost eight times larger than Jumeirah and in the shape of a palm tree. In 2013, Nakheel decided to construct four smaller artificial islands in Dubai with about 5,000 stores and 100 eateries and cafés.
The idea and building of Palm Island continue to be important events in Dubai's history. In 2001, it all began with a bold vision. This idea came to pass after many years of rigorous planning and implementation. The 2008 financial crisis caused delays, but work on Dubai Island started up again in 2014. Let’s learn about the history of man-made islands in Dubai in detail:
The project was started in 2001 in response to Dubai's rapidly expanding tourism sector. A government-owned corporation called Nakheel Properties developed an island shaped like a palm tree to accommodate upscale resorts and hotels to meet requirements. After work was completed in 2007 and started in 2003, Palm Jumeirah developed into one of the most prominent man-made buildings in the world.
For this reason, Nakheel built Palm Jumeirah and enlisted the help of American architecture firm Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock to design the overall design. Basic infrastructure and land were ready by 2004. Palm Jumeirah construction began in 2001 and ended in 2006. Today, approximately 10,000 people reside in the 3.5-square-mile Palm Jumeirah.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, gave the project's development the go-ahead and started work on it in 2013. This project is located in Marina, one of Dubai's most popular neighborhoods, over 46,000,000 square meters of land. Due to the large number of modern residential buildings and residences constructed in this neighborhood, foreign and domestic investors are increasingly choosing to purchase real estate in Dubai Marina.
Bluewaters is ultimately intended to be a blue city. The island currently has a large number of residential buildings and complexes in addition to administrative, commercial, and entertainment venues.
The worldwide financial crisis of 2008 impacted many industries, including Dubai's real estate developers. The real estate market crashed due to the crisis, making it financially impossible for developers like Nakheel to continue construction. Nakheel's CEO stated in 2018 that the Palm Jebel Ali is a "long-term" project that will be considered again in the future.
Nakheel rebranded the project as Dubai Islands 2022. The Dubai Islands were developed into a waterfront residential, retail, and shopping area, with the addition of Deira Mall, the Deira Night Souk, and Deira Island Towers.
Millions of cubic meters of sand were found in Dubai's coastal districts and dumped to make the islands in the huge archipelagos, which are the result of a massive land reclamation operation. The deep sea bottoms, approximately six nautical miles offshore, provided the enormous quantities of sand needed to construct the islands. Large volumes of rock were extracted from several quarries located throughout Dubai to build the artificial islands.
There needs to be an indication that the trend of creating artificial islands in Dubai will disappear. However, rather than providing much-needed new accommodation for those displaced by increasing sea levels, these islands are providing the wealthy with yet another diversion.
A few islands are currently undergoing development to create upscale resorts and private estates. The seabed's rocks and sand were used to construct the islands. The total area is between 250,000 and nine hundred thousand square feet. The islands in the Persian Gulf cover an area of roughly 9 kilometers and are formed like a map of the World. Every island's architecture is meant to symbolize the nation or area it represents, giving visitors and residents an amazing experience.
Despite setbacks, efforts are being made to pick up where the development left off, with additional residential and entertainment facilities planned.
Several hotels and retail establishments are already open, and construction is ongoing. It is expected that the night market and shopping center will significantly improve Dubai's retail environment. The Palm Deira project was put on hold for six years following the 2007 construction suspension. The Deira Islands are the new name for the project, which Nakheel adopted in 2013. Leaving the palm tree shape aside, the Deira Islands were intended to be made up of three artificial islands. Dubai Islands replaced the previous names of Palm Deira and the Deira Islands in 2022.
Dubai has long been a real estate development hub, with structures like the Burj Khalifa, Museum of the Future, and Dubai Mall among its most inventive architectural achievements. The city's artificial archipelagos, which are in varying states of development and include Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Islands, Palm Jebel Ali, The World Islands, and Bluewaters Island, are equally fascinating. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE's prime minister, is the mastermind behind these enormous initiatives, which aim to expand Dubai's coastline and increase tourism.
Dubai is renowned for its bold achievements, and the variety of man-made islands is among the most impressive manifestations of these achievements. These mostly enhance the emirates' natural beauty and have a big impact on the thriving tourism and real estate industry in this vibrant city. The remarkable technological accomplishments of Dubai's man-made islands are evidence of the city's aspirations and inventiveness. Dubai is a constantly evolving international destination because of its variety of experiences, including sustainable living, cultural activities, and luxurious accommodations.
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