The Palm Islands

The largest artificial islands in the world sit off the coast of Dubai in the Arabian Gulf. Collectively, the Palm Islands are considered by some to be an Eighth Wonder of the World. Developed by UAE-based Nakheel Properties, this triad of islands includes the Palm Jumeirah, Palm Deira, and Palm Jebel Ali. Made with hundreds of millions of cubic meters of reclaimed land from the bottom of the Gulf, the islands are each designed in the shape of a palm tree with a trunk, fronds, and crescent, adding a total of 520km (323 miles) of coastline to Dubai.

The Palm Jumeirah is the first island to have opened, and includes a 2kmlong (11⁄4-mile) “trunk,” 17 fronds, and an 11km (7-mile) crescent that surrounds the island, creating a breakwater. Residents are already moving into their luxury homes, and 30 beachfront hotels are being built, including an Atlantis Resort at the apex of the island’s crescent. The Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira, which will be much larger than the first island, are still under construction and will take another decade to complete. Bridges attach the islands to the mainland, and each will house multimillion dollar villas, luxury condos, private marinas, and retail and entertainment centers. Environmentalists worry about damage to surrounding marine habitats, and there’s no doubt the enormous Palm Island projects have altered the ecology.