9 Man-made Islands and the beauty of our creation

They stand as a testament to how far humanity has come in terms of science and ingenious architecture. Man-made islands have a rippling story to tell. They are living proof that a little bit of water won’t get in our way.

Man-made islands, or artificial islands, are ones made by man rather than created by nature. They can be created by expanding on existing islets or constructing on reefs. Or even by bringing together several islets to form one island.

Though they may seem like a modern creation, man-made islands actually date back to the Ancient Egyptians and prehistoric Scotland and Ireland. Even the ancient Nan Madol city that dates back to the 17th century was a man-made island.

Throughout history, mankind has found it necessary to expand its territory over land and sea. Today, however, it is not only a matter of expansion. It is, of course, a means to showcase exquisite design concepts and architecture.

From shore to shore, we bring you today the 9 most mind-blowing man-made islands.

1. The World Islands, Dubai, UAE

Of course, Dubai makes it to the top of our list with its own version of the world we live in. It isn’t enough for this booming state to construct islands. It went one step further and created the entire world.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, originally came up with the idea that is now a group of small islands that sit in the shape of the world map. The project has an estimated cost of about $14 billion. Each of the islands ranges from 14,000 to 42,000 square meters.

2. Tokyo Disneyland Japan

Japan is an archipelago that is made up of 6,852 islands (yes, you read that number correctly). It has also created the largest number of man-made islands in the world.

One of Japan’s many impressive islands is in Urayasu, Chiba. It houses Tokyo Disneyland, the first Disneyland outside the USA. The island also features five hotels and four airports.

3. The Palm Islands, Dubai, UAE

Dubai does it once again with Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, and Palm Deira. All appropriately named after their close resemblance to a majestic Palm tree.

The Palm Jumeirah is the first and smallest of the set. The remaining two islands, while still under construction, are expected to bring as much awe as the original.

4. Île aux Cygnes, France

This quaint artificial island dates back to 1827. The island was built to protect the port of Grenelle. There are three bridges connecting it to the mainland, as well as a tree-lined walkway.

Île aux Cygnes also boasts a Statue of Liberty replica facing the original in New York. As well as a public workout space with bicycles and a climbing wall.

5. Amwaj Islands, Bahrain

Bahrain’s Amwaj Islands is another entry from the GCC. The first project to offer 100% ownership to non-locals was reclaimed from the country’s shallow seas.

Spanning almost 3 million square meters, Amwaj Islands come with their very own 240-meter diameter circular marina.

6. Peberholm, Öresund strait

In the Danish part of the Öresund strait sits the artificial island of Peberholm. It is part of the Öresund Bridge that connects Denmark and Sweden.

Peberholm is only visited by biologists annually, unlike the previously listed islands which serve as residential and commercial islands. Mainly constructed to be a crossover point, the biologists’ mission is to protect the island’s ecology.

7. The Venetian Islands, Florida, USA

The Venetian Islands project is located in Biscayne Bay. It is connected by bridges from the Miami mainland to Miami Beach. 6 inhabited islands and the Flagler Monument, an island reserved for picnics, make up the man-made islands.

8. Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Yas Island is the second largest man-made island in the world, though it is less impressive in architectural design than Dubai’s artificial islands. At 25 square kilometers, the island has the world’s fastest rollercoaster.

It has also hosted the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2009. Moreover, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi are currently underway and will be open in the upcoming years.

9. Flevopolder, Flevoland, Netherlands

The last entry on our list is actually the world’s largest man-made island. It measures 970 square kilometers and is home to about 400,000 inhabitants. Surrounded by lakes, the 1island supports agriculture and tourism in the Netherlands.