The World (
World Islands), Dubai – Also located in Dubai, the world is an artificial archipelago of various small islands constructed in the rough shape of a world map, located 4.0 kilometres (2.5 mi) off the coast. The World islands are composed mainly of sand dredged from Dubai’s shallow coastal waters. The project was originally conceived by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai. Islands in the archipelago range from 14,000 to 42,000 square metres (150,000 to 450,000 sq ft) in area. Distances between islands average 100 metres (330 ft); they are constructed from 321 million cubic metres of sand and 31 million tons of rock. The World’s overall development costs were estimated at $14 billion.
