Major

land reclamation Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new land from oceans, seas, riverbeds or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamati ...

in the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...

, though a relatively recent phenomenon, has significantly changed the geography of some parts of the country. So basically Some of the largest land reclamation projects have occurred in the UAE. Multiple land reclamation projects, both completed, under construction, and planned, have changed the appearance of

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area. ...

, and other emirates.

History

Abu Dhabi One reclamation method used in

is filling in low-lying coastal salt flats. Several industrial areas have been built in these areas.

Yas Island Yas Island ( ar, جزيرة ياس) is an island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It occupies a total land area of . It is a popular leisure island and one of the top tourism projects in Abu Dhabi. Yas Island holds the Yas Marina Circuit, wh ...

Al Reem Island Reem Island ( ar, جزيرة الريم) is a natural island located 600 metres off the coast of Abu Dhabi island. It is a mixed purpose community with both residential, retail and commercial units. Development Sorouh Real Estate, now merged w ...

, and

Al Lulu Island Al Lulu Island ( ar, جزيرة اللؤلؤ; Pearl island) is a man-made island off the coast of Abu Dhabi island, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It stretches from the Abu Dhabi Breakwater to Mina Zayed. Al Lulu Island is only acce ...

are a few examples. Ajman There have been proposals to reclaim land from the sea in

Ajman Ajman ( ar, عجمان, '; Gulf Arabic: عيمان ʿymān) is the capital of the emirate of Ajman in the United Arab Emirates. It is the fifth-largest city in UAE after Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Al Ain. Located along the Persian Gulf, it is ...

. However, many have been rejected due to environmental concerns. Dubai Land reclamation in the

emirate of Dubai The Emirate of Dubai ( ar, إمارة دبيّ; pr. ) is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates. It is the most populous emirate of the United Arab Emirates, UAE. The capital of the emirate is the eponymous city, Dubai. Geograp ...

has made it one of the most recognizable areas in the world. Dubai is perhaps most well known for land reclamation projects such as the

Palm Islands The Palm Islands are three artificial islands, Palm Jumeirah, Deira Island and Palm Jebel Ali, on the coast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Palm Islands were conceived around the same time as The World, another artificial island project in ...

, the

World Islands The World Islands (Arabic: جزر العالم; ''Juzur al-Ālam'') are an archipelago of small artificial islands constructed in the shape of a world map, located in the waters of the Persian Gulf, off the coast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. ...

, the

Dubai Marina Dubai Marina ( ar, مرسى دبي), aka Marsa Dubai, is a district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is an artificial canal city, built along a stretch of Persian Gulf shoreline. As of 2018, it has a population of 55,052. When the entire develo ...

, and the

Burj Al Arab The Burj Al Arab ( ar, برج العرب, ''Arab Tower'') is a luxury hotel located in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Managed by Jumeirah hotel group, it is one of the tallest hotels in the world, although 39% of its total height ...

. Most major land reclamation projects in Dubai have occurred in the past fifteen years, and the Burj Al Arab hotel, which is built on a man-made island, was started in 1994 and completed in 1999. Ras Al Khaimah The emirate of

Ras Al Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) ( ar, رَأْس ٱلْخَيْمَة, historically Julfar) is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. It is the sixth-largest city in UAE after Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain ...

has also joined the race to build new land reclamation projects. Such projects include

Al Marjan Island Al Marjan Island is a group of 4 coral-shaped islands in a man-made archipelago located in Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, in the Persian Gulf. It is administered by the Al Marjan Island Company. Several resorts, beaches, tourism ...

and its

Real Madrid Resort Island Real Madrid Resort Island was a proposed sports and amusement park planned by Real Madrid on Marjan Island, a artificial island near Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. The project had a projected budget of $US 1 billion. In September 2013, ...

Geography

The

are located off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...

and will add 520 kilometers of beaches to the city of

Projects

* The World Islands * Burj Al Arab * Palm Jumeirah * Palm Jebel Ali * Palm Deira * Al Marjan Island * Yas Island * Al Reem Island * The Universe Islands * Port Rashid

Issues

There have been numerous environmental and economic concerns regarding the various land reclamation projects in the UAE. For example, extraction of rock and sand harms local environments and wildlife such as birds.

References

{{World topic , title =

, prefix = Land reclamation in , noredlinks = yes Coastal engineering Geography of the United Arab Emirates Land reclamation

History

Geography

Projects

Issues

See also

References