WhatFinger


Minature world, Dubai

The World… 2.0



Once in a while, you come across something so completely bizarre and fantastic, that it just blows your mind. And though I’m sitting here listening to Tay Zonday’s deep voice, that isn’t what’s blowing my mind. What is though is the fact that someone is building a miniature version of our planet off the coast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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‘The World’ is a series of artificial island projects that are being designed, and is being built primarily from dredged sand. An oval breakwater surrounds the islands, which are laid out to look like a flat map of the planet. This is, of course, a commercial venture, providing the wealthy the opportunity to own their small part of the world… sorry. In the end, anyone who owns an island will be able to shape it accordingly. And though limited by the restrictions of ‘The World’, with plots including water areas, sand can be moved around to suit the owner’s whims. So far plots of land (or sand) are being sold for between 15 and 45 million USD. Names such as Richard Branson, Vijay Singh, and Michael Schumacher have been linked to the project, along with Rod Stewart, David Beckham and Tommy Lee (a present for Pam). The idea is the brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, and being put in to effect by Nakheel Properties. The ‘Ireland’ island will apparently be transformed in to a massive Irish themed venue, and the 14 islands that make up Australia and New Zealand have been picked up by Investment Dar, to be turned into a resort named OQYANA. Other such projects in the vicinity include the Palm Islands which, as the name suggests, are laid out in the shape of giant palm trees. Using the same dredged sand construction, the Palm Islands are being constructed for commercial and residential infrastructure to be later installed upon them. The entire process is expected to be finished by the end of 2007, and owners will be able to start imprinting their own impressions upon their new islands as early as next year. Words alone cannot describe just how beautiful these islands look, and just what it is they are proposing. 14 islands alone make up Australia and New Zealand, so picture the total 300 islands all spread out, as if the last oasis on earth was finally found. Or, just head over to the official site, A Geek’s-Geek from Melbourne, Australia, Josh is an aspiring author with dreams of publishing his epic fantasy, currently in the works, sometime in the next 5 years. A techie, nerd, sci-fi nut and bookworm


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