The recreation of an authentic miniature world was the obsession of a few millionaires who wanted to form the different countries of the planet on small plots of land. However, this small world remained halfway, and the plan to have access to the entire planet of Dubai became nothing more than an illusion.
This project was called The World and involved the creation of a luxury complex that comprises 300 artificial islands in the city, which was inaugurated in 2003 but abandoned due to lack of viability. This space of islands required the investment of a large number of millionaires who left them alone and to their fate since 2008.
How is the miniature world that was left ownerless?
The original plan for this ambitious project was to replicate the most important countries in the world on small islands that would bear their corresponding names. This way, one could experience the United States, Italy, or Australia just a few kilometers from Dubai. The truth is that this program aimed to reduce the city’s dependence on oil revenues.
The company responsible for this idea was called Nakheel Projects, which invested millions in the construction of the islands, although it did not achieve the intended success. The initial investment in the project was around 14 billion euros, with the idea being to build islands ranging from about 1.4 to 4.2 hectares. To this end, the construction company used 321 million cubic meters of sand and 386 million tons of stone, which was left abandoned because many of them were not attended to by their owners.
The decline of the world: what happened to the abandoned islands
These projects involved a negligible investment with a figure estimated at around 300 billion euros. The truth is that, in 2008, this was forgotten and only a few were built. The lands faded into obscurity during that time until a construction company set its sights on them to begin another ambitious project.
In 2021, Anantara World Islands Resort showed interest in the southern part of this cluster of islands, intending to carry out the Heart of Europe Project, which promises luxury hotels, private mansions, and floating villas among the islands. Although nothing is confirmed yet, this paradise remains in limbo, waiting for the arrival of this company that will finally provide the luxury destination everyone expects to find in Dubai.
