43. Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah is an engineering marvel visible from space. This man-made archipelago added over 50 miles of new coastline shaped like a palm tree. Constructing the artificial islands required over 70 million cubic meters of sand and rock. The Palm Jumeirah houses luxury beachfront resorts, homes, hotels, villas, and apartments across its 17 fronds.
This colossal human-engineered island took $12 billion and 10 years to complete. Homes on the Palm Jumeirah can cost thousands to millions per square foot. Water parks, aquariums, yacht marinas and shopping centers provide amenities for residents. While artificially conceived, Palm Jumeirah is now living, breathing proof of Dubai’s ability to create new land from scratch.