Featured Image Credit: MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP/Getty Images
Dubai is famous for its economic wealth and affluent lifestyles.
Whether it's the construction of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, or hosting many prosperous celebrities, Dubai never fails to surpass the rest of the world.
Just off Dubai's white sandy coast are futuristic, man-made islands that were created using huge amounts of sand from the Persian Gulf.
Spanning five miles, the artificial development known as the 'World Islands project' consists of 300 empty islands, each ranging from 250,000 to 900,000 sq ft.
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Despite the billions of dollars and a vast amount of effort put into it, the project does not reflect a bustling island paradise.
It's more like a ghost town - well, ghost island.
The 300 islands now stand as a result of a billion-dollar idea that never really materialised.
Designed to resemble miniature versions of the seven world continents from an aerial view, the islands are split up to represent each country.
The purpose of the project was to provide the super-rich with an exclusive experience, allowing them to explore different islands and cultures all within the confines of Dubai.
From the start, the project attracted the attention of several millionaires like Richard Branson, the late Karl Lagerfeld, and Michael Schumacher, all of whom visited some of these secluded islands.
However, back in 2008, the United Arab Emirates economy was in trouble and the real estate sector was brought down with it, so the entire project came to a grinding halt.
An estimated $300 billion worth of projects were scaled down, put on hold, or cancelled altogether, and it ended up becoming an unfortunate fate for one of the world's most ambitious projects.
Only one island came out complete on the back of the crisis and is now open to the public, which is Lebanon Island.
Fortunately, the islands hasn't closes the doors altogether to tourists, as Dubai still remains a tourist hotspot for many.
Now 'The Heart of Europe' project is rumoured to recommended the World Island project offering to bring tourists to Dubai and have them experience island hopping in different European destinations.
Every island in the Europe group is set to have a series of luxury hotels, private mansions and floating villas either built or planned on them.
The Heart of Europe website noted: 'We combine the best of European culture, architecture, and hospitality with the luxury and innovation of the Emirates and the white, sandy beaches of tropical islands.
'The Heart of Europe offers novel experiences, from underwater living to the climate controlled Raining Street.'
The project is expected to be completed by 2026, costing a grand total of $5 billion.
