Artificial island
An artificial island or man-made island is constructed by people. The island was not formed by nature. Artificial islands may vary in size.
History
The creation of artificial islands has a long history, including
- 14th century: Tenochtitlan, the Aztec city in the same place as Mexico City
- 17th century: Dejima (or Deshima), created in the shape of a fan in the bay of Nagasaki during Japan's Edo period[1]
- 19th century: Ellis Island, in the harbor of New York City
- 20th century: Kansai International Airport in Osaka[2]
- 21st century: Palm Jumeirah in Dubai;[3] Fiery Cross Reef, Johnson South Reef, and Mischief Reef by China
Largest artificial islands
| # | Name | Size (km²) | Country or Emirate | Utilisation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flevopolder | 970 | Netherlands | towns, agriculture |
| 2 | Yas Island | 25 | Abu Dhabi | Yas Marina Circuit |
| 3 | Palm Jebel Ali | 8 | Dubai | |
| 4 | Chūbu Centrair International Airport | 6.8 | Japan | Airport |
| 5 | Palm Jumeirah [3] | 6.5[3] | Dubai | housing |
| 6 | Kansai International Airport | 4 | Japan | Airport |
Political status
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea treaty (UNCLOS), artificial islands are not considered harbor works (Article 11). Such islands are part of the nearest coastal state if the island is within 200 nautical miles (370 km) (Article 56).[4]
Artificial islands are not considered islands for purposes of having their own territorial waters or Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).[5]
Gallery
A view of Kansai International Airport from space
Artificial Island Media
The Flevopolder in the Netherlands is 970 km2 (375 sq mi) and is the largest island formed by reclaimed land in the world.
Reef Island off North Malaita
Artificial island construction process in Kaafu Atoll of Maldives in February 2019
A closer view of the Palm Jumeirah
Northstar Island, an artificial island for oil drilling in the Beaufort Sea
The Principality of Sealand's artificial island in the North Sea
Related pages
References
- ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Deshima (Dejima)" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 152.
- ↑ Nussbaum, "Kansai International Airport" at p. 477.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Luxhabitat.ae, Palm Jumeirah Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-6-10.
- ↑ UNCLOS and Agreement on Part XI - Preamble and frame index
- ↑ EEZ is an English acronym. EEZ stands for "Exclusive Economic Zone".
Other websites
Media related to Artificial islands at Wikimedia Commons