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The tallest sky-scraper in the world, the first underwater hotel, the biggest artificial islands of the planet, the place where 25% of the world’s cranes are concentrated. These are some of the records achieved or that will be achieved by a city that 15 years ago was surrounded by sand, an arid city with no personality.
Dubai is the dream of the billionaire petrol moguls aware that soon the oil tap will close, faraonic projects becoming a reality.
According to specialists Dubai’s oil reserves will be almost exhausted by the year 2010. The solution for a town situated in the middle of desert, free of other natural resources, seems to be tourism. A business venture that requires amounts of money only sheics and the billionaires have.

Dubai as a tourist attraction is the dream of Prince Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the president of Development and Investments Authority. His plan is one on the extent of available funds: attracting a number no less than 15 million tourists annually starting from the year 2010, the date on which is stipulated that the oil reserves of this state will be exhausted.

The sheics dream seems to be supported by figures. In 2007 Dubai attracted 6.45 million foreign tourists.
These are just some of the fabulous projects completed or nearing completion that you can find in Dubai:

The Burj al Arab
Burj al Arab is the tallest hotel in the world, with over 300 meters. It has also been called the world’s ”first 7 star hotel” containing luxury worthy of a sultan. Initial plans have started on the idea that the project will become what the Opera building is for Sydney or the Eiffel Tower for Paris. And they seem to have succeeded. Built on an artificial island, located approximately 200 meters from the coast, Burj Al Arab is among the most expensive hotels in the world, the cheapest apartment building is at 1000 dollars per night and the most expensive costs 30.000 dollars per night.

The World
The World represents another huge project being finalized. It is an artificially created chain of islands designed to simbolize the continents of the world. A real estate project in which customers can buy island properties bearing the name of the world’s countries.
The World consists of about 300 man-made islands, each having between 23 and 83 thousand square meters, separated by water surfaces between 50 and 2000 meters. The average price of properties will be of 25 million U.S. dollars, the entire cost of the project beeing estimated at 2.5 billion dollars. Among celebritatile who have already announced purchasing an island in the project which will be complete in 2008 include Rod Steward, Michael Schumacher and David Becham.

The Palm Jumeirah
Jumeirah is one of the largest artificial islands in the world, a real estate project developed near the coasts od Dubai by the same company that is building The World. It is the first island of a project which calls for the construction of three islands in the shape of a palm, Jumeriah beeing the smallest, the largest beeing the size of Paris. The three islands will add another 520 km in length to Dubais coastline.
Palm Jumeirah consists of a main island, representing the trunk of the palm, plus another 17 representing the fronds and finally round the island the crescent. The arhipelago lies on an area of approximately 25 square kilometers - about 800 football fields - and is connected to the city itself by a 300 meters long bridge.
Hydropolis
Hydropolis, self proclaimed “The first 10-star Hotel”,is a building located entirely below sea level. It is the most ambitious architectural project in Dubai, with costs estimated at over 500 million U.S. dollars.
Stretching on a surface of 10 hectares, Hydropolis will have over 220 apartments located at 20 meters bellow sea level. Virtually every room will have the marine life for a view. This project started construction in 2007 and the completion date is yet unknown.

These are just some of the mega projects of Dubai, whit new projects beeing anounced almost every month.

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