Land always retains its value. That’s because space is limited. But there are property developers who aren’t restrained by these limitations, and think outside the box – by creating land itself. Artificial islands are the result, and they look stunning.

Here we take a look at 5 of the most beautiful man-made islands in the world. In reverse order, we travel the globe looking at new, artificial wonders that prove architecture isn’t just about buildings, but the land they sit upon too.

5. Peberholm

Peberholm is a small artificial island in the Danish part of the Øresund strait, created as part of the Øresund Bridge connecting Denmark with Sweden.

Interestingly, scientists predicted that nature would colonize the island and flourish on its own, without any human interaction whatsoever. As of June 2007, scientists from the Biological Society of Lund had registered 454 species of plants on the island.

4. Amwaj Islands

The Amwaj Islands are a group of man-made islands located in the Persian Gulf to the northeast of Bahrain.

The Islands contain residential, commercial,  hotel and retail buildings, as well as a marina. Other facilities include a school, university, hospital, fuel station, theme parks and a dining and café precinct.

3. The Pearl-Qatar

The Pearl-Qatar in Doha, Qatar, is an artificial island spanning nearly four million square metres. Once fully completed, The Pearl will create over 32 kilometres of new coastline, for use as a residential estate with an expected 18,831 dwellings and 45,000 residents by 2018.

2. Palm Island

The Palm Islands are artificial islands constructed from sand dredged from the bottom of the Persian Gulf. For the precise shape of the island, sand is sprayed from dredging ships, guided by GPS, onto the required area.

Unfortunately, construction had a significant impact on the surrounding environment, resulting in changes to area wildlife, coastal erosion, alongshore sediment transport and wave patterns.

1. The World Islands

The World Islands are a set of artificial islands in the rough shape of a world map, located adjacent to Palm Islands.

Construction began in 2003, only to halt due to the 2008 financial crisis. Though 60 percent of the islands had been sold off to private contractors back in 2008, development on most of these islands has failed to continue.

So if you’re looking for a manmade opportunity, this may be the one for you!