Normally when someone says they want to see the world, they’re referring to the globe itself. But now you can say the exact same thing and be talking about an incredible project that has taken place in Dubai.

Most people have heard about the Palm Islands in Dubai, spreading out from the mainland like a palm tree when seen from the air. But the World is not as well known – at least not yet. That is all set to change when news of the development becomes more widespread.

The idea – as it was with the Palm Islands – is an innovative one. The idea is to reclaim more land from the sea. But this time the islands created are in the shape of the world, with every island forming a different country or part of a country. To say this is an ambitious project is to be responsible for perhaps the biggest understatement possible.

So where can you find the World? Well it is be situated between Palm Jumeirah and Palm Diera. But unlike these two Palms, the World is not attached to the mainland. Instead it is a short distance out at sea, providing an intriguing addition to the reclamation work going on in Dubai.

It is too early yet to see how the future of the World will pan out. Each island is available for purchase separately by major investors. The idea is presumably that each one will have hotels and other major attractions on it, leading to an income from tourism from each one. But as they are all available to be purchased and developed on separately, the future of the World is just as interesting as the future of, er, the world (i.e. the globe as a whole).

The World is undoubtedly Dubai’s most ambitious project yet. It is fascinating to see what the future will hold for the World, as it continues to develop. Perhaps in years to come it will be as much of a success as Palm Jumeirah and the other Palms in the area. But this is undoubtedly a lot more ambitious.