In one of the most ambitious civil engineering projects ever, the United Arab Emirates company, Nakheel Properties is constructing four enormous man-made islands off the coast of Dubai.

Three islands are in the shape of a palm tree with a number of fronds radiating from a central trunk and capped by a crescent which doubles as a breakwater. They will each house a number of residential homes plus hotels and entertainment complexes.

Dubai is the second largest of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirate states.

It is a cosmopolitan country with a mixture of traditional Arabian heritage and culture like the bustling souks and bazaars merged with Western influences, like the new American style shopping malls, towering skyscrapers and theme parks.

Six million people visited Dubai in 2006 and this number is expected to double by 2010.