The world has followed with admiration, but also with disapproval for the environmental consequences, the construction of the spectacular artificial Palm Islands in Dubai. The issue has become a topic of debate again because recently, in a part of the Pacific Ocean, more precisely in the South China Sea, it was possible to discover a new group of islands that were not generated by a natural process, but were built by the Chinese government.
However, these are not the first artificial islands in the world.
The challenge of building an artificial island
Island building dates back to prehistoric times: in ancient Egypt, Ireland, Scotland and Mexico it is a common phenomenon. In the past, in fact, floating structures built in shallow waters were the norm. Over time, however, needs have evolved and new artificial islands have continued to flourish all over the world: we now see more and more giant archipelagos, concrete atolls, oil platforms.
They have been – and still are – used:
- for ceremonial purposes,
- to create isolated spaces for airports,
- to enlarge existing buildings,
- to accommodate densely populated colonies.
These are artificial structures that are not created by natural forces. However, they can extend over existing islands, combine several small islands, or build and consolidate natural reef formations.
While the first islands were mainly floating structures, new projects concern areas where the seabed is shallow or use the technique of land removed from the sea. But that's not all: in recent years, the design of an artificial island represents for many cities the possibility of expanding into the sea or surrounding waters, and of having new establishments and activities beyond the urban limits.
- Artificial islands can alter wave motion and cause coastal erosion. They also destroy marine habitats and threaten the existence of many marine species.
The case of Chinese artificial islands
The Chinese action that literally changed the geographical configuration and appearance of the South China Sea has generated two types of consequences:
- The first is environmental and natural, due to the destruction of coral reefs and the extraction of rock materials from the depths of the sea.
- The second, of a geopolitical nature, is due to the fact that it created real new territories under the command of the Chinese government.
For these reasons, China has decided in recent years to destroy the vast and magnificent coral reefs present, by taking sand and rock from the seabed and pumping this material into natural artificial reefs to form new islands.
The impact of Flevopolder in Holland
For two millennia, the Dutch have been expanding Holland, in an area that is an estuary. They have tried to reclaim land from the North Sea by creating dikes to keep the water out, or by draining lakes, to produce land called polders. The process has been slow and has had setbacks when the sea has flooded the areas. These polders are kept dry by pumping water, because their height has not been increased.
However, the 970-square-kilometre island is now the 12th province of the Netherlands and has 400 inhabitants. It supports agriculture and tourism. It has shipyards dating back to the Dutch East India Company and even a nature reserve.
- The largest island in the world is the Canadian island of René-Levasseur, in Quebec, artificially created by the Manicouagan reservoir, with an area of more than two thousand square kilometers. The island was born from the impact of a meteorite that hit the planet about 215 million years ago.
The Islands of Asia
In addition to the 6 islands that make up their archipelago, the Japanese have created more artificial islands than any other country. Four of them are ranked among the ten largest man-made structures. Of these four islands, two serve as international airports. Kansai was the first airport to be built on an artificial island, followed by Chubu Centrair. Rokko Island, a one-year project, was completed in 852 and offers spaces for living, working, playing and studying.
On the other hand, Hong Kong added 75% of land through land reclamation to expand the existing natural island of Chek Lap Kok to make room for its international airport. Willingdon Island was also built by expanding a small natural islet in Lake Kochi in the southern Indian state of Kerala. The sand used for its construction was obtained when the lake waters were dredged for the construction of the Port of Kochi. It is part of a major maritime trading base.
