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Hong Kong's big plans - The artificial island is planned to cover 10 sq km (3.9 sq miles) of reclaimed land near Lantau, the largest island in Hong Kong.

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The problem - Hong Kong, home to 7.4 million people, is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, and the combination of high demand and short supply have driven housing prices far past affordability.

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A solution? - The plan is reportedly to build up to 260,000 residential units on the island, 70% of which would be reserved for public housing.

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Under fire -

Organizations like Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund argue the project overlooks cheaper and less environmentally detrimental solutions to land shortage, including the development of brownfield sites (land formerly used for industrial sites).

Now let's see how the proposed 10 sq km (3.9 sq miles) island measures up to the other man-made islands on this list.

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The Pearl-Qatar, Qatar - Nearly 4 sq km (1.5 sq miles) of luxurious living is on offer in the artificial island of The Pearl-Qatar. Raised on one of Qatar's most important pearl diving sites, the island is supposedly host to over 18,000 dwellings.

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The Pearl-Qatar, Qatar - Housing ranges from apartments and townhouses to villas and luxury hotels, along with award-winning marinas and over 30 km (18.6 miles) of beautiful coastline.

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Willingdon Island, India - In Kochi Port, Kerala, you'll find a 3.9-sq-km (1.5-sq-mile) artificial island that was built in 1936 to serve as a naval base. Now, it also houses some of the best hotels, commercial, and industrial buildings of the district.

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Willingdon Island, India - The island was constructed by enlarging a natural small islet in the Lake of Kochi with sand that was obtained when the backwaters of the lake were dredged to build the port at Kochi. It is part of an important maritime commercial base.

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Amwaj Islands, Bahrain - This 4.3-sq-km (1.7-sq-mile) waterside development in the Persian Gulf was built to increase the supply of waterfront property, and now contains commercial, residential, and retail buildings, as well as theme parks, a hospital, a university, and a dining precinct.

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Amwaj Islands, Bahrain - Reclaimed from the relatively shallow seas, one of the highlights of this residential paradise is the Floating City, where the houses are surrounded by water channels, ideal for keeping boats.

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Port Island, Japan - Not satisfied with the 6,852 islands already in their archipelago, the Japanese have created more artificial islands than any other country, including the 5.2-sq-km (2-sq-mile) Port Island in Kobe.

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Port Island, Japan - Finished in 1981 after 15 years of construction, the island is home to a container port as well as the new Kobe Airport. It hosts about 15,000 people, who live in apartment buildings on the island, and has Japan's largest IKEA store, among other attractions.

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Fundão Island, Brazil - Located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, this 5.2-sq-km (2-sq-mile) artificial island largely plays host to the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. The island was reportedly created in 1950 by uniting existing islands through embankment techniques.

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Rokko Island, Japan - This 5.8-sq-km (2.2-sq-mile) man-made island in Kobe was a 20-year long project that ended in 1992, and was meant to be a new urban "utopia" into which the city's inhabitants and businesses could expand.

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Rokko Island, Japan - Though it does provides space for residence, working, recreation, and study, a nation-wide economic crisis and a devastating earthquake have reportedly stunted its ability to reach its full potential.

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Palm Jumeirah, UAE - One of the famed palm islands in Dubai, this 6.5-sq-km (2.5-sq-mile) archipelago resembles a palm tree within a circle. Palm Jumeirah was built in the early 21st century, with only sand and stones and no artificial building material like steel or concrete.

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Palm Jumeirah, UAE - Palm Jumeirah was largely financed by Dubai's substantial income from petroleum, and though it's now a world-famous tourist attraction, it was created to serve as luxurious real estate for billionaires.

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Palm Jumeirah, UAE - On the artificial island you can also find more than 500 km (310 miles) of artificial beach, created by spraying sand dredged from the Gulf of Persia.

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Chubu Centrair International Airport, Japan - This first class airport, built on a 6.8-sq-km (2.6-sq-mile) artificial island in Tokoname City, is just one of Japan's five offshore airports.

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Chubu Centrair International Airport, Japan - A number of environmental protection measures were taken, and the island's shores were sloped and partially constructed with natural rocks to help marine life set up colonies.

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Palm Jebel Ali, UAE - Dubai's 8-sq-km (3-sq-mile) cluster of artificial islands began construction in October 2002, and though it was planned to be completed by 2008, it has been put on hold. However, it's still easily recognizable from space!

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Palm Jebel Ali, UAE - The island is larger than the Palm Jumeirah, and is supposed to include six marinas, a water theme park, residences for 250,000 people, and boardwalks that spell out an Arabic poem by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

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Hong Kong International Airport - Hong Kong reportedly added 75% of land to expand the existing Chek Lap Kok island, putting it at 9.4 sq km (3.6 sq miles), and making space for its international airport.

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Hong Kong International Airport - The airport is one of the largest enclosed public spaces on Earth. Since it was opened in 1998, it has become an important passenger hub and the busiest cargo gateway in the world.

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Kansai International Airport, Japan - Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and opened in 1994, Japan's Kansai International Airport is situated on a 10.7-sq-km (4.1-sq-mile) man-made island in Osaka Bay.

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Kansai International Airport, Japan - Built to relieve the overcrowded Osaka Airport, Kansai has now become an international hub, and it was also the first airport to be built on an artificial island.

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Yas Island, UAE - Located in Abu Dhabi, this 25-sq-km (9.7-sq-mile) artificial island can easily be reached by boat, plane, or even car, which has enabled it to become a hot tourist spot.

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Yas Island, UAE - The island offers a plethora of attractions, from water sports, concerts, and racing events to luxury hotels, spas, and fine-dining. It's also home to the Ferrari World Park, Yas Waterworld, the Yas Marina Circuit, and the Yas Links golf court.

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Flevopolder, Netherlands - The Dutch have been protecting and expanding Holland's land for over two millennia, and through a persistent process of draining lakes and pumping water, they created the world's largest artificial island, ringing in at 970 sq km (374.5 sq miles)!

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Flevopolder, Netherlands - Flevopolder created the 12th province in the Netherlands, which supports agriculture and offers attractions, including shipyards dating back to the Dutch India Company and nature reserves.

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In the works: The World, UAE -

Dubai got tired of palm islands and decided to reinvent the world across an archipelago of 300 private islands in the shape of the continents. Using sand pulled from shallow coastal waters, the islands—covering a total area of 54 sq km (19.4 sq miles)—will be divided into four categories: private homes, estate homes, dream resorts, and community islands.

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In the works: The World, UAE - Development began in 2003, but halted in 2008 due to the financial crisis. It has slowly been starting up again since then. Each island will reportedly be sold to selected private developers for anywhere between US$7 million and US$1.8 billion.

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Honorable mention: The Venetian Islands, USA - Located in Florida is a chain of six artificial islands in Miami. The project was reportedly proposed to be much larger than what exists today, though it's home to a population of nearly 700, with bars, restaurants, coffee shops, schools, and parks.

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While the islands might be impressive… -

While they're good for commerce, they come at a high environmental cost. Changing wave action could result in coastal erosion, and the destruction of marine habitats threatens the existence of many species.

So if you'd rather go with a more natural alternative, consider visiting these idyllic islands of the Mediterranean.

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