How artificial islands are created (6 photos + 1 video)
People build new lands to save themselves from flooding and from lack of land. Creating such islands can take years of hard work. Do you know how the technology works? 
There are several ways to create artificial islands. One of them is hydro-reclamation. It involves creating land by laying soil, sand or other building materials on the seabed.
Dredgers collect sand from the ocean floor and deliver it to the site, where it is molded and compacted, and the shores are reinforced with stone or concrete.
Creating artificial islands is a long and expensive process, especially in deep or open waters. 
Palm Jumeirah in Dubai is the most famous man-made island.
The published video describes in detail the process of creating artificial islands and surprised some users.
"I felt uneasy," wrote Enna Snow.
"Impressive, but all this is sad. We are playing God, but in fact we are destroying ourselves," said another user.
A third added: "Crazy! How much harm does this cause to the seabed!"
Dubai's famous Palm Jumeirah was built as a result of a large-scale project: 120 million cubic meters of sand from the seabed and 7 million tons of rock from the nearby Hajar Mountains were used.
Then a crescent-shaped breakwater was built to protect the island from the waves and currents of the Persian Gulf. Construction took six years and cost $12 billion.
Today, 1,500 beachfront mansions are located on the 17 "branches" of the island, and another 6,000 apartments are on the "trunk".
The creation of artificial islands has raised concerns about the potential harm to the environment.
Dredging, the process of removing sand from the seabed, can destroy coral reefs and harm marine life. It also increases water turbidity, blocking sunlight that corals and algae need to photosynthesise. In addition, artificial islands can alter natural coastlines by disrupting currents.
An aerial view of Colombo, Sri Lanka, where an artificial island called Port City is being built off the coast
An $11 billion port city is being built in Colombo, the capital of the island nation of Sri Lanka. Reclamation has created a new stretch of coastline, and developers are planning to turn it into a hub for international business.
Artistic rendering of what Port City might look like
