Celebs Take Over The World in Dubai

Never let it be said that celebrities don’t know how to play the media game to their full advantage. One star couple who are more media savvy than most is the pairing of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt who, it has been reported, have bought one of the exclusive reclaimed islands that make up the super-development of The World in Dubai, an iconic project widely regarded as one of the most ambitious construction undertakings of modern times.

According to celebrity gossip website Ahlanlive.com , this celebrity acquisition won’t be an exclusive getaway retreat for the tabloid couple: they apparently intend to use the island of Ethiopia to showcase environmental issues and encourage people to live a greener life. The World development itself is progressing rapidly with most of the 300 man-made islands taking shape as the satellite image released earlier this year to celebrate its 4th anniversary since its launch back in 2003.

Situated 4kms off the coast of Dubai and measuring 9kms wide and 7kms long, The World today is 94% reclaimed, while 45% of the islands have been sold. Constructed by state-owned developer Nakheel, it is possibly the most extravagant of the projects reclaiming land from the Persian Gulf, even by the standards of the booming Emirate of Dubai and, although Nakheel have always been discreet in not identifying buyers, it is thought that David Beckham, Richard Branson and Rod Stewart are already owners. Shanghai Island was sold last month to Mr. Bin Hu, a prominent Chinese businessman and director of real estate developer, Zhongzhou International Holding Group. The island, which is 322,000 square foot in size, was sold for US $28 million.