International Programs

Coastlines around the world are becoming more crowded. Only 50 years ago, New York
City was the world's only mega city, with a population of over 10 million. Today there
are 17 mega cities around the world with 14 of those located in coastal areas.
Additionally, it is estimated that of the world's 292 cities with populations over 1 million
people, roughly 117 of those are located in coastal areas (Tibbetts, 2002). The heavy
population growth concentrated in the world's coastal cities creates a unique problem,
namely limited expansion possibilities. This paper explores efforts undertaken by both
Japan and the Netherlands to reclaim land and create artificial islands as an option for
coastal city expansion. The construction methods of the projects are examined followed
by a comparison of each nation's respective projects based on the following criteria: material, geography, safety, post-reclamation land use, maintenance, and environmental
impacts.