Incredible time-lapse shows Dubai's growth over 30 years

A stunning time-lapse video taken from space has shown how Dubai has evolved over the last three decades.

Satellite images strung together show how Dubai has developed on land - and the sea - with landmarks such as the Palm Jumeirah sprouting out of nothing.

The images are part of a project by Google and Time magazine that shows how the world from Dubai to Shanghai has changed in the last 30 years.

In a report, Time Magazine said: "Not content with simply building in the desert, over the past couple of decades Dubai has built out into the sea. Sand dredged from the seafloor has been used to create artificial islands of recognizable shapes — including a pair of palm trees. In the lower-right corner of the Timelapse images, areas of empty sand are filled up with new buildings, as the city grows further and further away from the sea, pushing into the desert."

CHANGING FACE OF EARTH

The interactive project compiles millions of satellite images taken by NASA's Landsat satellites, which continuously orbit the earth.

"Today, we're making it possible for you to go back in time and get a stunning historical perspective on the changes to the Earth’s surface over time," Google announced in a blog post.

"View stunning phenomena such as the sprouting of Dubai’s artificial Palm Islands, the retreat of Alaska’s Columbia Glacier, the deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon and urban growth in Las Vegas from 1984 to 2012," Google said.

The images also show how irrigation projects in Saudi Arabia have changed the Kingdom's landscape, as well as Las Vegas' urban growth.

VIDEO: Learn more about the project here: