[1] The World's developer is Nakheel Properties, and the project was originally conceived by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.

Construction was done by two Dutch joint-venture specialist companies, Van Oord and Boskalis, who also created the Palm Jumeirah.

[1] Designed by Creative Kingdom Dubai, the development is an area that covers 6 by 9 kilometres (3.2 by 4.9 nmi) and is surrounded by an oval-shaped breakwater island.

[6] Each artificial island is named after its representative country, landmark, or region, such as France,[7] California,[8] Rio de Janeiro, Mount Everest,[9] Australia,[10] New Mexico,[11] Upernavik,[12] Buenos Aires,[13] New York,[14] Mexico,[15] Saint Petersburg,[16] São Paulo, and India.

[19] The Times reported in September 2009 that work on the World had been suspended due to the effects of the global financial crisis.

[23] Due to financial and technical problems, Penguin Marine, contracted to provide transportation to the archipelago, attempted to get out of the annual fees of $1.6 million paid to Nakheel properties.

[27] The second largest confirmed development is the purchase of 14 islands that make up Australia and New Zealand by Investment Dar of Kuwait.

[29] The plans included a large internal marina, apartments and villas, a gym, hotel, and an Irish-themed pub.

[30] In April 2008, Salya Corporation announced that it had acquired the islands of Finland and Brunei and planned to develop them into fashion-themed resorts.

[31] Safi Qurashi[32] at the head of Premier, and his business partner Mustafa Nagri, paid an estimated US$64 million for the 4.5-hectare (11-acre) piece of land; he was later convicted for non-payment of cheques and sentenced to seven years in jail.

[36] It is meant to create a fully immersive European experience, with outdoor snow[37] and stores accepting only the Euro as a currency.