The Age of Islands

New islands are being built at an unprecedented rate whether for tourism or territorial ambition, while many islands are disappearing or fragmenting because of rising sea levels. It is a strange planetary spectacle, creating an ever-changing map which even Google Earth struggles to keep pace with.

In The Age of Islands, explorer and geographer Alastair Bonnett takes the reader on a compelling and thought-provoking tour of the world's newest, most fragile and beautiful islands and reveals what, he argues, is one of the great dramas of our time.

From a 'crannog', an ancient artificial island in a Scottish loch, to the militarized artificial islands China is building in the South China Sea; from the disappearing islands that remain the home of native Central Americans to the ritzy new islands of Dubai; from Hong Kong and the Isles of Scilly to islands far away and near: all have urgent stories to tell.

Introduction

Part One: Rising
1: Why We Build Islands
2: Flevopolder, The Netherlands
3: The World, Dubai
4: Chek Lap Kok, Airport Island, Hong Kong
5: Fiery Cross Reef, South China Sea
6: Phoenix Island, China
7: Ocean Reef, Panama
8: Natural, Overlooked and Accidental: Other New Islands
9: Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai, Tonga
10: The Accidental Islands of Pebble Lake, Hungary
11: Trash Islands

Part Two: Disappearing
12: Disappearing Islands
13: The San Blas Islands of Guna Yala, Panama
14: Tongatapu and Fafa, Tonga
15: The Isles of Scilly, UK

Part Three: Future
16: Future Islands
17: Seasteading
18: Dogger Bank Power Link Island, North Sea
19: East Lantau Metropolis, Hong Kong
20: Not an Ending