See how Dubai's coastline has changed over the last 32 years – timelapse

See how Dubai’s coastline has changed over the last 32 years – timelapse

December 1, 2016

The change is dramatic.

In 1984, the Dubai coastline was nearly untouched by development. In new timelapse footage, released by Google, change over 32 years is summed up in a 12-second loop.

In the first shot, the desert still makes up the bulk of the frame. By modern day, the now unmistakable Dubai coastline, with the Palm Jumeirah and World Islands clearly visible, has taken shape.

Timelapse is a global, zoomable video that lets viewers see how the Earth has changed over the past 32 years. It is made from 33 cloud-free annual mosaics, one for each year from 1984 to 2016. The new footage is part of an update that adds four more years of satellite imagery to the timelapses. The feature was initially launched in 2013.