Kingdom of Sand: How Desert Engulfs Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Surreal and apocalyptic aerial photographs made by Australian photographer Irenaeus Herok show how the desert slowly but inevitably can "swallow up" highways and settlements in the Emirates.

The barren and desolate territory of the Emirates was settled at an incredible rate, for example, Dubai grew from an unremarkable port city to a vibrant metropolis in only several decades.

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Sand-covered roads in the United Arab Emirates.

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Sand-covered roads with trees in the United Arab Emirates.

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Sand-covered roads in the United Arab Emirates.

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Sand-covered roads show the struggle between man and nature in the United Arab Emirates.

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Clean roads with perfect geometry in the United Arab Emirates.

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A highway covered with sand in the United Arab Emirates.

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A highway covered with sand in the United Arab Emirates.

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A clean road with perfect geometry in the United Arab Emirates.

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Sand-covered roads with perfect geometry in the United Arab Emirates.

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A highway covered with sand in the United Arab Emirates.

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Sand-covered roads with perfect geometry in the United Arab Emirates.

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Sand-covered roads with perfect geometry in the United Arab Emirates.

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A highway covered with sand in the United Arab Emirates.

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Clean roads with perfect geometry in the United Arab Emirates.

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A road with a purple roundabout in the desert in the United Arab Emirates.