In pictures: Megaprojects coming to the UAE

The Walk at JBR in Dubai is is undergoing a major refresher to further improve shoppers’ retail experience and to position it as a major tourist attraction for global visitors. Lee Hoagland / The National

A rendering of the planned renovations to The Walk JBR. Courtesy Dubai Properties Group

Preliminary engineering for the second stage of the Etihad Rail project has been completed. Contracts are set to be awarded this year to connect Musaffah in Abu Dhabi with Khalifa Port and Jebel Ali, and extend to the Saudi and Omani borders. The completed UAE rail network – set to span 1,200km – is part of a 2,000km GCC-wide rail project, due to be connected in 2018 and expected to require investment of about $100bn. WAM

Mohammed Bin Rashid City in Dubai will be located between Sheikh Zayed Road, Emirates Road and Al Khail Road and will encompass sprawling parkland, the largest shopping mall in the world, and will include more than 100 hotels and golf courses. Pictured, Sobha Hartland park. Courtesy Sobha Developers

Construction of the Dubai tram system was 90 per cent complete as of June, 2014. The tram network has 11 stations and work on the entire project is due to be completed in November. Razan Alzayani / The National

The Heart of Europe islands are part of The World Islands by Nakheel. Conceived a decade ago, The World project has remained largely dormant since the global financial crisis in 2009 as investors put their projects on hold or cancelled them altogether. But as the emirate’s property market has picked up again, Nakheel, the master developer of the project, has reported a return in investor interest. To date, Lebanon is the only island that has so far been developed commercially on The World. Courtesy Kleindienst Group

Emaar's opera house is the centrepiece of its new 500-acre cultural district close to the Burj Khalifa in Downtown Dubai. Emaar said the cultural district would include a modern art museum, galleries, two “art hotels”, flats and serviced apartments, a retail plaza, restaurants, waterfront promenades, recreational spaces and parks. The opera house is due to open in 2015. Sarah Dea / The National

The Midfield Terminal building is destined to become the gateway to Abu Dhabi and the future home of Etihad Airways. In its first year of operation, the planned capacity of the facility is expected to reach 30 million passengers. The terminal is on track to open in the summer of 2017, with work underway to link to the Etihad Rail project. More than 18,000 workers, 42 tower cranes and 35 mobile cranes have been working on site this summer. Mona Al-Marzooqi / The National

At the Midfield Terminal there will be eight gates that will accommodate A380s and premium guests will go directly from the lounge to the flight. Courtesy of Abu Dhabi Airports Company.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi, located on Saadiyat Island, is due to open in 2015. Construction is continuing at pace with the domed roof now visible. Silvia Razgova / The National

AKOYA by Damac, named after the akoya pearl, is, according to the developer, a lush 28 million square foot village of beautiful properties where the best of outdoor living comes to life. With spacious homes, acres of landwith leisure facilities and a world-class Trump International Golf Club, you’ll be able to fill every day with fresh enjoyment and experiences. Plans have also been revealed for a Champs-Elysees-style shopping strip and outdoor ice skating rink. Courtesy Damac

The delayed Lagoons project in Dubai was originally planned to be a 6 million sq m development that woud "create a stunning new skyline for Dubai". However, it was announced earlier this month that the Dh3 billion project will be broken up into seven phases. It was due to be completed in 2008 with a community of eight-storey buildings clustered around a lake in the Dubai Investment Park area. Rendering courtesy Dubai Holdings

Nakheel said in December that it remains committed to the Palm Jebel Ali project, but that it would not be completed in the short term. Razan Alzayani / The National

Al Fayah Park in Abu Dhabi takes its inspiration from the topography of the emirates, features a cracked, sabkha, or salt flat, style landscape that will eventually rise 20 metres above ground level. Fatima Al Marzooqi / The National.

Building work on the park is due to start early next year and the park is due to open two years later. Fatima Al Marzooqi / The National.

People look at a model of Dubai World Central's Al Maktoum International Airport. The airport, which opened last year, will eventually be able to accommodate up to 160 million passengers a year and 12 million tonnes of freight. Duncan Chard for the National.

Dubai Creek is undergoing a makeover with a number of different projects. Wam

Dubai Municipality has started the implementation of the New Aladdin City project in the middle of Dubai Creek. The project will be built in the ship dock using land in the water, which includes commercial offices and hotels in three towers spread over a distance of 450 metres. The towers are planned to be 34, 25 and 26 storeys tall. Courtesy Dubai Municipality

Construction of the Dubai Design District, located next to Business Bay, has begun. The first phase of the district is due to be completed in January 2015. The project cost is expected to exceed Dh8 billion. Aya Batrawy / AP Photo

The Mall of the World project in Dubai will house the largest shopping mall in the world with an area of 8 million sq ft, which will take the form of an extended retail street network, different to the typical shopping mall concept currently available in Dubai. Additional districts within the project will include a wellness dedicated zone catering to medical tourists, a cultural celebration district as well as a wide range of hospitality options comprising 20,000 hotel rooms catering to all types of tourists. Courtesy Dubai Holding

In 2009, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation awarded the prime contract to construct the UAE’s nuclear energy plants to a consortium led by the Korean Electric Power Company (Kepco), one of the world leaders in safety, plant reliability and efficiency. Significant progress on the construction of the plants has been achieved, with works for Units 1 and 2 now more than 44 per cent complete. Unit 1 is scheduled to enter commercial operations in 2017, and Unit 2 is scheduled for operations in 2018. Enec will apply for an operating licence for Units 1 and 2 in 2015. Barakah Units 3 and 4 are expected to enter commercial operations in 2019 and 2020.

The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 site in the Western region of Abu Dhabi.

Pearl Dubai, the development near the Palm Jumeirah and launched in 2009 at the height of the global financial crisis, in February sold about one-third of the sellable land in the 20 million square feet project to Chow Tai Fook Endowment Industry Investment Development Group (CTFE). Pearl Dubai was originally due to have been completed last year, but it was scaled back and delayed by the Dubai property slump. Courtesy Pearl Dubai

Al Raha Beach East will see an extension to Abu Dhabi's current Al Raha Beach development which features prime real estate close to Abu Dhabi airport. Fatima Al Marzooqi / The National.

With a raft of new developments underway and economists warning about possible risks, we take a look at the construction projects the country is embarking upon.