HAMAD - Sand Written Name - Visible from Space

Every child has written their names on the beach at some point. But whereas most people's 'sandwriting' is washed away, one super-rich Arab sheikh has ensured that his doodles will last a little longer.


Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Ahyan, 63, has scrawled his name in sand on an island he owns with letters so big they can be seen from space.The sheikh is president of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates and boasts a personal fortune second only to the Saudi king's.


Making a sand: A satellite image from space shows the enormous letters of the name 'HAMAD' carved into the sand on Al futaysi island in Abu Dhabi. Beach life: The sea runs into the H, A and part of the M in the name of super-rich 63-year-old Arab sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Ahyan.


The word 'HAMAD' measures 1,000 metres high and is a staggering two miles long from the 'H' to the 'D' on the Al Futaisi island.And rather than allow the writing to be washed away by the ocean, the letters actually form waterways that absorb the encroaching tide.The ruler's name is even visible on Google's map service.


Google Maps - Type "Al futaysi island in Abu Dhabi".