Under construction since 2007, The Pearl-Qatar archipelago of artificial islands is specifically designed to accommodate foreign residents. It consists of luxurious residential and tourist complexes, marinas, shops, and leisure facilities. Located in the Persian Gulf in the West Bay lagoon, north of Doha, The Pearl is a collection of thirteen islands covering a total area of over 1.5 mi² (4 km²) reclaimed from the sea. The archipelago thus offers 19.8 miles (32 kilometres) of additional coastline to the Qatari capital. The project was built on a former pearl fishing site, the main economic activity in Qatar before the country’s energy boom. Seen from the air, the site is shaped like several oysters, each encircling a central pearl.