Osaka and Kobe, Japan expand into Osaka Bay as land reclamation projects are completed over recent decades. Approximately 0.5% of Japan’s total area is estimated to be reclaimed land, which has been created for facilities like the 10.5 square kilometer (4 square mile) Kansai Airport that appears at left. Osaka is the 10th largest urban area in the world with more than 19 million inhabitants. Source imagery: NASA / Google Timelapse | Daily Overview

Land reclamation. Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a landfill), is the process of creating new land from oceans, seas, riverbeds or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or land fill. Land reclamation can be achieved with a number of different methods. The simplest method involves filling the area with large amounts of heavy rock and/or cement, then filling with clay and dirt until the desired height is re