Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The port’s construction began in the late 1970s along with Jebel Ali Village (built around 1977) which was used, initially, for the construction workers of the port. The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. With 67 berths and a size of 134.68 square kilometer (52 square miles), Jebel Ali is the world’s largest man-made harbour and the biggest port in the Middle East. The area is also home to “5,500 companies from 120 countries”.

The Jebel Ali Free Zone, established in 1985,

Jebel Ali Free Zone is a free economic zone located in the Jebel Ali area of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It offers business and tax incentives to corporations. The Jebel Ali Free Zone is run by the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) which is owned by Dubai World. The JAFZ also caters to the Dubai Port which ranks 9th in the world in terms of container traffic.[citation needed]

The Jebel Ali Free Zone also provides warehousing and distribution facilities to international and local corporations.