Sharjah Investment Tracker

Why Sharjah

Sharjah - The Heart and Mind of the GCC

Sharjah is the Middle East’s best kept secret: an emirate where universities, entrepreneurs and government bodies collaborate to create a vibrant home for SMEs and global businesses alike. The emirate comprises Sharjah City, the Central Region including Mleiha, Al Badayer, Al Dhaid, and the East Coast including Khorfakkan, Kalba, Dibba Al Hisn.

With a steadily rising GDP, a highly-diversified economy and a growing population of highly educated, ambitious and outward-looking young people, Sharjah is well placed for long term investment returns and access to global markets and skilled talent.

 

 

 

 

Sharjah is widely recognised as the cultural capital, industrial hub and education hotspot of the UAE, and is now becoming increasingly well-known for its pioneering sustainability initiatives and as a world-class R&D, innovation and startup hub. With exceptional support provided by the government, lower costs than neighbouring emirates, and a culture of innovation, the city is an ideal choice for multinationals seeking a base in the Middle East.

Centrally located between Europe and East Asia, and with convenient access to major international airports and ports on both the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean, Sharjah is a strategic investment destination for global companies looking to explore emerging markets.

 

2.1 million

Population (2025)

47K students

in University City

Over 170

Destinations via Air Arabia

60k+

SMEs

$42.87 BN

GDP (2024)

Why Sharjah

Sharjah has the right mix of ingredients to drive your business forward. It is the gateway to the Middle East, offering businesses a low-cost working environment, access to unparalleled talent and support at the highest level.

A vibrant and highly-qualified workforce
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As a popular destination for expats, Sharjah boasts a young, diverse, talented, and multicultural population. Key to attracting such talent has been Sharjah’s continued investment in education. Sharjah invests $1.5 billion a year into education and research, a higher per capita spend than most countries in the region. Sharjah University City is home to around 47,000 students, who upon graduation will become part of the emirate’s well-educated workforce across an incredible variety of disciplines.

A business-friendly environment
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Sharjah’s government has taken steps to ensure the city is one of the GCC’s most lucrative places to do business. It is easy and quick to set up a business, with an abundance of industry-specific free zones and support from Sharjah Investors Services Centre (SAEED).

A gateway to the UAE and GCC
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Sharjah is strategically located between Dubai and the burgeoning northern emirates, and is the only emirate which borders all six of the other UAE emirates. Sharjah offers easy access by air, sea, land to hubs in the UAE, GCC and beyond, which is one of the reasons why manufacturing accounts for 17% of the emirate’s GDP. The population of the GCC stands at 54 million while its combined GDP is $3.4 trillion. Rich in natural resources, these countries have a higher than average proportion of high net worth individuals and are among the most lucrative and profitable markets in the world.

A well-connected export hub
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Sharjah Airport connects the city to the GCC, Europe, Africa, and Asia, this international airport is home to the region’s leading low-cost airline - Air Arabia. The emirate also benefits from its proximity to Dubai International Airport, a gateway to the world, located just 28km away. Etihad Rail aims to connect the GCC overland, creating the opportunity to export to huge markets like Saudi Arabia without using air freight. Sharjah is home to three seaports, and is the only emirate with seaports on both the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean. This provides the shortest access between Asia and the GCC through the port of Khorfakkan.

A thriving space for entrepreneurs and SMEs
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Sharjah is home to more than 60,000 SMEs and start-ups across its six free zones and 33 industrial zones. It is a hub for innovation, with organisations like the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) providing support including incubators and accelerator programmes as well as the annual Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, an event that brings together the world’s most promising innovators.

A home for innovation
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Sharjah is a future-ready city thanks to its world-class Innovation Cluster. This area houses University City and Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park, which together combine industry, government, universities, research labs. Pilot projects for tech-based organisations like Nokia, IBM, and Dell are underway in the emirate. Initiatives like Digital Sharjah and e-transformation and a focus on sustainability are core tenets of Sharjah’s culture of innovation.

Setting up your business in Sharjah is easy

Sharjah Mainland

Sharjah Department of Economic Development (SEDD) is the department in charge of licensing and registration of corporate entities in mainland Sharjah. The SEDD’s licensing and registration procedure is streamlined to offer ease of registration based on specific business activities. The UAE Commercial Companies Law (CCL) is the federal law that regulates all entities set up in the UAE mainland and has recently been amended to allow 100% foreign ownership. A company registered on the mainland can conduct business across the whole UAE including with federal and local government bodies.

Sharjah Free Zones

Sharjah is home to six Free Zones that are strategically located in, or near major transport centres to facilitate the logistics needs of investors. The emirate prides itself on minimising bureaucracy. Its Free Zones are business-friendly with 0% corporate tax and 0% personal income tax. There are no import, export, re-export fees, or customs duties. To explore which freezone best suits your business, click here

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