Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ) is a

special economic zone A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. SEZs are located within a country's national borders, and their aims include increasing trade balance, employment, increas ...

Ras Al Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) ( ar, رَأْس ٱلْخَيْمَة, historically Julfar) is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. It is the sixth-largest city in UAE after Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain ...

. RAK FTZ is around an hour's drive from

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

. It has investments from more than 12,000 companies in over a hundred countries, representing more than 50 industry sectors.

Overview

The free zone provides a tax-free environment, 100% foreign ownership, fast-track visas, freedom to source labour and materials globally, and ongoing business support services. RAK FTZ provides these incentives at lower cost than free zones in other emirates. RAK FTZ was established in May 2000 by an Emiri Decree. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr Al Qasimi is its chairman. RAK FTZ has four free zone parks in Ras Al Khaimah – a Business Park for office clients, an Industrial Park for heavy manufacturing, a Technology Park for trading and light manufacturing, and an Academic Zone for educational institutions. It also has representative offices in Turkey, India, and Germany. RAK FTZ organises the Business Excellence Awards, and ABIYA was awarded the fastest growing company in 2015.

RAK FTZ Parks

;Business Park The RAK FTZ Business Park consists of five buildings – Business Centres 1 to 4, and the Administration Building. The Business Park is situated in the heart of Ras Al Khaimah's business district. ;Industrial Park The Industrial Park is located along the Ras Al Khaimah coastal road, approximately 18 km north of Ras Al Khaimah's city centre, and immediately adjacent to Hulaylah Island. The park is about 6 km from Ras Al Khaimah's Saqr Port, covering an area of 128 hectares. It is developed for heavy industries and warehousing, and also incorporates energy supply. The park's facilities include on-site employee accommodations, a customs office, an operation supportive services centre, as well as other administrative support and service centres. ;Technology Park Located south of Ras Al Khaimah's city centre, the Technology Park enjoys close proximity to Dubai via Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311) and

Ras Al Khaimah International Airport Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (alternatively Ra's al-Khaymah, ar, مطار رأس الخيمة الدولي) is an international airport located in the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates south of Ras Al Khaimah, on the coas ...

. Covering an area of 100 hectares, it is located opposite Al Hamra Village and Resort. It is situated in a rapidly expanding area devoted to light industries and automated manufacturing, as well as capital-intensive lifestyle projects. ;Academic Zone The Academic Zone comprises educational organisations that offer academic programmes to the RAK and broader UAE communities. The main cluster of campuses is in Academic Zone 3, which is centrally located in the Al Dhait area. Some educational organisations established under the free zone operate from separate campuses at assigned locations in Ras Al Khaimah.

RAK FTZ International Offices

;India The RAK FTZ India Office in

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

officially began its activities in August 2005, making RAK FTZ the first UAE free zone to have a liaison office in India. Many of RAK FTZ's clients come from

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. ;Turkey RAK FTZ's Turkey liaison Office was established in December 2007. It is located in Atasehir, on the Asian side of

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

, and is easily accessible from any location in

. RAK FTZ is the only UAE free trade zone with a liaison office in

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

. ;Germany RAK FTZ's Germany liaison office was established in April 2008 in response to significant interest in the free zone from the German market. It is located at the

MediaPark The MediaPark is an urban regeneration neighborhood in Cologne, Germany, completed by the turn of the millennium. It was set up to accommodate companies of the media and communication industry, as well as cultural institutions, a hotel and some a ...

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

. The office in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

is the base for RAK FTZ's activities in central

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

RAK FTZ UAE Business and Promotion Centres

The Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Authority also has promotion centres in

and

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area. ...

. ;Dubai The RAK FTZ Promotion Centre in Dubai is located in the Boulevard Plaza Tower 2 on

Sheikh Zayed Road E 11 ( ar, شارع ﺇ ١١) is a highway in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The longest road in the Emirates, it stretches from Al-Silah in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and ends in Ras al-Khaimah emirate, running roughly parallel to UAE's coastl ...

. ;Abu Dhabi RAK FTZ also has a promotion centre at

Abu Dhabi Mall Abu Dhabi Mall is a shopping mall in central Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It opened on 15 May 2001 and has over 200+ shops, food Court and cinema. The Mall is located next to the Beach Rotana hotel, with a direct internal entrance from the ho ...

(Abu Dhabi). The office is located on the first floor of the West Tower.

References

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