2023 Ranking of the World's Top 100 Special Economic Zones (SEZ)

By George ELIOT

The world's Top 100 special economic zones / SEZ (including free zones, charter cities, etc.) was published on December 31, 2023. Divided among the world's regions, the ranking includes:

44 in ASIA
18 in EUROPE
12 in NORTH AMERICA
12 in LATIN AMERICA
10 in MIDDLE EAST
4 in AFRICA

The Top 100 SEZ for 2023 are as follows:

1 China Shenzhen
2 China Pudong (Shanghai)
3 China Hong Kong
4 Singapore Changi Airport Free Trade Zone
5 UAE                Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (Jumeirah Lakes Towers Free Zone)
6 UAE                Jebel Ali Free Zone
7 China Zhongguancun (Beijing)
8 Singapore Brani Terminal Free Trade Zone
9 UK         London Royal Docks Enterprise Zone
10 USA Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (FTZ No. 049)
11 China Macau
12 Ireland Dublin International Financial Services Centre
13 Singapore One-North Innovation District
14 Singapore Jurong Innovation District
15 South Korea Yangcheon Industrial Complex
16 USA Los Angeles FTZ No. 202
17 Japan Special International Zone for Asian Headquarters
18 Indonesia Batam-Bintan-Karimun Free Trade Zone
19 China Zhuhai
20 USA Houston Port (FTZ No. 084 Harris County)
21 Indonesia Taiwan International Industrial Estate
22 Qatar Ras Bufontas - Airport Free Zone
23 Qatar Umm Alhoul - Port Free Zone
24 USA San Francisco FTZ No. 003 
25 Indonesia Jakarta Industrial Estate Pulogadung
26 Poland Warsaw Airport Duty Free Zone
27 Qatar Qatar Financial Centre
28 Qatar Qatar Science and Technology Park
29 India Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust SEZ
30 Malaysia        Sungai Way Free Industrial Zone, Wpkl
31 China Baiyun Industrial Park
32 China Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone
33 UAE                Masdar City Free Zone
34 USA Miami FTZ No. 032 
35 Vietnam Tan Binh Industrial Zone
36 Vietnam Saigon High Tech Park
37 Spain Zona Franca de Barcelona
38 Thailand         Eastern Economic Corridor
39 China Tianjin
40 China Xiamen
41 China Suzhou Industrial Park (Suzhou  Economic & Tech Development Zone)
42 Denmark        Freeport of Copenhagen- Nordhavn
43 UK         Port of Tilbury Free Zone
44 Canada FTZ Vancouver Island
45 Luxembourg Luxembourg Free Port
46 USA Atlanta FTZ No. 026 
47 USA Dallas Fort Worth FTZ No. 039 
48 Greece Free Zone of Piraeus
49 India Noida Special Economic Zone
50 Panama Panama-Tocumen International Airport
51 China Jinniu High-Tech Industrial Park
52 China Hefei Shushan Economic Development Area
53 Colombia Bogota Free Trade Zone
54 Canada Calgary Region Inland Port
55 South Korea Incheon International Airport Free Trade Zone
56 USA Seattle FTZ No. 005 
57 Turkey Istanbul Tracia Free Zone
58 Argentina Zona Sur Buenos Aires
59 Uruguay World Trade Center Free Zone
60 Romania         VGP Park Bucarest North
61 Panama Panama Pacifico Special Economic Area
62 China Xiyong Microelectronics Industrial Park
63 China Jiangan Economic Development Zone
64 China Jiangning Economic Development Zone
65 USA San Diego FTZ No. 153 
66 Portugal         Zona Livre Tecnologica Matosinhos
67 India New Chennai Township Private Limited
68 Sri Lanka Colombo Port City
69 Dominican R DP World Caucedo
70 Nigeria Eko Atlantic City
71 USA Austin FTZ No. 183 
72 Vietnam Dai Tu Industrial Zone
73 Japan Kansai Innovation International Strategic Comprehensive Special Zone
74 Germany        Freeport of Kiel
75 China Dongguan Water Town Development Zone
76 Malaysia        Multimedia Super-Corridor
77 Kazakhstan Park of Innovative Technologies SEZ
78 Kenya Tatu City SEZ
79 China Hainan International Industrial Park of Science and Technology
80 China Ningbo Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone
81 Ireland Shannon Free Zone
82 Argentina La Plata FTZ
83 Lebanon         Port of Beirut Logistics Free Zone
84 Israel Eilat Free Port Zone
85 Malta Malta Freeport
86 Estonia Muuga Free Zone
87 Latvia Free Port of Riga
88 Cayman Is. Cayman Enterprise City
89 Saudi Arabia Jeddah Industrial City (First)
90 Bangladesh Dhaka Economic Zone, Dohar
91 Panama Colon Free Zone
92 South Africa OR Tambo Industrial Development Zone
93 South Africa Atlantis Special Economic Zone
94 Costa Rica Coyol Free Zone
95 Costa Rica Green Valley Business and Technology Park
96 Brazil Itaguai ZPE
97 Philippines New Clark City - Phase I
98 Italy         Free Port of Trieste
99 Germany        Freeport of Bremerhaven
100 South Korea Jinju Enterprise City


FIVE CRITERIA

The five criteria used in the ranking are:

1) Up to 50 points are awarded for proximity within 25 km of a Global City / World City based on the Globalization and World Cities Index:
Alpha++ city: 50 points
Alpha+ city: 45 points
Alpha city: 40 points
Alpha- city: 35 points
Beta+ city: 30 points
Beta city: 25 points
Beta- city: 20 points
Gamma+ city: 15 points
Gamma city: 10 points
Gamma- city: 5 points

For proximity between 25 and 50 km, only 50% of the "nearest global city" points are awarded.
For proximity between 50 and 100 km, only 25% of the "nearest global city" points are awarded.

2) Five points are awarded for proximity within 10 km of an ocean coast.

3) Five points are awarded for proximity within 10 km of an existing port or airport.

4) Up to 25 points are awarded based on the Human Development Index (HDI) of the country where the city is located (with 25 points = HDI 1.0). The data was updated in 2024 (with the latest HDI statistics for 2022).

5) Up to 15 bonus points are awarded for an outstanding track record of success. Alternatively, up to 15 points are subtracted for a track record of failure (e.g. economic crisis in the country, debt default, etc.) Six zones that are merely Export Processing Zones also have 5 points each deducted in this column.


The Top 100 SEZ are based in 45 countries:






























FULL TABLE









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