Many countries have, or have had at some time, designated areas where companies are taxed very lightly or not at all to encourage development or for some other reason. These are known as free economic zones or Free Zone

Free Zone

Free Zone may refer to:*A free economic zone or free port, an area with relaxed customs, immigration, visa, and/or taxation jurisdiction with respect to the country of location...

 or SEZ

Special Economic Zone

A Special Economic Zone is a geographical region that has economic and other laws that are more free-market-oriented than a country's typical or national laws...

.

Sometimes they are called free ports, by an analogy with free port

Free port

A free port or free zone , sometimes also called a bonded area is a port, port area or other area with relaxed jurisdiction with respect to the country of location...

s known for a long time in history - the ports free of customs or with favorable customs regulations, e.g., the free port of Trieste

Trieste

Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...

. Very often free ports are parts of free economic zones.

Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...

• Burgas
  Burgas
  -History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
  
  
• Rousse
  Rousse
  Ruse is the fifth-largest city in Bulgaria. Ruse is situated in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, from the capital Sofia and from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast...
  
  
• Plovdiv
  Plovdiv
  Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
  
  
• Dragoman
  Dragoman
  A dragoman was an interpreter, translator and official guide between Turkish, Arabic, and Persian-speaking countries and polities of the Middle East and European embassies, consulates, vice-consulates and trading posts...
  
  
• Vidin
  Vidin
  Vidin is a port town on the southern bank of the Danube in northwestern Bulgaria. It is close to the borders with Serbia and Romania, and is also the administrative centre of Vidin Province, as well as of the Metropolitan of Vidin...
  
  
• Svilengrad
  Svilengrad
  Svilengrad is a town in Haskovo Province, South-central Bulgaria, situated at the border of Turkey and Greece. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Svilengrad Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 18,132 inhabitants....
  
  

Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

• Port Said
  Port Said
  Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
  
   Public Free Zone
• Alexandria Public Free Zone
• Nasr City Public Free Zone
• Suez Public Free Zone
• Ismailia Public Free Zone
• Damietta Public Free Zone
• Media Public Free Zone
• Shebin El- Kom Public Free Zone
• Qeft Public Free Zone
• Port Said East Port Public Free Zone

India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

• Sricity Multi Product SEZ, Andhra Pradesh
  Andhra Pradesh
  Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
  
  
• SEEPZ
  SEEPZ
  Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone is a Special Economic Zone in Mumbai, India. Situated in the Andheri East area, it is subjected to liberal economic laws as compared to the rest of India to promote rapid economic growth using tax and business incentives and attract foreign investment...
  
  , India
  India
  India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
  
  
• MARG Swarnabhoomi SEZs for Engineering and Multi Services, Tamil Nadu
  Tamil Nadu
  Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
  
  
• Inspira Pharma & Renewable Energy Park, Aurangabad, Maharashtra
  Maharashtra
  Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
  
  

Iran

Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

• Kish
• Aras Free Zone
  Aras Free Zone
  Aras Free Trade - Industrial Zone is situated in East Azarbaijan province, in the north-west of Iran, adjacent to Autonomous Republic Nakhichivan, Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Aras Free Zone measures 97 km². It is located 137 km from Tabriz, one of the major academic and...
  
  
• Anzali Free Zone
• Arvand Free Zone
  Arvand Free Zone
  ]The Arvand Freezone is a 155 square kilometer industrial and security zone that surrounds Khorramshahr, Abadan, and Minoo Island along the Arvand waterway in Khuzestan Province, Iran....
  
  
• Chabahar Free Zone
• Gheshm Free Zone

Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

• Catania
  Catania
  Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
  
  
• Erice
  Erice
  Erice is a historic town and comune in the province of Trapani in Sicily, Italy.Erice is located on top of Mount Erice, at around 750m above sea level, overlooking the city of Trapani, the low western coast towards Marsala, the dramatic Punta del Saraceno and Capo san Vito to the north-east, and...
  
  
• Gela
  Gela
  Gela is a town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta in the south of Sicily, Italy. The city is at about 84 kilometers distance from the city of Caltanissetta, on the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a larger population than the provincial capital, and ranks second in land area.Gela is an...
  
  
• Crotone
  Crotone
  Crotone is a city and comune in Calabria, southern Italy, on the Ionian Sea. Founded circa 710 BC as the Achaean colony of Croton , it was known as Cotrone from the Middle Ages until 1928, when its name was changed to the current one. In 1994 it became the capital of the newly established...
  
  
• Rossano
  Rossano
  Rossano is a town and comune in Southern Italy, in the province of Cosenza . The city is situated on an eminence c. 3. km from the Gulf of Taranto. The town is known for its marble and alabaster quarries....
  
  
• Lamezia Terme
  Lamezia Terme
  Lamezia Terme, commonly named Lamezia, is an Italian city of 71,287 inhabitants in the province of Catanzaro in the Calabria region.-Geography:...
  
  
• Matera
• Taranto
  Taranto
  Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
  
  
• Lecce
  Lecce
  Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
  
  
• Andria
  Andria
  -Places:Italy*Andria, a city in the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani*Roman Catholic Diocese of Andria, a Roman Catholic diocese...
  
  
• Naples
  Naples
  Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
  
  
• Torre Annunziata
  Torre Annunziata
  Torre Annunziata is a city and comune in the province of Naples, region of Campania in Italy. It is located at the Gulf of Naples at the foot of Mt. Vesuvius.-History:...
  
  
• Mondragone
  Mondragone
  Mondragone is a comune or municipality in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region of Campania. It is located about 45 km northwest of Naples and about 40 km west of Caserta.-History:...
  
  
• Campobasso
  Campobasso
  -Main sights:The main attraction of Campobasso is the Castello Monforte, built in 1450 by the local ruler Nicola II Monforte, over Lombard or Norman ruins. The castle has Guelph merlons and stands on a commanding point, where traces of ancient settlements have been found...
  
  
• Cagliari
  Cagliari
  Cagliari is the capital of the island of Sardinia, a region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name Casteddu literally means castle. It has about 156,000 inhabitants, or about 480,000 including the outlying townships : Elmas, Assemini, Capoterra, Selargius, Sestu, Monserrato, Quartucciu, Quartu...
  
  
• Quartu Sant'Elena
  Quartu Sant'Elena
  Quartu Sant'Elena is a city and comune in the Province of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. It is the third biggest city of Sardinia with a population of c. 71,000 as of 2008.- History:...
  
  
• Iglesias
  Iglesias
  Iglesias is a comune of Carbonia-Iglesias province in Sardinia, Italy.-Overview:Situated at 190 m in the hills in the southwest of Sardinia, it was a centre of a mining district, with lead, zinc, and silver being extracted, as well as for the distillation of sulfuric acid.Iglesias'...
  
  
• Velletri
  Velletri
  Velletri is an Italian town of 53,298 inhabitants. It is a comune in the province of Rome, on the Alban Hills, in Lazio - Italy. It is bounded by other communes of Rocca di Papa, Lariano, Cisterna di Latina, Artena, Aprilia, Nemi, Genzano di Roma, Lanuvio...
  
  
• Sora
• Pescara
  Pescara
  Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
  
  
• Massa Carrara
• Ventimiglia
  Ventimiglia
  Ventimiglia is a city and comune in Liguria, northern Italy, in the province of Imperia. It is located southwest of Genoa by rail, and 7 km from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia River, which divides the town into two parts...
  
  

Macedonia

Republic of Macedonia

Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...

• Free Economic Zone Skopje 1
• Free Economic Zone Skopje 2
• Free Economic Zone Stip
• Free Economic Zone Tetovo

Moldova

Moldova

Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...

• Entrepreneurship Free Zone Expo-Business-Chişinău
  Chisinau
  Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
  
  
• Entrepreneurship Free Zone "Tvardiţa"
• Entrepreneurship Free Zone "Taraclia"
• Entrepreneurship Free Zone "Valkaneş"
• Entrepreneurship Free Zone "Otaci
  Otaci
  Otaci is a town on the South-Western bank of the Dniester River, which at that point forms the northeastern border of Moldova....
  
  -Business"
• FEZ "Bălți
  Balti
  Balti can refer to:* Balti language, a language spoken in Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir* Balti people, Muslims of Ladakhi/Tibetan origin from Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir...
  
  "
• FEZ "Ungheni
  Ungheni
  ----Ungheni is the seventh largest city in Moldova and, since 2003, the seat of Ungheni District.There is a bridge across the Prut and a border checkpoint to Romania. There is another border town with the same name in Romania , on the other side of the Prut River.- History :The first historical...
  
  -Business"
• FEZ Aeroportul Liber Internaţional Mărculeşti
  Marculesti
  Mărculeşti is a city in Floreşti district, in the northern Moldova, with a population of 2,081 at the 2004 census.-External links:*...
  
  
• FEZ International Free Port Giurgiulești
  Giurgiulesti
  Giurgiuleşti is a commune in the Cahul district of Moldova. It is also a border crossing point to Romania, located from Galaţi.- Geography :...
  
  

South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

• Korea Free Economic Zone
  Korea Free Economic Zone
  Korea free economic zone is designated to strengthen national competitiveness and promote balanced regional development by improving the living condition and business environment for foreigners in South Korea...
  
  
• Busan
  Busan
  Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
  
  
• Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone
  Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone
  The Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone is a Free Economic Zone located in the southeastern part of South Korea. DGFEZ has 10 sites spanning 32.55km2 in parts of Daegu Metropolitan City and Gyeongsangbukdo Province...
  
  
• Gwangyang
  Gwangyang
  Gwangyang is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Gwangyang city is the home of POSCO's Gwangyang Steel Works, the largest facility of its kind in the world.The city is also home to K-League soccer side Chunnam Dragons....
  
  
• Incheon
  Incheon
  The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
  
  
• Yellow Sea
  Yellow Sea
  The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
  
  

United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...

• Virtuzone Free zone
• Ajman Free Zone
  Ajman Free Zone
  Ajman Free Zone is a free trade zone in Ajman, one of seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates located on the Arabian Peninsula and in the Persian Gulf. The zone was established in 1988 and was granted autonomous status under the Amiri decree no.3 of 1996 issued by H.H. Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid...
  
  
• Dubai Academic City
• Dubai Internet City
  Dubai Internet City
  Dubai Internet City is an information technology park created by the government of Dubai as a free economic zone and a strategic base for companies targeting regional emerging markets. The economic rules of DIC allow companies to avail themselves of a number of ownership, taxation and custom...
  
  
• Dubai Media City
  Dubai Media City
  Dubai Media City , part of Dubai Holding, is a tax-free zone within Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It has been built by the Dubai government to boost UAE's media foothold, and has become a regional hub for media organizations including news agencies, publishing, online media, advertising, production,...
  
  
• Dubai Knowledge Village
  Dubai Knowledge Village
  Dubai Knowledge Village is a educational free trade zone campus in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, that provides facilities for training and learning institutions to operate with 100% foreign ownership. There are over 400 institutions operating within it, which include universities,...
  
  
• Dubai Healthcare City
• Dubai International Financial Center
  Dubai International Financial Center
  The Dubai International Financial Centre is a near-shore financial hub for the or Middle East and North Africa containing a capital market designated as a financial free zone in Dubai. The centre was designed by Eric Kuhne...
  
  
• DuBiotech
  Dubiotech
  DuBiotech, short for The Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park is a new development in Dubai aimed to attract biotechnology research and development to the emirate...
  
  
• Dubai Outsource Zone
• Dubai Silicon Oasis
  Dubai Silicon Oasis
  Dubai Silicon Oasis is a 7.2km² free zone in Dubai with special benefits to companies operating within it. And providing various infrastructure services.-Introduction:...
  
  
• Dubai Studio City
  Dubai Studio City
  Dubai Studio City is part of Dubai Media City in Dubai, UAE. Following in the footsteps of Dubai Media City, it will cater to the production needs of the region and has plans to build movie studios like Hollywood sound stages backlots for various production needs...
  
  
• International Media and Production Zone
• Jebel Ali Free Zone
  Jebel Ali Free Zone
  Jebel Ali Free Zone is a free economic zone located in the Jebel Ali area at the far western end of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, near Abu Dhabi...
  
  
• twofour54
  Twofour54
  Twofour54 is a tax-free media and entertainment free zone based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates that facilitates the development of Arabic media and entertainment content in the region. The company works with businesses in television, radio, film, publishing, online, mobile, music, gaming and...
  
  Abu Dhabi