01 — Local economy
Business in Sharjah
Factories rather than towers define the emirate's economy: thousands of small and mid-sized plants in the Sharjah Industrial Area and Hamriyah Free Zone make steel structures, plastics, paints, foodstuffs and auto parts. SAIF Zone beside the airport hosts trading and logistics firms, Port Khalid and Khor Fakkan on the east coast handle cargo, and University City, home to the American University of Sharjah, adds a large education sector.
Where software helps: Small manufacturers here sell to Dubai traders and export to Africa and South Asia, needing batch costing, multi-currency billing and correct VAT treatment when goods move between free-zone and mainland units.