Al Quoz

Al Quoz (Arabic: القوز) or El Goze in Emirati Arabic is a district of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Al Quoz is located in western Dubai. It is bordered to the north by Al Wasl and to the west by Umm Al Sheif, Al Manara, and Al Safa, forming a long rectangle between Al Khail and Sheikh Zayed roads.

Al Quoz القوز
Community
Clockwise, from top: Masjid Imam al Montadhar, Alserkal Avenue, Cinema Akil, and labor camp in Al Quoz Industrial 4
Coordinates: 25.13083°N 55.23273°E / 25.13083; 55.23273
Country	United Arab Emirates
Emirate	Dubai
City	Dubai
Boroughs	Al Quoz 1 Al Quoz 2 (Ghadeer Al Tair) Al Quoz 3 Al Quoz 4 Al Quoz Industrial 1 Al Quoz Industrial 2 Al Quoz Industrial 3 Al Quoz Industrial 4
Population  (2022)
• Total	314,981
Community number	354; 358-359; 364-365; 368-369

With a population of 314,981, Al Quoz stands as one of the most densely populated districts in both the Emirate of Dubai and the UAE as a whole. Al Quoz is primarily an industrial area, but is also known for its contemporary art galleries, shops and restaurants.

Etymology

Al Quoz derives its name from Arabic, where "Al" means "the" and "Quoz" (قوز) refers to a barchan, a type of crescent-shaped sand dune formed by wind. These dunes are typical in desert regions and reflect the area’s original desert landscape prior to development. The name Al Quoz may also have a potential Persian etymology. In Persian, the word "قوز" (Quoz) can mean "hump" or "elevation," similar to its Arabic meaning.

Organization

Al Quoz consists of a mainly residential area in the northeast and an industrial area in the southwest with four subcommunities each.

The residential areas of Al Quoz 1, 2, and 4 are home to mainly Emirati families. The newest of them, Al Quoz 2, is an ex-landfill south of Al Khail road towards Meydan and is the only area outside the rectangle. It hosts Al Quoz Pond Park and borders the newly built MBR City. On January 12, 2024, Al Quoz 2 got renamed “Ghadeer Al Tair”. Al Quoz 3 is mainly industrial.

Al Quoz industrial areas 1, 2, 3, and 4 are in the southwest of the rectangle and are being developed by Dubai Municipality as an industrial and mass accommodation area. There are a number of car showrooms in the Al Quoz Industrial Area 1.

Population

As of the latest data from the Dubai Statistics Centre, the total population of Al Quoz is approximately 314,981.

Borough	Population
Al Quoz 1	21,751
Al Quoz 2 (Ghadeer Al Tair)	5,655
Al Quoz 3	50,697
Al Quoz 4	21,942
Al Quoz Industrial 1	28,561
Al Quoz Industrial 2	129,757
Al Quoz Industrial 3	17,526
Al Quoz Industrial 4	39,092
Al Quoz	314,981

Al Quoz Creative District

Bacio Gelato Food Truck in Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz

The government of Dubai launched the Al Quoz Creative District as part of the Dubai 2040 cityplan; it will serve as a one‑stop shop and free zone area for creative‑related services, and as a centre for issuing relevant business permits and visas.

The new zone will be an integrated development, with multipurpose spaces for artists, designers, and other creatives to live, work, exhibit, and sell their products. Suitable operatives registered in the new zone will be eligible for the Al Quoz Creative membership programme that will provide benefits such as exemptions on import, export, and visa issuance fees; licensing fees; and Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry fees. Other incentives will include low rents and logistical business support. For entrepreneurial start‑ups, training programmes will also be available to help in turning creative ideas into businesses.

Graffiti on a side street in Al Quoz.

Creative fields targeted for the district include writing, publishing and print; audio‑visual media, such as cinema, music, and video; and artistic and cultural industries, such as historic‑site‑related, cultural heritage museums, libraries, and major cultural events. Video gaming and software industries will also be encouraged, along with the full sweep of commercial design including fashion, gaming, software, and architecture.

The project is the first of a number of government initiatives launched under the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy that seeks to improve Dubai’s attractiveness to creators, entrepreneurs, investors, and local and global investments in creative industries. The goal is to transform the emirate into a global capital for innovation by 2025.

Incidents

In March 2007, labourers from Al Quoz Industrial rioted, as part of a larger 8,000 strong protest against contracting companies, demanding better living conditions and a wage increase of 200 dirhams (US$ 55) and a food allowance of 50 dirhams (US$ 14) per month.

Explosion at a warehouse in Al Quoz on the 26th of March, 2008

On 26 March 2008, an explosion ripped through two warehouses in Al Quoz industrial killing at least two people. The explosion originated from a warehouse storing gas and subsequently ignited a warehouse next door containing fireworks. Flames from the explosion spread to seventy warehouses nearby, causing at least AED 600,000,000 ($170 million) of damage. Debris from the gas warehouse and fireworks warehouse landed as far away as the communities of Al Safa and Jumeirah. This was the seventh industrial accident in Al Quoz in five years.

On 25 April 2022, a worker in Al Quoz industrial was sentenced to life in jail for killing his employer who rejected his leave request to travel back home. The 23-year-old man, who worked at a garage in Al Quoz Industrial area, had a heated argument with his manager before slitting his throat with a sharp knife and then smashing his head with a hammer.

Attractions

Al Quoz is known for its many art galleries, housed in warehouse spaces. Several contemporary art galleries and luxury car showrooms are located on Alserkal Avenue.