Mleiha
The World Heritage site
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee inscribed the Faya Palaeolandscape for its record of people living in a desert landscape from the early Middle Palaeolithic, about 210,000 years ago, to the Neolithic, about 6,000 years ago. The property has nine excavated archaeological sites and has the highest protection status in the emirate of Sharjah.1
In the year after the inscription, Sharjah set up a World Heritage Office under the Sharjah Archaeology Authority and a research grant programme of AED 2 million.5
Mleiha National Park
The park was established by Emiri decree and is developed and run by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq). It covers 34.2 square kilometres within the core zone of the World Heritage site, and more than 100 species have been recorded there. The Mleiha Archaeological Centre runs exhibitions on the finds.2,3,4
Tourism is the main business here: desert treks, paragliding, camping and stargazing, and since October 2026 a Stone Age Challenge team-building programme sold to companies and institutions.4,6
Setting up
| Item | Who |
|---|---|
| Mainland licences | Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD) |
| Chamber of commerce | Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
Source: UAE Government Portal: Steps to start a business on the mainland; UAE Government Portal: National Economic Register, business licensing authorities; UAE Government Portal: Accessing services for mainland companies7,8,9
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Faya Palaeolandscape?
It is a desert landscape at Mleiha in Sharjah with traces of people going back about 210,000 years. UNESCO inscribed it on the World Heritage List in 2025.
Sources
- UNESCO World Heritage Committee: Decision 47 COM 8B.12, Faya Palaeolandscape
- Visit Sharjah: Mleiha City
- Sharjah24: Mleiha Park reveals Sharjah's thriving desert biodiversity (25 August 2025)
- Sharjah24: Mleiha National Park unveils 210,000 years of history in UAE (23 September 2025)
- Sharjah24: Bodour Al Qasimi: Faya, a knowledge well for future generations (20 July 2026)
- Sharjah24: Mleiha National Park launches Stone Age Challenge (21 October 2026)
- UAE Government Portal: Steps to start a business on the mainland
- UAE Government Portal: National Economic Register, business licensing authorities
- UAE Government Portal: Accessing services for mainland companies
Figures checked 23 October 2026. Prepared by Invest-Emirates.ae for general information. Figures come from the sources listed.