Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The port's construction began in the late 1970s along with Jebel Ali Village (built around 1977) which was used, initially, for the construction workers of the port. The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. With 67 berths and a size of 134.68 square kilometer (52 square miles), Jebel Ali is the world's largest man-made harbour and the biggest port in the Middle East. The area is also home to "5,500 companies from 120 countries.