Free Trade Zones: its Development and Importance to the Economy

The main objective of this chapter is to analyze the historical evolution and significance of free trade zones for both the national and global economy. It begins by tracing the emergence of these organizations over time and the role they play in the main geographical regions to which they belong. It then describes the importance of free trade zones for Colombia and their role in international trade. Finally, the chapter details the main findings and conclusions. Methodological design: the chapter was developed through a bibliographic review of the leading research works, papers, books, authors, and institutions related to the subject; in addition, the main secondary sources directly linked to statistical data on free trade zones were consulted, including DANE and the World Bank, among others. The most representative authors were also used as references to highlight their contributions and level of relevance. Contributions and results: this document provides a concise explanation and analysis of the principal research on the historical evolution of free trade zones and their significance for regions at both the national and global level. Added value: this research aims to provide conceptual support for business decision-making and to generate new knowledge on the subject for future research.