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According to Robert C. Hayword, Director World Economic Processing Zones Association the concept of free economic zones dates back to 300 BC. The author notes that such enclaves were found in the Phoenician city of Tyre in the Greek island of Delos. The city became wealthy as a result of such policies and was viewed as a challenger to the centralism of the Roman Empire.
One of the earliest and most famous Special Economic Zones were founded by the government of China under Deng Xiaoping in the early 1960. Following the Chinese example. Special Economic Zones have been established in several countries including Brazil, India, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine.