In this article, we take a look at the 5 biggest malls in the world. If you want to check out our detailed analysis on the mall industry amid rising interest rates, go instead to 11 Biggest Malls in the World: Will Higher Interest Rates Bankrupt The Industry?
5. Isfahan City Center
Gross Leasable Area: 7 million sq feet
Isfahan City Center has the fifth biggest mall in the world and the second biggest in Iran. Isfahan City Center is a huge commercial complex in Isfahan. Its mall comprises more than 750 retail stores and a hypermarket.
The complex also has indoor theme parks as well as fast food, traditional and continental restaurants. Its 3.5 million square feet amusement park is the biggest in the Middle East. As far as parking lots go, the mall has parking space for 5,500 cars. It has been developed by Prestige Land Iran Co in four phases.
4. South China Mall
Gross Leasable Area: 7.1 million sq feet
South China Mall is another Chinese mall on the list of biggest malls in the world. It is the fourth largest in the world, and the biggest mall in China, with a gross leasable area of 7.1 million square feet, enough for over 2,000 stores. It was originally owned by Dongguan Sanyuan Yinghui Investment & Development but later its controlling shares were sold to Founder Group, a Peking University’s division. The cost of building the mall was estimated at $1.3 billion.
Seven areas of the mall are themed after worldwide cities, countries and locales, including California, Egypt, the Caribbean, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, and Venice. A 25-meter replica of the Arc de Triomphe, a bell tower similar to St. Mark’s in Venice, and a 2.1-kilometer canal with gondolas are among the attractions.
3. IOI City Mall
Gross Leasable Area: 8.8 million sq feet
IOI City Mall is the third largest mall in the world and the largest mall in Malaysia. It is located in the Sepang District of the Malaysian state, Selangor. The mall has over 700 retail outlets, 13 of which are anchors. These include Adidas, Victoria’s Secret, Cotton On, Charles & Keith and H&M.
The mall features restaurants like KFC, Taco Bell and McDonald’s as well as cafes like The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The mall is also known for its iconic District 21, a recreational park with a post-apocalyptic theme. It is visited by 44 million people annually on average and generates annual revenue of roughly $400 million.
2. Dubai Mall
Gross Leasable Area: 12 million sq feet
Dubai Mall, with its 12 million square feet of retail area, is the second biggest mall in the world and the biggest mall in the UAE. It is located within Burj Khalifa, one of the tallest buildings on Earth. Dubai Mall has more than 1200 retail outlets and 6 anchor tenants. It is owned by Emaar Properties.
It attracts 100 million people every year on average. In 2011, it was the most visited place in the world with 54 million visitors. The mall broke its own record the following year with 65 million visitors.
Its attractions include the underwater zoo, Hysteria haunted house, virtual reality park, Dubai Dino (a real fossil of Diplodocus) and Kidzania theme park. As far as retail goes, there’s hundreds of luxury brands/stores featured in the mall. These include Versace, Omega, Adidas, Chanel, Chic, and A Lange & Sohne among many others.
1. Iran Mall
Gross Leasable Area: 21 million sq feet
Iran Mall is the biggest mall in the world by a huge margin, with a gross leasable area of 21 million square feet. It is situated in Tehran near Chitgar Lake. Iran Mall is owned by Ayandeh Bank. It has over 700 shops and an iconic bazar with the theme of Iran’s traditional bazars. Each store in the bazar is roughly 600 meters across.
The mall also has other attractions like Didar Garden, Mahar Garden and Mirror Hall. Other facilities include a luxury five-star hotel, a library and traditional drink shops.
You can also take a peek at 5 Biggest E-Commerce Companies in USA and Top 25 Places to Visit in the US.
