The Dubai Mall (Arabic: دبي مول "Dubay mwl") is a shopping mall in Dubai and the largest mall in the world by total area. It is the nineteenth largest shopping mall in the world by gross leasable area. Located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, it is part of the 20-billion-dollar Downtown complex, and includes 1,200 shops. In 2011 it was the most visited building on the planet, attracting over 54 million visitors each year. Access to the mall is provided via Doha Street, rebuilt as a double-decker road in April 2009.[5]
Twice delayed, Dubai Mall opened on 4th November 2008, with about 1000 retailers, marking the world's second largest-ever mall opening in retail history behind West Edmonton Mall. However it is not the largest in gross leasable space, and is surpassed in that category by several malls including the New South China Mall, which is the world's largest, albeit largely derelict, Golden Resources Mall, SM City North Edsa, and SM Mall of Asia.