Global city

A global city (also called world city or sometimes alpha city or world center) is a city deemed to be an important node point in the global economic system. The concept comes from geography and urban studies and rests on the idea that globalization can be understood as largely created, facilitated and enacted in strategic geographic locales according to a hierarchy of importance to the operation of the global system of finance and trade.

The most complex of these entities is the "global city", whereby the linkages binding a city have a direct and tangible effect on global affairs through socio-economic means. The terminology of "global city", as opposed to megacity, was popularized (not coined or invented) by the sociologist Saskia Sassen in reference to her 1991 work, "The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo" though the term "world city" to describe cities which control a disproportionate amount of global business dates to at least May 1886, to a description of Liverpool by the Illustrated London News. Patrick Geddes also used the term "world city" later in 1915. Cities can fall from such categorization, as in the case of cities that have become less cosmopolitan and less internationally renowned in the current era, e.g., Kaliningrad, Russia; Thessaloniki, Greece; and Alexandria, Egypt.

Criteria

Global City or world city status is seen as beneficial, and because of this many groups have tried to classify and rank which cities are seen as 'world cities' or 'non-world cities'. the criteria upon which a classification is made can affect which other cities are included. GDP Stock market indices/market capitalisation Financial service provision; e.g., banks, accountancy Costs of living personal wealth; e.g., number of billionaires

Political characteristics

Active influence on and participation in international events and world affairs; for example, Washington, London, Paris, Tokyo, Berlin, Rome, Moscow or Beijing are major capitals of influential nations or unions.

Hosting headquarters for international organizations (World Bank), NATO headquarters

A large proper, population of the municipality (the centre of a metropolitan area, typically several million) or agglomeration

Diverse demographic constituencies based on various indicators: population, habitat, mobility, and urbanisation Quality of life standards or city development

Expatriate communities

Cultural characteristics

in Paris]]

International, first-name familiarity. For example, New York City is commonly referred to as just "New York" without needing to specify that it is in the state of New York or even the United States.

Renowned cultural institutions (often with high endowments), such as notable museums and galleries, notable opera, orchestras, notable film centres and theatre centres. A lively cultural scene, including film festivals (such as the Toronto International Film Festival), premieres, a thriving music scene, nightlife, an opera company, art galleries, street performers, and annual parades.

Several influential media outlets with an international reach, such as the BBC, Reuters, The New York Times, or Agence France-Presse.

A strong sporting community, including major sports facilities, home teams in major league sports, and the ability and historical experience to host international sporting events such as the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, or Grand Slam tennis events. Educational institutions; e.g., universities, international student attendance, research facilities

Sites of pilgrimage for world religions (for example, Mecca, Jerusalem or Rome)

Cities containing World Heritage Sites of historical and cultural significance

Tourism throughput

City as site or subject in Arts and Media, television, film, video games, music, literature, magazines, articles, documentary

City as an often repeated historic reference, showcase, or symbolic actions

Infrastructural characteristics

An advanced transportation system that includes several highways and/or a large mass transit network offering multiple modes of transportation (rapid transit, light rail, regional rail, ferry, or bus).

Extensive and popular mass transit systems, prominent rail usage, road vehicle usage, major seaports A major international airport that serves as an established hub for several international airlines, for example, London. Airports with significant passenger traffic and international passengers traffic or cargo movements.

An advanced communications infrastructure on which modern trans-national corporations rely, such as fiberoptics, Wi-Fi networks, cellular phone services, and other high-speed lines of communications. For example, Seoul and Tokyo are known as the digital and technology capitals of the world.

Health facilities; e.g., hospitals, medical laboratories

Prominent skylines/skyscrapers (for example Shanghai or Hong Kong)

Cities' telephone and mail services, airport flights-range, traffic congestion, availability of water, train facilities, nearby parks, hospitals, libraries, police stations, etc.

Studies

GaWC studies

The first attempt to define, categorize, and rank global cities using 'relational data' was made in 1998 by Jon Beaverstock, Richard G Smith and Peter Taylor, who all worked at that time at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. Together they established the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. A roster of world cities was outlined in the GaWC Research Bulletin 5 and ranked cities based on their connectivity through four "advanced producer services": accountancy, advertising, banking/finance, and law.

Alpha++ world cities:

* New York, London

Alpha+ world cities:

* Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, Milan, Shanghai, Beijing

Alpha world cities:

* Madrid, Moscow, Seoul, Toronto, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur, Chicago

Alpha− world cities:

* Warsaw, São Paulo, Zurich, Amsterdam, Mexico City, Jakarta, Dublin, Bangkok, Taipei, Istanbul, Rome, Lisbon, Frankfurt am Main, Stockholm, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Athens, Caracas, Auckland, Santiago, Los Angeles

Beta+ world cities:

* Washington, Melbourne, Johannesburg, Tel Aviv, Barcelona, San Francisco, Atlanta, Manila, Bogotá, New Delhi, Dubai, Bucharest

Beta world cities:

* Oslo, Berlin, Helsinki, Geneva, Copenhagen, Riyadh, Hamburg, Cairo, Luxembourg, Bangalore, Dallas, Kuwait City, Boston

Beta− world cities:

* Munich, Jeddah, Miami, Lima, Kiev, Houston, Guangzhou, Beirut, Karachi, Düsseldorf, Sofia, Montevideo, Nicosia, Rio de Janeiro, Ho Chi Minh City

Gamma+ world cities:

* Montreal, Nairobi, Bratislava, Panama City, Chennai, Brisbane, Casablanca, Denver, Quito, Stuttgart, Vancouver, Zagreb, Manama, Guatemala City, Cape Town, San José, Minneapolis, Santo Domingo, Seattle

Gamma world cities:

* Ljubljana, Shenzhen, Perth, Kolkata, Guadalajara, Antwerp, Philadelphia, Rotterdam, Amman, Portland, Lagos

Gamma− world cities:

* Detroit, Manchester, Wellington, Riga, Guayaquil, Edinburgh, Porto, San Salvador, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Port Louis, San Diego, Islamabad, Birmingham, Doha, Calgary, Almaty, Columbus

Global Cities Index

In 2008, the American journal Foreign Policy, in conjunction with consulting firm A.T. Kearney and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, published a ranking of global cities, based on consultation with Saskia Sassen, Witold Rybczynski, and others. Foreign Policy noted that "the world’s biggest, most interconnected cities help set global agendas, weather transnational dangers, and serve as the hubs of global integration. They are the engines of growth for their countries and the gateways to the resources of their regions."

In 2010 the index was updated, and the top thirty ranked were:

Global Power City Index

The Institute for Urban Strategies at The Mori Memorial Foundation in Tokyo, Japan issued a comprehensive study of global cities in 2009. The ranking is based on six overall categories, "Economy", "Research & Development", "Cultural Interaction", "Livability", "Ecology & Natural Environment", and "Accessibility", with 69 individual indicators among them. This Japanese ranking also breaks down top ten world cities ranked in subjective categories such as "manager, researcher, artist, visitor and resident."

World City Survey

In 2010 the London based consultant firm Knight Frank LLP together with the Citibank published a survey of world cities. The Wealth Report 2010, which includes the World City Survey, assesses four parameters — economic activity, political power, knowledge and influence and quality of life. The list aimed to rank the world´s most influential cities. New York tops the list in Ecomomic activity, political power and knowledge and Paris tops it in quality of life. London and Paris get the same aggregate ranking of 149, making them de facto world's 2nd and 3rd most prominent cities.

Cities ranked by category

See also

Financial centre

Metropolis

Megalopolis (city type)

Primate city

Ecumenopolis

References

External links

Repository of Links Relating to Urban Places

World Cities article by Jennifer Curtis of Charles Sturt University

The World-System’s City System: A Research Agenda by Jeffrey Kentor and Michael Timberlake of the University of Utah and David Smith of University of California, Irvine

The State of the World's Cities, 2001, UN Human Settlements Programme

"U.S. Cities in the 'World City Network'", by Peter J. Taylor and Robert E. Lang, February 2005 (Full Report in PDF)

Category:City Category:Loughborough University