Global city

{{Use American English|date=January 2024}} {{short description|City important to the world economy}} {{Redirect|World city|hypothetical planetwide cities|Ecumenopolis|other uses|World city (disambiguation)}} {{pp-protected|small=y}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}  {{multiple image | align = right | direction = vertical | image1 = View of Empire State Building from Rockefeller Center New York City dllu (cropped).jpg | width1 = 300 | caption1 = | image2 = London Skyline (125508655).jpeg | width2 = 300 | caption2 = [[New York City]] (top) and [[London]] (bottom) are the only two cities ranked in the [[Globalization and World Cities Research Network#Alpha|Alpha ++ category]] by the [[Globalization and World Cities Research Network]]. [[NyLon|Both cities]] are considered leading business, [[financial center|financial]], commercial, and cultural centers. }} A '''global city''' (also known as a '''power city''', '''world city''', '''alpha city''', or '''world center''') is a [[city]] that serves as a primary node in the [[world economy|global economic network.]] The concept originates from [[geography]] and [[Index of urban studies articles|urban studies]], based on the thesis that [[globalization]] has created a hierarchy of strategic [[Location (geography)|geographic locations]] with varying degrees of influence over [[finance]], [[trade]], and [[culture]] worldwide.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lenormand |first1=Maxime |last2=Gonçalves |first2=Bruno |last3=Tugores |first3=Antònia |last4=Ramasco |first4=José J. |title=Human diffusion and city influence |journal=[[Journal of the Royal Society Interface]] |date=2015 |volume=12 |issue=109 |article-number=20150473 |doi=10.1098/rsif.2015.0473 |pmid=26179991 |pmc=4535413 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Lin |first1=Jan |title=The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization |chapter=World Cities |date=2012 |doi=10.1002/9780470670590.wbeog820 |isbn=978-0-470-67059-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Pain |first1=Kathy |title=International Encyclopedia of Geography |chapter=World Cities |date=2017 |pages=1–9 |doi=10.1002/9781118786352.wbieg0525 |isbn=978-1-118-78635-2}}</ref> The global city represents the most complex and significant hub within the international system, characterized by links binding it to other cities that have direct, tangible effects on global [[Socioeconomics|socioeconomic]] affairs.<ref name="Sass1">{{cite magazine |issue=503 |last1=Sassen |first1=Saskia |url=http://www.india-seminar.com/2001/503/503%20saskia%20sassen.htm |title=The global city: strategic site/new frontier |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018200419/http://www.india-seminar.com/2001/503/503%20saskia%20sassen.htm |archive-date=18 October 2006 |date= July 2001 |magazine=Seminar Magazine |url-status=live }}</ref>

The criteria of a global city vary depending on the source.<ref>{{Cite web |title=global city |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/global-city |access-date=2022-10-20 |website=Britannica |language=en |archive-date=20 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020155031/https://www.britannica.com/topic/global-city |url-status=live }}</ref> Common features include a high degree of [[Urban planning|urban development]], a large population, the presence of major [[Multinational corporation|multinational companies]], a significant and globalized [[Financial services|financial sector]], a well-developed and internationally linked [[transportation infrastructure]], local or national economic dominance, high quality educational and [[research institutions]], and a globally influential output of ideas, innovations, or cultural products. Global city rankings are numerous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 April 2019 |title=Decoding City Performance |url=https://www.jll.co.uk/en/trends-and-insights/research/decoding-city-performance |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016212712/https://www.jll.co.uk/en/trends-and-insights/research/decoding-city-performance |archive-date=16 October 2019 |access-date=16 October 2019 |website=Jll.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> [[New York City]], [[London]], [[Tokyo]], and [[Paris]] are the most commonly mentioned.<ref>{{cite web |title=Struggling Giants |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/struggling-giants |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117230114/https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/struggling-giants |archive-date=17 January 2021 |access-date=31 December 2020 |publisher=University of Minnesota Press |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Abrahamson |first1=Mark |url=https://faculty.tamuc.edu/jsun/global%20cities.pdf |title=Global cities |date=2004 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-514204-4 |edition=1st |location=New York |page=4 |access-date=9 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111074627/http://faculty.tamuc.edu/jsun/global%20cities.pdf |archive-date=11 January 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Origin and terminology== The term ''global city'' was popularized by [[sociologist]] [[Saskia Sassen]] in her 1991 book, ''The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo''.<ref>Sassen, Saskia. ''[http://pup.princeton.edu/titles/6943.html The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo]''. 1991. [[Princeton University Press]]. {{ISBN|0-691-07063-6}}. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316103717/http://pup.princeton.edu/titles/6943.html|date=16 March 2015}}.</ref> Before then, other terms were used for urban centers with roughly the same features. The term 'world city', meaning a city heavily involved in global trade, appeared in a May 1886 description of [[Liverpool]], by ''[[The Illustrated London News]]'';<ref>{{cite web |date=18 December 2009 |title=The Empire in One City? Liverpool's Inconvenient Imperial Past |url=http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/review/737 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623124607/http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/review/737 |archive-date=23 June 2012 |access-date=9 May 2012 |publisher=Reviews in History |first1=John |last1=Belchem }}</ref> British sociologist and [[geographer]] [[Patrick Geddes]] used the term in 1915.<ref name="Doel and Hubbard">Doel, M., & Hubbard, P., (2002), "Taking World Cities Literally: Marketing the City in a Global Space of flows", ''City'', vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 351–368. Subscription required.</ref> The term '[[megacity]]' entered common use in the late 19th or early 20th century, the earliest known example being a publication by the [[University of Texas]] in 1904.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-1ALAAAAYAAJ&q=megacity |title=Hemisfile: Perspectives on Political and Economic Trends in the Americas |date=1994 |publisher=Institute of the Americas |language=en}}</ref> In the 21st century, the terms are usually focused on a city's [[financial center|financial power]] and [[high-technology|high technology]] infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news |date=15 February 2015 |title=Asian Cities Pay Hidden Price for Global Status |work=The Diplomat |url=https://thediplomat.com/2015/02/asian-cities-pay-hidden-price-for-global-status/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201130228/https://thediplomat.com/2015/02/asian-cities-pay-hidden-price-for-global-status/ |archive-date=1 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=14 August 2014 |title=The World's Most Influential Cities |work=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2014/08/14/the-most-influential-cities-in-the-world/#7bbf56cb7370 |url-status=live |access-date=29 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905084618/https://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2014/08/14/the-most-influential-cities-in-the-world#7bbf56cb7370 |archive-date=5 September 2017}}</ref>

==Criteria== [[File:Above_Gotham.jpg|thumb|[[Manhattan]], the core area of [[New York City]], an Alpha++ global city, where there are several characteristic elements of global cities<ref>{{Cite web |title=What are the characteristics of world cities and megacities, and how has their distribution changed since 1950? – HBK Portal |url=https://hbkportal.co.uk/index.php/geography/urbanfutures2/ |access-date=2022-11-17 |language=en-GB |archive-date=17 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117203257/https://hbkportal.co.uk/index.php/geography/urbanfutures2/ |url-status=live }}</ref> like worldwide influential economic ([[New York Stock Exchange]]) and cultural ([[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]) centers, headquarters of international political organizations ([[Headquarters of the United Nations|UN headquarters]]), world renowned museums ([[Metropolitan Museum of Art|the Met Museum]], [[Museum of Modern Art|MOMA]], [[Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum|Guggenheim Museum]]), and worldwide-known landmarks ([[Times Square]], [[Empire State Building]], [[Central Park]])]]

Competing groups have devised competing means to classify and rank world cities and to distinguish them from other cities.<ref name="Doel and Hubbard" /> Although there is a consensus on the leading world cities,<ref name="GaWC 5">[http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb5.html GaWC Research Bulletin 5] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808022750/http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb5.html |date=8 August 2011 }}, GaWC, [[Loughborough University]], 28 July 1999</ref> the chosen criteria affect which other cities are included.<ref name="Doel and Hubbard" /> Selection criteria may be based on a yardstick value (e.g., if the producer-service sector is the largest sector then city {{var|X}} is a world city)<ref name="Doel and Hubbard" /> or on an imminent determination (if the producer-service sector of city {{var|X}} is greater than the combined producer-service sectors of {{var|N}} other cities then city {{var|X}} is a world city.)<ref name="Doel and Hubbard" /> Although criteria are variable and fluid, typical characteristics of world cities include:<ref>Pashley, Rosemary. "HSC Geography". Pascal Press, 2000, p.164</ref> * The most prominent criterion has been providing a variety of [[financial center|international financial services]],<ref>J.V. Beaverstock, [http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb179.html World City Networks 'From Below'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060308055423/http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb179.html |date=8 March 2006}}, GaWC, Loughborough University, 29 September 2010</ref> notably in [[FIRE economy|finance, insurance, real estate]], [[banking]], [[accountancy]], and [[marketing]]; and their amalgamation of financial headquarters, a [[stock exchange]], and other major financial institutions, * [[Headquarters]] of numerous [[multinational corporations]], * Domination of the trade and economy of a large surrounding area, * Major manufacturing centers with [[port]] and [[shipping container|container]] facilities, * Considerable [[power (international relations)|decision-making power]] daily and at a global level, * Centers of new ideas and [[innovation]] in business, economics, and culture, * Centers of [[digital media|digital]] and other media and communications for [[global networks]], * The dominance of the national region with great international significance, * The high percentage of residents employed in the [[services sector]] and [[quaternary sector of the economy|information sector]], * High-quality educational institutions, including renowned universities and [[research]] facilities; and attracting international student attendance,<ref>K. O'Connor, [http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb161.html International Students and Global Cities] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060205103720/http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb161.html |date=5 February 2006 }}, GaWC, Loughborough University, 17 February 2005</ref> * Multi-functional [[infrastructure]] offering some of the best legal, medical, and entertainment facilities in the country, * High diversity in language, culture, religion, and ideologies.

== Rankings == ===GaWC World Cities=== {{Main article|Globalization and World Cities Research Network}} {{Excerpt|Globalization and World Cities Research Network|inline=yes}} Primarily concerned with what it calls the "advanced producer services" of accountancy, advertising, banking/finance, and law, the cities in the top two classifications in the 2024 edition are:<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cities 2024 |url=https://gawc.lboro.ac.uk/gawc-worlds/the-world-according-to-gawc/world-cities-2024/ |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=GaWC |language=en-US}}</ref>

====Alpha ++==== * {{flagicon|GBR}} [[London]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[New York City]]

====Alpha +==== * {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Beijing]] * {{flagicon|UAE}} [[Dubai]] * {{flagicon|HKG}} [[Hong Kong]] * {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Paris]] * {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Shanghai]] * {{flagicon|SGP}} [[Singapore]] * {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Sydney]] * {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tokyo]]

===Global Cities Index (Kearney)=== In 2008, the American journal ''[[Foreign Policy]]'', working with the 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atkearney.com/documents/10192/dfedfc4c-8a62-4162-90e5-2a3f14f0da3a |title=2012 Global Cities Index and Emerging Cities Outlook |format=PDF |access-date=9 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020223227/http://www.atkearney.com/documents/10192/dfedfc4c-8a62-4162-90e5-2a3f14f0da3a |archive-date=20 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=The 2008 Global Cities Index |journal=[[Foreign Policy]] |issue=November/December 2008 |date=21 October 2008 |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4509 |access-date=31 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107184223/http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4509 |archive-date=7 January 2010 }}</ref> The ranking is based on 27 metrics across five dimensions: business activity, [[human capital]], information exchange, cultural experience, and political engagement.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atkearney.com/global-cities/2019 |title=Read @ATKearney: Una Cuestión de Talento: Cómo el Capital Humano Determinará los Próximos Líderes Mundiales |website=Atkearney.com |language=en-US |access-date=16 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220065230/https://www.atkearney.com/global-cities/2019 |archive-date=20 December 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> The top ranked cities in 2025 are:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kearney.com/service/national-transformations-institute/gcr/2025-full-report|title=R2025 Global Cities Report: Accelerating through volatility|website=Kearney}}</ref>

# {{flagicon|USA}} [[New York City]] # {{flagicon|GBR}} [[London]] # {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Paris]] # {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tokyo]] # {{flagicon|SGP}} [[Singapore]] # {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Beijing]] # {{flagicon|HKG}} [[Hong Kong]] # {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Shanghai]] # {{flagicon|USA}} [[Los Angeles]] # {{flagicon|USA}} [[Chicago]]

===Global Cities Index (Oxford Economics)=== Advisory firm [[Oxford Economics]] ranks the world's largest 1,000 cities based on 27 indicators across five categories (economics, [[human capital]], [[quality of life]], environment, and [[governance]]) with more weight on economic factors. The top ranked cities in 2025 are:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Liv |date=2025-05-21 |title=Global Cities Index 2025: Which cities topped the ranking this year? |url=https://www.timeout.com/news/global-cities-index-2025-which-cities-topped-the-ranking-this-year-052125 |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=Time Out Worldwide |language=en-GB}}</ref> # {{flagicon|USA}} [[New York City]] # {{flagicon|GBR}} [[London]] # {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Paris]] # {{flagicon|USA}} [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] # {{flagicon|USA}} [[Seattle]] # {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Melbourne]] # {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Sydney]] # {{flagicon|USA}} [[Boston]] # {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tokyo]] # {{flagicon|USA}} [[San Francisco]]

===Global Power City Index=== The Tokyo-based Institute for Urban Strategies at The Mori Memorial Foundation first published a study of global cities in 2008. They are ranked in six categories: economy, research and development, cultural interaction, [[livability]], environment, and accessibility. The top 10 cities in 2025 are:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Power City Index 2025 |url=https://mori-m-foundation.or.jp/english/ius2/gpci2/index.shtml |website=The Mori Memorial Foundation |language=en}}</ref> # {{flagicon|GBR}} [[London]] # {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tokyo]] # {{flagicon|USA}} [[New York City]] # {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Paris]] # {{flagicon|SGP}} [[Singapore]] # {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Seoul]] # {{flagicon|NLD}} [[Amsterdam]] # {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Shanghai]] # {{flagicon|UAE}} [[Dubai]] # {{flagicon|GER}} [[Berlin]]

===World's Best Cities ranking=== Consultancy firm Resonance publishes the World's Best Cities ranking. They are ranked in three categories: livability, lovability and prosperity, each of them using different factors. The top 10 cities in 2026 are:<ref>{{cite web |title=Resonance: World's Best Cities |url=https://www.worldsbestcities.com/rankings/worlds-best-cities/ |access-date=10 November 2025 |language=English}}</ref> # {{flagicon|GBR}} [[London]] # {{flagicon|USA}} [[New York City]] # {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Paris]] # {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tokyo]] # {{flagicon|SPA}} [[Madrid]] # {{flagicon|SGP}} [[Singapore]] # {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Rome]] # {{flagicon|UAE}} [[Dubai]] # {{flagicon|GER}} [[Berlin]] # {{flagicon|SPA}} [[Barcelona]]

===Global Financial Centres Index=== {{Excerpt|Global Financial Centres Index|files=0}} The 2026 ranking was:

# {{flagicon|USA}} [[New York City]] # {{flagicon|GBR}} [[London]] # {{flagicon|HKG}} [[Hong Kong]] # {{flagicon|SIN}} [[Singapore]] # {{flagicon|USA}} [[San Francisco]] # {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Shanghai]] # {{flagicon|UAE}} [[Dubai]] # {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Seoul]] # {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Shenzhen]] # {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tokyo]]

==See also== {{portal|Cities|World}} * ''[[Caput Mundi]]'' * [[City quality of life indices]] * [[Ecumenopolis]] * [[List of cities by GDP]] * [[Ranally city rating system]]

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Global City}} [[Category:Cultural geography]] [[Category:Economic geography]] [[Category:Economic globalization]] [[Category:Index numbers]] [[Category:Lists of cities]] [[Category:Loughborough University]] [[Category:Metropolitan areas]] [[Category:Types of cities]] [[Category:Urban areas]]