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What is the Global Power City Index?
- The Global Power City Index is an annual ranking compiled by the Institute for Urban Strategies of the Mori Memorial Foundation in Tokyo. Based on 70 different factors in six categories, the institute rates the attractiveness of the world's top 48 cities based on their "magnetism."
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1 / 31 Fotos
What is the Global Power City Index?
- According to the website of the Mori Foundation, a city's magnetism ranking is determined by its "power to attract people, capital, and enterprises from around the world." The six categories considered for this index are: economy, livability, research & development, environment, cultural interaction, and accessibility. Let's find out some of the top cities in the 2024 Global Power City Index.
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Geneva
- The beautiful city in Switzerland made it to 28th place in 2024. It achieved an impressive sixth place in the environment category and also landed in 8th place in the economy category.
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Chicago
- Chicago, the largest and most powerful city in the US Midwest, ranks 27th in 2024. Chicago is in the top 10 in the research and development category.
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Brussels
- The Belgian capital is ranked 26th on the 2024 Index. The picturesque city is also ranked 11th in the world for quality of life.
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San Francisco
- San Francisco, the golden city of California, came in at 25th place, mainly because of the excellent results that put it in the top 10 in the areas of economy and research and development.
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Toronto
- Toronto, the most populous city in Canada and capital of the province of Ontario, was ranked the 24th most attractive city in 2024. Toronto earned this spot with good results in most categories.
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Frankfurt
- The vibrant and diverse German city of Frankfurt is ranked 23rd, with particularly good scores in the areas of environment and accessibility. Frankfurt is the fifth most populous city in Germany and is strikingly diverse: the majority of young people have a non-German background.
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Los Angeles
- Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the USA and a global cultural center, ranks 22nd on the index, dropping one place compared to its 2023 result. It came fourth in the research and development category.
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Dublin
- The capital of Ireland ranked 21st in 2024, securing third place in the 'economic' category, maintaining first place in the rate of gross domestic product growth for the second consecutive year.
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Zurich
- The beautiful and vibrant Swiss city of Zurich reached the top 10 in the economy and environment categories and is ranked 20th overall in the Global Power City Index.
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Barcelona
- The Catalan capital of Barcelona, famous for the surrealist architecture of Antoni Gaudí and its rich political history, is ranked 19th in 2024. In the quality of life category, it occupies an impressive fourth place.
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Hong Kong
- Hong Kong is ranked 18th on the Global Power City Index 2024. In the research and development category, the metropolis is in 10th place.
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Sydney
- Sydney, one of Australia's largest cities and the capital of the state of New South Wales, was ranked 17th in the 2024 Index. Sydney ranks seventh in the environment category and also scores well in the other areas.
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Beijing
- Beijing, the world's largest national capital and one of China's leading centers of culture, commerce, and politics, is the 16th largest city in the world in 2024. It came sixth in the economy category.
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Vienna
- The Austrian capital Vienna has long been a shining star in Europe, which is only confirmed by its 15th place on the list of the most attractive cities. The adopted home of Beethoven and Mozart also came third in the environment category.
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Stockholm
- The Swedish capital, nicknamed the "Venice of the North" due to the many rivers and tributaries that meander through the city, was ranked 14th in 2024. Stockholm achieved mostly average results in the various categories, but came second in the environment category.
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Melbourne
- In 13th place is another Australian city, Melbourne, the capital of the southern state of Victoria. Melbourne came in eighth place in the environmental category.
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Copenhagen
- The Danish capital Copenhagen was the 12th most powerful city in 2024. The picturesque city in Northern Europe came first in the environment category and also scored well in the quality of life and accessibility categories.
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Shanghai
- Shanghai, China's most populous city and the world's largest port city, was named the 11th most attractive city of 2024. Shanghai ranked 7th in the accessibility category, but also 11th in the economy category.
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Madrid
- The Spanish capital Madrid ranked 10th in 2024. The city was also ranked as the 2nd most liveable city, 9th for cultural interaction, and 12th for accessibility.
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Berlin
- The 10th most powerful and attractive city in the world in 2024 is Berlin. The German capital made it into the top 10 in the categories of cultural interaction, quality of life, and environment.
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Dubai
- Known worldwide for its extravagant city life, man-made islands, and the impossibly tall Burj Khalifa, Dubai was ranked the 8th most powerful city in 2024, and 5th in terms of cultural interaction.
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Amsterdam
- In seventh place, once again, is the Dutch capital. Amsterdam is known for its many canals, its particularly beautiful architecture, and its numerous museums. When it comes to accessibility, Amsterdam occupies an impressive 8th place.
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Seoul
- The beautiful South Korean capital Seoul was ranked sixth in the Global Power City Index 2024. Seoul is home to 15 Fortune 500 companies and ranks fifth in the research and development category.
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Singapore
- The Asian city-state of Singapore was named the fifth most powerful city of 2024 and received a top 10 ranking in the categories of economy and cultural interaction as well as 11th place in the category of research and development.
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Paris
- The French capital Paris, one of Europe's most historically famous cities, was once again voted the fourth most powerful and attractive city in 2024, coming second in terms of cultural interaction, third in accessibility and even winning in the quality of life category.
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Tokyo
- Tokyo, the capital of Japan and the city from which the Global Power City Index is organized, once again took third place in 2024. The only category in which Tokyo did not make it into the top 10 was environment, however.
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New York
- According to the Global Power City Index, the second most powerful city in the world is New York City, the most populous city in the United States. In the areas of economy and research and development, New York ranked first, as it did in 2023 and 2022.
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London
- The English metropolis of London was named the most powerful and attractive city in the world for the twelfth time in a row. Sources: (Global Power City Index) (The Facts Institute) (WorldStrides)
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© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
What is the Global Power City Index?
- The Global Power City Index is an annual ranking compiled by the Institute for Urban Strategies of the Mori Memorial Foundation in Tokyo. Based on 70 different factors in six categories, the institute rates the attractiveness of the world's top 48 cities based on their "magnetism."
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
What is the Global Power City Index?
- According to the website of the Mori Foundation, a city's magnetism ranking is determined by its "power to attract people, capital, and enterprises from around the world." The six categories considered for this index are: economy, livability, research & development, environment, cultural interaction, and accessibility. Let's find out some of the top cities in the 2024 Global Power City Index.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Geneva
- The beautiful city in Switzerland made it to 28th place in 2024. It achieved an impressive sixth place in the environment category and also landed in 8th place in the economy category.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
Chicago
- Chicago, the largest and most powerful city in the US Midwest, ranks 27th in 2024. Chicago is in the top 10 in the research and development category.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Brussels
- The Belgian capital is ranked 26th on the 2024 Index. The picturesque city is also ranked 11th in the world for quality of life.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
San Francisco
- San Francisco, the golden city of California, came in at 25th place, mainly because of the excellent results that put it in the top 10 in the areas of economy and research and development.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Toronto
- Toronto, the most populous city in Canada and capital of the province of Ontario, was ranked the 24th most attractive city in 2024. Toronto earned this spot with good results in most categories.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Frankfurt
- The vibrant and diverse German city of Frankfurt is ranked 23rd, with particularly good scores in the areas of environment and accessibility. Frankfurt is the fifth most populous city in Germany and is strikingly diverse: the majority of young people have a non-German background.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Los Angeles
- Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the USA and a global cultural center, ranks 22nd on the index, dropping one place compared to its 2023 result. It came fourth in the research and development category.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Dublin
- The capital of Ireland ranked 21st in 2024, securing third place in the 'economic' category, maintaining first place in the rate of gross domestic product growth for the second consecutive year.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Zurich
- The beautiful and vibrant Swiss city of Zurich reached the top 10 in the economy and environment categories and is ranked 20th overall in the Global Power City Index.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
Barcelona
- The Catalan capital of Barcelona, famous for the surrealist architecture of Antoni Gaudí and its rich political history, is ranked 19th in 2024. In the quality of life category, it occupies an impressive fourth place.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
Hong Kong
- Hong Kong is ranked 18th on the Global Power City Index 2024. In the research and development category, the metropolis is in 10th place.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Sydney
- Sydney, one of Australia's largest cities and the capital of the state of New South Wales, was ranked 17th in the 2024 Index. Sydney ranks seventh in the environment category and also scores well in the other areas.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Beijing
- Beijing, the world's largest national capital and one of China's leading centers of culture, commerce, and politics, is the 16th largest city in the world in 2024. It came sixth in the economy category.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Vienna
- The Austrian capital Vienna has long been a shining star in Europe, which is only confirmed by its 15th place on the list of the most attractive cities. The adopted home of Beethoven and Mozart also came third in the environment category.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Stockholm
- The Swedish capital, nicknamed the "Venice of the North" due to the many rivers and tributaries that meander through the city, was ranked 14th in 2024. Stockholm achieved mostly average results in the various categories, but came second in the environment category.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Melbourne
- In 13th place is another Australian city, Melbourne, the capital of the southern state of Victoria. Melbourne came in eighth place in the environmental category.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Copenhagen
- The Danish capital Copenhagen was the 12th most powerful city in 2024. The picturesque city in Northern Europe came first in the environment category and also scored well in the quality of life and accessibility categories.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Shanghai
- Shanghai, China's most populous city and the world's largest port city, was named the 11th most attractive city of 2024. Shanghai ranked 7th in the accessibility category, but also 11th in the economy category.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Madrid
- The Spanish capital Madrid ranked 10th in 2024. The city was also ranked as the 2nd most liveable city, 9th for cultural interaction, and 12th for accessibility.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Berlin
- The 10th most powerful and attractive city in the world in 2024 is Berlin. The German capital made it into the top 10 in the categories of cultural interaction, quality of life, and environment.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Dubai
- Known worldwide for its extravagant city life, man-made islands, and the impossibly tall Burj Khalifa, Dubai was ranked the 8th most powerful city in 2024, and 5th in terms of cultural interaction.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Amsterdam
- In seventh place, once again, is the Dutch capital. Amsterdam is known for its many canals, its particularly beautiful architecture, and its numerous museums. When it comes to accessibility, Amsterdam occupies an impressive 8th place.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Seoul
- The beautiful South Korean capital Seoul was ranked sixth in the Global Power City Index 2024. Seoul is home to 15 Fortune 500 companies and ranks fifth in the research and development category.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Singapore
- The Asian city-state of Singapore was named the fifth most powerful city of 2024 and received a top 10 ranking in the categories of economy and cultural interaction as well as 11th place in the category of research and development.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Paris
- The French capital Paris, one of Europe's most historically famous cities, was once again voted the fourth most powerful and attractive city in 2024, coming second in terms of cultural interaction, third in accessibility and even winning in the quality of life category.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Tokyo
- Tokyo, the capital of Japan and the city from which the Global Power City Index is organized, once again took third place in 2024. The only category in which Tokyo did not make it into the top 10 was environment, however.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
New York
- According to the Global Power City Index, the second most powerful city in the world is New York City, the most populous city in the United States. In the areas of economy and research and development, New York ranked first, as it did in 2023 and 2022.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
London
- The English metropolis of London was named the most powerful and attractive city in the world for the twelfth time in a row. Sources: (Global Power City Index) (The Facts Institute) (WorldStrides)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
The most powerful cities in the world
Check out which cities feature in the Global Power City Index
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There are many influential cities around the world. Each metropolis stands as a beacon of cultural, industrial, and financial importance. These urban giants boast a mix of strengths and challenges: some excel economically but are less livable, while others lead in sustainability but lack cultural diversity.
Measuring a city's global impact is complex given these different factors. Fortunately, the Mori Memorial Foundation has taken on the task of translating a myriad of details into understandable numbers. In this gallery, we look at the top 28 based on their 2024 analysis.
Curious? Click through the gallery and find out if your city is one of the most powerful cities in the world.
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