World cities Flashcards
World cities
cities which have great influences on a global scale because of their financial status and worldwide commercial and political power
* e.g. New York, London, Tokyo
* now joined by Beijing, Shanghai, Mumbai
Importance of world cities
1. role in politics - have considerable decision making power (and is the site of) at a global level
* e.g enforcing laws such as Paris agreement + other multinational agreements
2. impact migration by having high levels of residents employed in service sector industries + better quality of life
* such as educational institutions
3. Provide headquaters for multinational corporations, innovation centres, for businesses, domination of trade and economy of large surrounding area
4. improve transport - providing good transport links to world economy with at least 1 major international airport, fast rail links and ports
World citiy rankings
- Alpha ++ cities
- Alpha + cities
- Alpha + Alpha - cities
- Beta level cities
- Gamma level cities
Alpha ++ cities
more integrated than all other cities and constitute their own high level of integration
* e.g. London and New York
Alpha + cities
other highly integrated cities that complement London and New York, largely filling in advanced service needs for pacific Asia
* e.g. Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, Shanghai, Singapore, Beijing, Sydney and Dubai
Alpha + Alpha - cities
very important world cities that link major economic regions + states into the world economy
* e.g. Chicago, Milan, Mumbai, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Frankfurt, Toronto, LA, Madrid + more
Beta level cities
important world cities that are industrial in linking their region/ state into world economy
* e.g. Bangalore, Copenhagen, Guangzhou, Zagreb, Oslo, Cairo
Gamma level cities
world cities linking smaller regions/states into the world economy/ important world cities whose major global capacity is not in advanced producer services
* Lahore, St Petrtsburg, Durban, Islamabad, Bristol
