100 Cities of the World

SHiRO · #1 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 12:47 AM**

I want to make a list of the 100 most prominent cities of the world. What cities should be on it, in your opinion, and why? Think carefully and try to avoid hometown bias.

Of course there are some undisputables, it's up to you to convince people why a city should/should not be included.

To make it easier I've broken down the world in 8 regions, the undisputables already included:

Western Europe
London
Paris
Berlin
Rome
Madrid
Barcelona
Vienna

Eastern Europe
Moskou
St. Petersburg
Istanbul
Warsaw

Middle East
Bagdad
Tehran
Jersusalem

Africa
Cairo
Casablanca
Lagos
Johannesburg

Asia
Tokyo
Osaka
Seoul
Beijing
Shanghai
Hong Kong
Bangkok
Singapore
Jakarta
Delhi
Kolkata
Mumbai
Karachi

Oceania
Sydney
Melbourne

North America
New York
Toronto
Chicago
San Fransisco
Los Angeles

Latin America
Mexico City
Rio de Janeiro
Sao Paulo
Buenos Aires

Remember, there are 100 spots to fill! Maybe later we can make a map.

I used the word "prominent" because I wanted to avoid using "best", "most important", etc.
Now add to the list...

DrJoe · #2 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 12:53 AM**

All looks well to me.

#3 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 12:55 AM**

For Africa, definitely add Nairobi, Capetown, probably Addis Ababa, Kinshasha (prominent in Africa, maybe not so well known in the world, despite 5+ million ppl and counting.)

Carol Doda · #4 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 1:11 AM**

looks good. but i would add DC to North America. it's the capital of the only superpower, after all.

Jazzman · #5 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 1:17 AM**

Yeah I agree with dynah. Add Washington, D.C. and maybe Miami too.

And maybe you should replace Tehran with Riyadh or Mecca.

rich_2000 · #6 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 1:22 AM**

I agree with the actual list, but there are missing some important cities

Shannon2 · #7 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 1:27 AM**

Looks like you have about 50 spots to fill. Here are some cities you might want to add:

Western Europe:

Milan
Amsterdam
Brussels
Naples
Hamburg
Zurich
Lisbon
Dublin
Stockholm
Venice
Lyon
Copenhagen

Eastern Europe:

Budapest
Athens
Prague
Kiev

Middle East:

Damascus
Mecca

Africa:

Kinshasa
Cape Town
Alexandria
Nairobi

Asia:
Madras
Kuala Lampur
Nagoya
Manila
Lahore

North America:

Miami
DC
Philly
Detroit
Montreal
Atlanta
Boston

Latin America:
Santiago
Lima
Caracas
Bogota
Guadalajara

Cirrus · #8 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 1:34 AM**

Yeah, DC belongs on that list. From an urban perspective it's pretty similar to SF and Toronto, PLUS it's the capital.

... Maybe Boston, Philadelphia and Montreal, too. All quite similar to SF, Toronto and DC, if a little smaller.

Some possibilities from outside North America:
Kiev
Tel Aviv
Alexandria, Egypt
Mecca
Brussels
Frankfurt
Zurich
Amsterdam
Milan

mewonlottery · #9 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 1:37 AM**

Where is Taipei in your list ??? Taipei has the WTB, Taipei 101.

SHiRO · #10 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 2:04 AM**

Of course I already got 100 cities in mind, but I wanted to know what others thought. So if any cities get mentioned which are already on "my list" I'll add them. Same if multiple persons argue that a certain city should be on it.

Western Europe
London
Paris
Berlin
Rome
Madrid
Barcelona
Vienna
Milan
Amsterdam
Brussels
Lisbon
Stockholm
Copenhagen
Athens
Lisbon

Eastern Europe
Moskou
St. Petersburg
Istanbul
Warsaw
Budapest
Prague

Middle East
Bagdad
Tehran
Jersusalem
Riyadh

Africa
Cairo
Casablanca
Lagos
Johannesburg
Cape Town
Addis Abeba
Kinshasa
Nairobi

Asia
Tokyo
Osaka
Seoul
Beijing
Shanghai
Hong Kong
Bangkok
Singapore
Jakarta
Delhi
Kolkata
Mumbai
Karachi
Kuala Lumpur
Manilla
Taipei

Oceania
Sydney
Melbourne

North America
New York
Toronto
Chicago
San Fransisco
Los Angeles
Washington
Montreal
Boston
Philladelphia
Atlanta

Latin America
Mexico City
Rio de Janeiro
Sao Paulo
Buenos Aires
Santiago
Lima
Caracas
Bogota

Should these be included? (and why)

Miami
Mecca
Naples
Hamburg
Zurich
Dublin
Venice
Lyon
Kiev
Damaskus
Alexandria
Chennai (Madras)
Nagoya
Lahore
Detroit
Guadalajara
Tel Avif
Zurich
Frankfurt

What about the Chinese cities?

Should Tehran be taken of the list?

Keep it coming...

#11 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 2:32 AM**

Looks like a fine list to me, I think Zurich and Frankfurt should be included for their economic importance, maybe Geneva for its international headquarters, Tel Aviv and Dublin for their key role in their countries. Mecca is definitely important as a religious centre, and Guangzhou, Dhaka, Ho Chi Minh City could also be candidates for Asia later on in the list. I would also give Houston and Dallas consideration - Houston at least has the #2 number of Fortune500 companies in its city and I think #4 in its metro, and both are more important than Atlanta perhaps. Vancouver and Brisbane may also be candidates.

Shannon2 · #12 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 2:45 AM**

Mecca because its the spiritual capital of Muslims so it should be included. Nagoya is a very large city of 5 million. Hamburg is quite large (3 million) and is by far the wealthiest city in Germany and up there with cities like London, Tokyo and Zurich as one of the wealthiest in the world. Venice for its history and as one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Detroit for its size (5 million) and its world renown in the auto industry. Kiev for its history and its size of 3 million. Damascus and Alexandria for their history and size. Zurich for its prominence in the financial sector.

FLAplaya · #13 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 2:50 AM**

Miami should be on there cuz it is the "gateway to Latin America" for the US and it is second to New York in international banking in most respects.

Cirrus · #14 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 3:12 AM**

There's that whole third tier of American cities to consider. If you're going to include Atlanta you have to give serious consideration to
Detoit
Dallas
Houston
Miami
Seattle

I'm not sure whether they belong on the list or not, but they're all about the same prominence as Atlanta.

Cirrus · #15 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 3:13 AM**

Oh, and what about entertainment?
Vegas?
Dubai?

Shannon2 · #16 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 3:17 AM**

If we are talking about prominence, Vegas should probably be on the list. Miami seems more prominent than most of those other third tier cities, both on an international level and within the US.

chongqinghero · #17 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 3:24 AM**

Chongqing

On UN 's map there are only four cities of China on it.
Beijing, Nanjing ,Shanghai and Chongqing!

SHiRO · #18 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 3:31 AM**

Problem with German cities is that there are so many with about equal importance, but none of them are really "up there" on a international scale.

If Hamburg should be added, why not Cologne, Munich, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart?

Same with US cities.

Well I think it's safe to at least add Hamburg and Frankfurt for Germany and Houston and Miami for the US. But we also must not put to many cities for one country on the list and leave room for some Chinese cities that didn't got mentioned yet. (Why Guangzhou, but not Tianjin, Shenyang, Wuhan, Chonqing, Shenzen - I guess we need a Chinese forumer for this one).

SHiRO · #19 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 3:36 AM**

Western Europe
London
Paris
Berlin
Frankfurt
Hamburg
Rome
Madrid
Barcelona
Vienna
Milan
Amsterdam
Brussels
Lisbon
Stockholm
Copenhagen
Athens
Zurich
Dublin

Eastern Europe
Moskou
St. Petersburg
Istanbul
Warsaw
Budapest
Prague

Middle East
Bagdad
Tehran
Jersusalem
Riyadh
Mecca
Damaskus
Tel Avif

Africa
Cairo
Casablanca
Lagos
Johannesburg
Cape Town
Addis Abeba
Kinshasa
Nairobi

Asia
Tokyo
Osaka
Seoul
Beijing
Shanghai
Hong Kong
Bangkok
Singapore
Jakarta
Delhi
Kolkata
Mumbai
Karachi
Kuala Lumpur
Manilla
Taipei
Ho Chi Minh City

Oceania
Sydney
Melbourne

North America
New York
Toronto
Chicago
San Fransisco
Los Angeles
Washington
Montreal
Boston
Philladelphia
Atlanta
Houston
Miami
Dallas

Latin America
Mexico City
Rio de Janeiro
Sao Paulo
Buenos Aires
Santiago
Lima
Caracas
Bogota

OK, that makes 80...

Shannon2 · #20 Posted: **Sep 2, 2003, 3:36 AM**

The reason Hamburg stands out from all of the other German cities is that its far wealthier, indeed one top few wealthiest in the world. Hamburg has a per capita income of $39,000, almost double every other German city:
http://demographia.com/db-intlppp-regiona.htm