The Top Smart Cities in Each Region of the World
What does it mean to be a smart city? Here are eight cities located across the globe that attempt to answer that question.
November 19, 2016
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London leads the world in terms of human capital but not so well in social cohesion. The city also happens to have the biggest tech market in the world, worth £19 billion. The city established its Smart London plan in December 2013, which is designed to help preserve the quality of life in London amidst quick population growth.
Prague’s smart city plan focuses on network infrastructure, innovation-friendly urban development, efficient public services, and workforce and infrastructure development.
One of the biggest metro areas in the world, Seoul scores well in terms of technology, mobility, and transportation. While Tokyo gives Seoul a run for its money in terms of technological investment, Seoul scores better in nearly every other department. The city’s public transportation system and emergency warning system are especially advanced.
Santiago scores well in terms of technology, urban planning, and social cohesion. It lags, however, in terms of human capital.
While Dubai has the best ranking in the Middle East, the city is ranked 65 in the world overall—just one slot above Abu Dhabi. The city has grown quickly in the past ten years and scores well in terms of social cohesion, public management, and international outreach.
While Cape Town is the top smart city in Africa, it doesn’t crack the top 100 cities overall. In fact, it has been falling in the ranks, dropping from 106 in 2013 to 120 two years later. The company is continuing to roll out advances, including free Wi-Fi, video cameras, an open data portal, and smart grid technology. An electric bus system is scheduled to debut next year.
Sydney is a well-rounded city, scoring well in every factor but human capital and international outreach.
The Big Apple scores ranks number three in the world in terms of technology but leads the world in nearly every category. Trailing NYC in the top five are London, Paris, San Francisco, and Boston.
The Big Apple scores ranks number three in the world in terms of technology but leads the world in nearly every category. Trailing NYC in the top five are London, Paris, San Francisco, and Boston.
For a city to live up to its potential, investing in gee-whiz technology is not enough, say researchers at IESE Business School in Spain. A true smart city must score well in terms of sustainability, connectivity, innovation, as well as social cohesion, explains the most recent IESE Cities in Motion Index. Here, we present the top city in each of the regions described in IESE’s research.
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