Defining the Metropolis researches the influence of global top urban facilities in the development of urban agglomerations in the world. This is an update of primarily results of the project.
The research is based on the Index of Metropolitan Functions developed by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development. The Index of Metropolitan Functions defines five areas: politics, economy, science, transport and culture. The five areas of metropolitan functions are supported by specific urban program. As far as allowed by available data, the global top list of these different urban programs is used.
Population and the top urban facilities
As a basic for further research, the 3o largest urban agglomerations in the world between 2o1o and 2o25 were used. This resulted in list of 33 urban agglomerations. Out of the annual growth of these 33 urban agglomerations, 4 types can be distinguished. The 4 types define each a different phase of the growth (by population) of a city.
Type 1: The annual growth of the urban agglomeration is increasing between 2ooo-25 and it is around the average annual growth of all urban agglomerations.
Type 2: The annual growth of the urban agglomeration is increasing between 2ooo-25 and it is higher than the average annual growth of all urban agglomerations.
Type 3: The annual growth of the urban agglomeration is decreasing between 2ooo-25 and it was at its peak between 1985-2ooo.
Type 4: The annual growth of the urban agglomeration is decreasing between 2ooo-25 and it was at its peak between 1955-1985.
The size of the population of the urban agglomeration (all urban agglomerations have at least 6,7 million inhabitants) has no real influence on the presence of global top facilities, but there is a correlation between the growing phase of the urban agglomeration and the presence of global top facilities.
Urban agglomerations in the first phase have a national or international political centre and have a top traffic infrastructure. In the second phase top economic facilities are added. In phase 3 and 4, cities start to score on all the metropolitan functions. Science and culture mostly develop together.
The urban agglomerations in the world
The European urban agglomerations have a high rate of top facilities and a low number of inhabitants. The North-American urban agglomerations have a high rate of top facilities and a medium to low number of inhabitants. The Latin-American urban agglomerations have a low rate of top facilities and a mix of high and low number of inhabitants. The East Asian urban agglomerations have a mix of low and medium rate of top facilities and a mix of low and high number of inhabitants. The South West Asian urban agglomerations have a low rate of top facilities and a mix of medium and high number of inhabitants. The African urban agglomerations have a low rate of top facilities and a low number of inhabitants.