The number of cities in the modern world is in the thousands. But only a few of them actively introduce the latest technologies into their lives. What are the most modern cities in the world? By what signs can they be recognized? In this article, we will tell you about the most "smart" and high-tech megacities of the planet, which are able and willing to keep up with the times.
City evolution
Today, about half of the world's population lives in cities. Experts predict that by 2030 the proportion of urban residents will reach 60%, and by the middle of this century it will exceed 70%. For more than a decade, cities have been the locomotives of the world economy, the highest quality “human capital” has been flowing here. Today, in many countries, cities and metropolitan areas account for about 80% of GDP.
At the same time, modern cities of the world are actively developing and evolving. Urbanists distinguish three stages through which any urban settlement passes:
- First stage -"industrial city". Industry is actively developing in it, large enterprises are located (often not distinguished by environmental cleanliness). Industrial cities are distinguished by a clear layout and division of urban space into certain zones - industrial, residential, park, recreational.
- The second stage is the “humanistic city”. In it, heavy industry is gradually being replaced by light and food industries, as well as by service enterprises. For the first time, the concept of such a city was proposed by the American Jane Jacobs in the early 60s.
- The third stage is the “post-industrial city”. It is a major educational, cultural, scientific and technical center. Financial markets, research institutions and the knowledge economy come to the fore here.
10 most modern cities in the world
Which city can be called "smart" and high-tech? Experts identify the following features of a smart city. Among them:
- Rational use of natural and land resources.
- Energy efficiency and exploitation of renewable energy sources.
- Green and smart transport.
- Integrated waste recycling.
- Optimization of traffic and car parks.
- Free Wi-Fi Widespread.
But the main feature of a "smart city" is the involvement of so-called smart services in the operation of key urban systems (water supply, gas supply, municipal transport, etc.).
After analyzing several authoritativeanalytical ratings (Forbes, Tech Insider, Juniper Research, Knight Frank), we have compiled our list of the ten most modern cities in the world. It includes:
- Curitiba (Brazil).
- Boston (USA).
- Seoul (South Korea).
- Stuttgart (Germany).
- Copenhagen (Denmark).
- London (England).
- Barcelona (Spain).
- Shenzhen (China).
- New York (USA).
- Singapore.
Next you will find brief descriptions and photos of modern cities in the world from our rating.
Curitiba
Brazilian Curitiba is one of the most modern cities in the world. The local public transport system, developed by Jaime Lerner, made a splash among urbanists. The following facts speak eloquently about the success of Curitiba:
- The city's bus transport functions as efficiently as the light metro, but costs the municipal budget ten times less.
- Curitiba has the world's largest pedestrian zone.
- Curitiba's transport consumes 30% less fuel than the transport of other cities.
- 99% of Curitiba residents are completely satisfied with their life in this city.
Boston
Boston is one of the key scientific and technological strongholds of the United States. A number of innovative technologies are being developed here - at Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other institutions. The research centers of the two largest companies, Facebook and Amazon, operate in the same American city.
Seoul
The capital of the Republic of Korea is often called the "city of the future". And this is not the slightest exaggeration. Innovation is practically built into the fabric of this city. According to some reports, the number of patents issued here is higher than in any other city in the world.
Stuttgart
German Stuttgart is another contender for the title of the most modern city in the world. It is among the top five cities in terms of the number of granted patents. Today, the IT industry is flourishing in Stuttgart. Many global corporations such as Bosch, IBM, Porsche have their headquarters here.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is one of the cycling capitals of Europe. All the necessary infrastructure for movement on two-wheeled vehicles has been created here. In addition, the city has created a program to control traffic, as well as a data exchange database, which involves all social institutions and structures - administration, police, ambulance, etc.
London
The British capital is considered the birthplace of many innovative projects. Perhaps the main one is a large-scale renovation of the local metro, for which about $ 20 billion was allocated. London was one of the first cities in Europe to seriously collapse due to traffic jams. Back in 2002, a comprehensive transport reform was carried out here, which made it possible to solve this problem.problem. And in 2014, “smart parking” began to work in London.
Barcelona
The capital of Catalonia is not only a famous tourist center, but also one of the largest smart cities (according to Forbes magazine). Modern parking lots, smart irrigation systems, automatic control of street lighting, smart meters that analyze resource consumption - all this has long been implemented and effectively used in Barcelona. In addition, the unique Sentilo system operates here, which collects a variety of data from hundreds of different city sensors.
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a city in southern China. Half a century ago, there was a tiny village in its place. Today it is a large metropolis with a population of ten million people and a rapidly growing GDP. Almost half of all patents in China are registered here. The city has 11 free trade zones, each of which specializes in a particular area of the economy. In Shenzhen, products of such well-known brands as Sony, Apple, Microsoft are assembled.
New York
New York is one of the largest cities in the modern world, a metropolis with a population of 12 million. Innovative technologies "Big Apple" masters no less intensively. The city's major achievements include smart street lighting, smart trash cans with special sensors, and advanced security systems.
Singapore
City-Port State Singapore often ranks first in various rankings of the most modern cities.
Smart technologies are widely implemented in the traffic system: Singapore's roads are equipped with smart traffic lights and special sensors that determine the density of traffic. The city is also equipped with a smart parking system. In addition, it is here that the first batch of unmanned vehicles is planned to be tested.
