City Mayors: Mayors running the world's cities

Cities are shaping today's social, cultural, technological and economic agendas. They compete, learn from each other and act together.

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City Mayors ranks the world’s largest, best as well as richest cities and urban areas. It also ranks the cities in individual countries, and provides a list of the capital cities of some 200 sovereign countries. More

City Mayors profiles city leaders from around the world. More

City Mayors describes the history, architecture and politics of the greatest city halls in the world. More

Mayors from The Americas, Europe. Asia, Australia and Africa compete for the World Mayor Award. More

Use Mayor Monitor to rate the performance of mayors from across the world More

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City Mayors reports political events, analyses the issues and depicts the main players. More

City Mayors describes and explains the structures and workings of local government in Europe, The Americas, Asia, Australia and Africa. More

City Mayors deals with economic and investment issues affecting towns and cities. More

City Mayors describes and explains financial issues affecting local government. More

City Mayors reports urban environmental developments and examines the challenges faced by cities worldwide. More

City Mayors reports on and discusses urban development issues in developed and developing countries. More

City Mayors reports on developments in urban society and behaviour and reviews relevant research. More

City Mayors invites readers to write about the people in their cities. More

City Mayors examines city brands and marketing. More

City Mayors lists and features urban events, conferences and conventions aimed at urban decision makers and those with an interst in cities worldwide. More

City Mayors deals with urban transport issues in developed and developing countries and features the world’s greatest metro systems. More

City Mayors examines education issues and policies affecting children and adults in urban areas. More

City Mayors investigates health issues affecting urban areas with an emphasis on health in cities in developing countries. More

City Mayors reports on how business developments impact on cities and examines cooperation between cities and the private sector. More

City Mayors examines the contributions history and culture make to urban society and environment. More

City Mayors examines the importance of urban tourism to city economies. More

City Mayors questions those who govern the world’s cities and talks to men and women who contribute to urban society and environment. More

City Mayors profiles national and international organisations representing cities as well as those dealing with urban issues. More

City Mayors reports on major national and international sporting events and their impact on cities. More

City Mayors lists cities and city organisations, profiles individual mayors and provides information on hundreds of urban events. More

Verona mayor asks residents
to report home sex workers
News ( Europe): Back from his Christmas break, Verona Mayor Flavio Tosi announced that he would crack down further on the city’s prostitutes. After having banished them from the city’s streets, he is now targeting sex workers operating from home. ''We have moved them off the streets, but now we want to hit the prostitutes - and there are many - who work from home,'' the mayor said. Under Italian law prostitution is not illegal. More

Immigrant from Morocco
is new mayor of Rotterdam
News (Europe): Moroccan-born Ahmed Aboutaleb has been installed as Rotterdam’s new mayor. Aboutaleb, a former junior government minister and journalist, is the first immigrant from Morocco to be appointed mayor of a Dutch city. Rotterdam, with a population of more than 0.5 million, has the largest proportion of immigrants of any large Dutch city. In 2002, Pim Fortuyn, who became popular for his anti-Muslim views, was shot dead. More

US cities expect to be favoured
by economic stimulus package
Economics: US mayors are buoyed by the prospect of an unprecedented partnership with Washington. Barack Obama has said that he hoped to sign an economic stimulus package into law shortly after taking office on 20 January 2009. While full details of the stimulus plan are not yet known, Obama says that it will be “a plan big enough to meet the challenges we face.” Many observers expect the massive economic recovery plan will total several hundred billion dollars. A large portion of the total is expected to be funneled to cities. More

Mayors
in Europe
Government: A plethora of city leadership models exist across Europe, depending on history and political culture, though the challenges facing urban areas are mostly identical. While in France, Spain, Greece and Portugal the mayor is head of the party list on the council, in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands mayors are appointed by the central government for a six-year term. In contrast to the elected mayors of Poland and Romania, in Finland, Ireland and Iceland the council is run by an appointed manager. More

Christmas Eve in an
English seaside town
Metro Mensch: And they praised the English Queen and they wished her Merry Christmas and they shouted “we are safe, we are in England.” It was the Uzbekistani who broke the silence the group had kept since leaving Calais hidden in a truck. Thirteen refugees, from across Asia, hugged, kissed and shook hands. In three hours they would be in London, some with addresses to go to, others with a little money and a great deal of hope. But the joy of the group was to be short-lived because among them was a man who made his living by delivering refugees to the authorities. More

Hunger and homelessness
increase in American cities
Society: In US cities, hunger and homelessness are both on the rise according to a report by the US Conference of Mayors. Miami Mayor and Conference President, Manny Diaz, said that at a time when America faced one of the biggest economic downturns in its history, the issues of hunger and homelessness are more prevalent than ever. “Cities are the front lines where these effects are first felt, which is why mayors have been proactive and have implemented local initiatives to combat hunger and homelessness in their communities to take care of our most vulnerable residents,” he explained. More

Arguments for and
against term limits
Government: Term Limits can be a productive if not blunt instrument despite the powerful passions they may evoke. Term limits are currently a revived topic for action at both state and local level in the US. New York City and San Antonio are two major cities where this subject, the bane of elected officials and favored by their electorate, is once again on the front burner. More

How good is
your mayor?
Mayor Monitor: Mayor Monitor allows residents and non-residents to rate the performance of mayors and highlight their ‘best’ and ‘worst’ decisions. Over time, Mayor Monitor will provide a valuable track record of mayors’ successes and failures as well as their popularity among residents and a wider public. The results will be published on the City Mayors website and updated regularly. The ratings will also become a contributory factor of World Mayor 2010. More

Obama promises to become
America’s first urban president
Politics: Barack Obama has promised to advance a number of issues important to mayors of US cities soon after he takes office on 20 January 2009. America's 44th President says he will create 2.5 million well-paying jobs during the first two years of his administration by renovating infrastructure and schools and developing alternative energy sources. More

Not all cities will benefit
from rising urbanization
Society: While more than 70 per cent of the populations of Europe, North America and Latin America are already urban, Asia and Africa, which are predominately rural, with 41 per cent and 39 per cent of their populations living in urban areas, respectively, are in for a major demographic shift. More

Hunger and homelessness
increase in American cities
Society: In US cities, hunger and homelessness are both on the rise according to a report by the US Conference of Mayors. Miami Mayor and Conference President, Manny Diaz, said that at a time when America faced one of the biggest economic downturns in its history, the issues of hunger and homelessness are more prevalent than ever. “Cities are the front lines where these effects are first felt, which is why mayors have been proactive and have implemented local initiatives to combat hunger and homelessness in their communities to take care of our most vulnerable residents,” he explained. More

Urban population is growing
by one million people a week
Society: The world’s urban population will grow from 2.86 billion in 2000 to 4.98 billion by 2030, of which high-income countries will account for only 28 million out of the expected increase of 2.12 billion. The world’s annual urban growth rate is projected at 1.8 per cent in contrast to the rural growth rate of 0.1 per cent and about 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities. More

Municipal bonds have been issued
by US local government since 1812
Finance (USA): Infrastructure in the US is generally financed through subnational capital financing vehicles, termed municipal bonds, which encompass the issuance of bonds by state and local governments, their agencies and quasi-public bodies generically termed special districts. While the term comprises issuers other than municipalities, the first bond of this trail-blazing genre was issued in 1812 by New York City. This pioneering debt instrument was a general obligation bond, which meant that it was backed by the taxing power and tax revenues of the issuer. More

Scientists from Germany and Korea
work on creating green mega cities
Environment: Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a typical mega city: vast, pulsating, noisy and full of exhaust fumes. This is the setting in which researchers from the German Fraunhofer Institute are developing new building concepts and IT solutions. which will save energy, cut pollution and make living in the city a more pleasant experience. More

The world’s best cities
are still in Switzerland
Environment (World): Zurich and Geneva are the best cities in the world as far as quality of live is concerned, says a new survey. Vancouver (Canada) is placed third, followed by Vienna (Austria), Auckland (New Zealand), Düsseldorf (Germany) and Frankfurt (Germany). Paris, London and Madrid are in the lower half of the top-50 table. Overall, Baghdad is not surprisingly the lowest ranking city in the survey. More

American mayors welcome military
schools into poorer neighborhoods
Education (USA): A little-known occurrence in public education in American cities is the rise of military schools. These schools generally operate as a partnership between the local school district and the US Department of Defense. They target poor, minority students between the ages of 10 and 18, especially African-Americans, and offer academic instruction and athletic activities within a framework of military discipline. More

Helen Zille, Mayor of Cape Town,
wins the 2008 World Mayor Prize
World Mayor 2008: Helen Zille, Executive Mayor of Cape Town and leader of South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance, has been awarded the 2008 World Mayor Prize. Commentators supporting her nomination said that in a country devoid of present-day role models, this amazing lady was making a difference and giving people there hope: “Her only equals are Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela in Southern Africa.” The runner-up certificate of the 2008 World Mayor Project has been awarded to Elmar Ledergerber, Mayor of Zurich. More

Mayors
Europe
Government: A plethora of city leadership models exist across Europe, depending on history and political culture, though the challenges facing urban areas are mostly identical. While in France, Spain, Greece and Portugal the mayor is head of the party list on the council, in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands mayors are appointed by the central government for a six-year term. In contrast to the elected mayors of Poland and Romania, in Finland, Ireland and Iceland the council is run by an appointed manager. More

Arguments for and
against term limits
Government: Term Limits can be a productive if not blunt instrument despite the powerful passions they may evoke. Term limits are currently a revived topic for action at both state and local level in the US. New York City and San Antonio are two major cities where this subject, the bane of elected officials and favored by their electorate, is once again on the front burner. More

Jerry Abramson
Mayor of Louisville
Mayors (USA): Jerry Abramson is the first Jewish mayor of the city best known for the Kentucky Derby and has dominated its public life since his first election in 1985. Mayor of a city with a strong history in the slave trade and known for its prominence in the national racial unrest of 1968, Abramson appointed the city's first black police chief. More

Jena City Hall: One of
the oldest in Germany
City Halls (Europe): The historic city hall (Rathaus) of Jena, whose origins go back to 1413, is one of the oldest in Germany. Situated at Markt 1 in the city centre, the building still houses a few city departments, such as the civil registry office, but most of them are now located in a separate municipal building close to the city hall. More

Europe’s city centers and suburbs
will change drastically in the future
Development (Europe): The renaissance of the city is a hot topic in Europe. But what does the term renaissance mean? Generally it designates the renaissance of the inner city, the complex, mixed used inner city. The term renaissance is often applied to the city center only. Is such a perception appropriate? Does it mean that suburbanization is in decline? I assume that European cities have turned into urban regions, which will change drastically in the future. More

Dubai and Shanghai examples
of wasteful urban development
Development (World): The danger of treating climate change only as a man-made phenomenon that impacts nature’s systems is that it posits the problem in some distant remoteness and absolves all of us of immediate responsibility. The facts tell us that three-quarters of the carbon dioxide in the world, which is the biggest greenhouse gas, is emitted by cities. Dubai and Shanghai are models that ought to be avoided, as they are examples of environmentally wasteful urban development. More

London’s canal network offers opportunity
for viable and sustainable freight transport
Transport (UK): Back in August 1981 three barges loaded with lime juice and pith in 45 gallon barrels made their way up the Thames. At the helm on that day was a colleague of mine, Gerry Heward. He was about to have a date with history. At Brentford in west London the tiny fleet passed through the tidal lock and onto the 200 year old Grand Union Canal. From here they travelled 50 kilometres north to Hemel Hempstead. At Rose’s factory, the barges unloaded their cargo so it could be processed into lime juice cordial and marmalade. More

Gallup can offer cities the tools
to attract the ‘creative classes’
Marketing: In a rapidly globalizing world, cities are increasingly competing with each other for the most skilled and talented people. Robert Manchin, Managing Director of Gallup Europe, believes that only by understanding the needs of their citizens and by providing them with a high quality of life can cities appeal to the ‘creative classes’. In an interview with City Mayors he explains the background of Gallup's Soul of the City tool and how cities can gain a competitive advantage by using it. More

Paris, London and Barcelona
are Europe’s top city brands
City Marketing: In a unique study, which ranks Europe’s largest cities based on a comparison of their assets and attractions against the strength of their brands, Paris emerges as Europe’s number one city brand, followed by London, Barcelona, Berlin and Amsterdam. The research also reveals that the French capital is the most asset-rich city in Europe, ahead of, again, London and followed by Munich, Barcelona and Amsterdam. Bradford, UK, is the lowest-ranked city in both categories. More

The largest cities in the world by
land area, population and density
Statistics (World): With the merger of core cities, suburbs and satellite towns into large metropolitan areas, the very largest cities in the world have in fact become megacities, i.e. cities with more than 10 million people. The area comprising Tokyo and Yokohama is, with a population of between 33 and 35 million, the world’s largest megacity. Other cities among the world’s top five megacities are Mexico City, New York Metro, Sao Paulo and Mumbai. More

Tokyo is number one among
the richest cities in the world
Statistics (World): Greater Tokyo stands unrivalled in the world. For many years to come, the Japanese capital together with its surrounding urban areas will remain the richest and largest city in the world. Research published by PricewaterhouseCopper (PWC) in March 2007 places the Japanese capital at the top of the world’s richest cities between 2005 and 2020. In its own research on the world’s largest cities between 2006 and 2020, City Mayors also ranks Tokyo number one in the world. More

New York, London and Paris rank
first in a new index of global cities
Statistics (World): Assembled by Foreign Policy alongside management consultants A. T. Kearney and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs think tank, the Global Cities Index is the latest in a series of ranking tables to consider the physical manifestations of globalisation’s urban pull across the world. While not perhaps as scientific as the standard GaWC rankings for World Cities, the inaugural index is a fascinating study of recent and on-going urban trends. More

Urban events, conferences
seminars and conventions
Events (International): City Mayors’ directory of urban events, conferences, seminars and conventions is aimed at city leaders, urban decision makers and those with an interest in cities worldwide. The directory provides specialists with comprehensive lists of events tailored to their areas of interest. More

Christmas Eve in an
English seaside town
Metro Mensch: And they praised the English Queen and they wished her Merry Christmas and they shouted “we are safe, we are in England.” It was the Uzbekistani who broke the silence the group had kept since leaving Calais hidden in a truck. Thirteen refugees, from across Asia, hugged, kissed and shook hands. In three hours they would be in London, some with addresses to go to, others with a little money and a great deal of hope. But the joy of the group was to be short-lived because among them was a man who made his living by delivering refugees to the authorities. More

City Mayors supports mayors who have the vision, the passion and the skills to make their cities amazing places to live, to work and to visit.

Verona mayor asks residents to report home sex workers

Cameroon’s ‘Paris Dream’ leaves thousands homeless

Immigrant from Morocco is new mayor of Rotterdam

Greek rioters firebomb French Cultural Institute

US demands enquiry into Nicaragua local elections

Senegalese opposition to fight local elections

Government picks new mayor of Kuala Lumpur

Riots spreading from Athens to other cities

Aide of London mayor quits following misuse of shares

Athens authorities fail to stem violence

Future role of advisor to London mayor in doubt

Local elections spark violence in Nigeria

Melbourne elects former party leader as Lord Mayor

Kansas City mayor sues city's council

China's urban transition causes growing inequality

Tehran Mayor launches campaign for presidency

Assassins kill Russian mayor

Chavez opponent wins in Caracas

The largest cities in the world by land area, population and density

The world's largest urban areas in 2006 and 2020

Swiss and German cities dominate ranking of best cities in the world

The most expensive cities in the world, Asia and Europe

Western Europe has the most egalitarian cities in the world

Not all cities will benefit from rising urbanization

Moscow remains the world's most expensive city

Helen Zille, Mayor of Cape Town, wins the 2008 World Mayor Prize

Mayor Monitor allows for rolling performance assessments of city mayors

Gallup can offer cities the tools to attract the ‘creative classes’

New York, London and Paris rank first in a new index of global cities

Local government

Mayors of the world

World Mayor 2008

The world's city halls

Green mega cities

Asia has become home to world's fastest growing cities

Tokyo is numbr one among the richest cities in the world

21st century cities: Home to new riches and great misery

Urban events, conferences, seminars and conventions

Global urbanisation: Threats and benefits

Historic Cities - Living Cities

Mayors from The Americas

Local government in The Americas

City Halls in The Americas

North American cities on the internet

Hunger and homelessness increase in American cities

US cities expect to be favoured by economic stimulus package

Obama promises to become America's first urban president

Elected mayors are more effective, says US study

American mayors welcome military schools into poorer neighborhoods

Pittsburgh and Los Angeles - the most polluted US cities

America prefers to punish rather than to provide care

Municipal bonds have been issued by US local government since 1812

Left and centre-right make gains in Brazil’s larger cities

The world’s largest wholesale market feeds 20 million people

Sao Paulo’s Alphaville gated community - an early answer to middle-class insecurity

Metro Mensch story from Sao Paulo: Maria and Luis

Mayors from Europe

City Halls in Europe

Local government in Europe

Stuttgart shows regional consolidation can work

Paris.London and Barcelona are Europe's top city brands

London, Paris and Frankfurt remain Europe’s favourite business cities

Europe’s city centers and suburbs will change drastically in the future

Continental cities provide lessons for urban Britain

London’s canal network offers opportunity for viable and sustainable freight transport

2012 London Olympics to regenerate one of the poorest areas of the capital

European Cities of Culture 1985 to 2019

Mayors from Asia

Local government in Asia

City Halls in Asia

Changes in Asia’s fast growing cities are closely watched across the world

China's urban transition causes growing inequality

China is at the forefront of the greatest urban-industrial revolution of all time

Fukuoka - one of Japan's doors to the world for more than 1000 years

Matsuyama City

Megacities must urgently address the needs of slum dwellers

Indian will need new cities

Time bomb is ticking away for India’s cities

Dubai and Shanghai examples of wasteful urban development

Metro Mensch in Baghdad

Tokyo Metro: The world’s cleanest and most extensive subway system

Afghan cities offer few opportunities for rising numbers of rural migrants

Mayors from Australia

City Halls in Australia

Local government in Australia

John So elected World Mayor 2006

Australia's logal government association

Melbourne Mayor calls for bold ideas to manage the city's transport system

Australian local government needs more resources

Mayors from Africa

Local government in Africa

By 2030 Africa will change from rural to urban society

Success of future megacities will depend on cooperation between citizens and authorities

Harare's middle-class residents take up urban farming to counter food shortages

Amnesty International calls on African governments to stop forced evictions

Canary Islands: Refugee crisis on the Afro-European fault line

Mauritania’s urban slums offer no support to rural newcomers

African cities demand access to basic services