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

Cities call on governments
to act on climate change
News (Environment): Representatives from 22 cities have committed themselves to a low-carbon future. At the City Climate Conference, they declared that combating climate change was all about cities. Cities also called on governments to adopt regulations, which would lead to a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions. More

Former justice minister to be
Copenhagen’s new lord mayor
News (Europe): Copenhagen will continue to be ruled by a Social Democrat mayor. Frank Jensen has secured his position as Copenhagen’s new mayor despite his party losing four council seats. The Social Democrat campaign received a boost when the Socialist candidate announced his support for Jensen. More

Rotterdam Global Urban Summit
Environment: Co-creating New (Green) Deals between cities and businesses
The City of Rotterdam is organising the Global Urban Summit 2009, a conference on high-quality urban development and sustainability. More

EUKN 2009 Conference
Society: At the conference, important questions will be addressed. For eaxample, what challenges and opportunities do different European cities face when it comes to young migrants? Can we identify common characteristics? More

CITY MAYORS
Code of Ethics
Ethics: City Mayors was established in 2003 to promote, encourage and facilitate good local government. To strengthen local government further, we now propose to institute a code of ethics for city leaders who wish to carry out their duties beyond all reproach. We are also inviting interested parties to comment on the draft code and perhaps suggest changes and/or additions. Ultimately, we aim to establish the professional title of Chartered Mayor in recognition of city leaders who bring integrity and character to public service as well as adhere to the code of ethics. More

A review of the pros and cons of increased
interlocal cooperation in local government
Government: What characterizes the local governance system in the United States is not only fragmentation of governmental units, but increasing fragmentation of service delivery. This has been more extreme in metropolitan areas owing to the rate of population growth following the end of World War II. In her article, Mayraj Fahim argues that, however, now is the time for inter-governmental cooperation and collaborative service delivery. More

A permanent feature of
Estonia’s political scene
Mayors: Twice mayor of the Estonian capital and recently boosted by a massive election win, Edgar Savisaar is a perennial feature of his country’s political scene, as a former prime minister and a minister during both the late Soviet era and the post-independence Republic. Leader of the country’s Centre Party, critics allege his autocratic manner and links to Russia do not befit the putative leader of a modern EU state, while others herald his support for and among the country’s worst off. More

American cities divided over
benefits of natural gas drilling
Environment: Mayors have been the vanguard of the green movement in the United States. Their city governments have led the nation in such areas as weatherizing buildings, creating green jobs, adopting alternative fuels, and creating new tools for sustainable land use and development. A new process for extracting natural gas – hydraulic fracturing or “hydrofracking” -- highlights the opportunities and challenges of going green for hundreds of communities in eastern United States. More

High profile incumbents prevail
in American mayoral elections
Politics: The big story of this year’s US mayoral elections is the narrow victory of Michael Bloomberg in the New York City race, who obtained a previously impossible third term by only four per cent over Democrat challenger William Thompson. Incumbents also triumphed in Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, St Paul and Rochester, while second-round ballots will need to be held in Atlanta and Houston. More

Nominations sought
for World Mayor 2010
World Mayor: City Mayors, the international think tank on urban affairs, is seeking nominations for the 2010 World Mayor Prize. The Prize, which has been awarded since 2004, honours mayors with the vision, passion and skills to make their cities incredible places to live in, work in and visit. The World Mayor Project aims to show what outstanding mayors can achieve and raise their profiles nationally and internationally. More

US cities take the lead
in advancing gay rights
Society: Despite preparing for a large budget deficit, Cleveland, Ohio, Mayor Frank Jackson recently approved US$700,000 to help his city’s bid to land the 2014 Gay Games. “It’s the right thing to do,” said a spokesperson for Mayor Jackson. Meanwhile, across the country, Anchorage, Alaska Mayor Dan Sullivan vetoed a measure designed to counteract anti-gay discrimination in his city, saying that he was “not sure of the need for the ordinance.” More

Youth curfews popular with American cities
but effectiveness and legality are questioned
Society: At least 500 US cities have curfews on teenage youth, including 78 of the 92 cities with a population greater than 180,000. In most of these cities, curfews prohibit children under 18 from being on the streets after 11:00 pm during the week and after midnight on weekends. About 100 cities also have daytime curfews to keep children off the streets during school hours. The curfews are designed to prevent crime, increase parental responsibility for their children, and give police greater ability to stop people involved in suspicious activity. More

London, Paris and Frankfurt remain
Europe’s favourite business cities
Economics: London continues to be rated as the leading European business city in 2009. Paris is again ranked second but the gap between it and London has widened. Frankfurt remains the third most favoured city. 'Easy access to markets, customers or clients' is now regarded as the most important factor when deciding to locate a business, replacing the availability of qualified staff. More

German and Nordic cities perform
well in European economic report
Economics: Munich has supplanted London from top place in the annual European Regional Economic Growth Index (E-REGI). It is the first time a German city heads this ranking. The effect of the financial markets and banking sector travails have not affected London’s high rating in most measures of city performance but it has caused a significant slide in the E-REGI from first in 2008 to eighth in 2009. More

The most expensive and
richest cities in the world
Economics: Oslo, Zurich, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo and New York have emerged as the world's most expensive cities based on a standardised basket of 122 goods and services. When rent prices are factored into the equation, New York, Oslo, Geneva and Tokyo emerge as especially expensive places to live. The basket costs the least in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Delhi and Mumbai. The newly introduced iPod index measure how long an employee would have to work to be able to afford the Apple MP3 player. More

Municipal bonds have been issued
by US local government since 1812
Finance: 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. More

American cities divided over
benefits of natural gas drilling
Environment: Mayors have been the vanguard of the green movement in the United States. Their city governments have led the nation in such areas as weatherizing buildings, creating green jobs, adopting alternative fuels, and creating new tools for sustainable land use and development. A new process for extracting natural gas – hydraulic fracturing or “hydrofracking” -- highlights the opportunities and challenges of going green for hundreds of communities in eastern United States. More

Swiss and German cities dominate
top places of best cities in the world
Environment: While Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city and the country’s financial capital, is no longer number one, three Swiss cities make it into the top 10 of 'best' cities in the world. According to new research, Vienna, Austria’s capital, is now the city most people would like to call their home. Geneva retains its position in third place. Overall, European cities continue to dominate the top locations in this year’s survey, with German cities particularly well represented among the top 50. Düsseldorf, Munich and Frankfurt are all among the top 10 best cities. More

US education needs to prepare
for 2042 demographic time bomb
Education: Attention to education, and its importance, has been made the subject of a renewed and sharper focus following President Obama’s call for reform and the announcement of a new program of advancement. The President realizes the stakes are high. The public might be more willing to see this goal as being as important as their job prospects if he had also made clear that the education problems facing the country coincide with its demographic time bomb due to detonate by 2042. More

Nominations sought
for World Mayor 2010
World Mayor: City Mayors, the international think tank on urban affairs, is seeking nominations for the 2010 World Mayor Prize. The Prize, which has been awarded since 2004, honours mayors with the vision, passion and skills to make their cities incredible places to live in, work in and visit. The World Mayor Project aims to show what outstanding mayors can achieve and raise their profiles nationally and internationally. More

A review of the pros and cons of increased
interlocal cooperation in local government
Government: What characterizes the local governance system in the United States is not only fragmentation of governmental units, but increasing fragmentation of service delivery. This has been more extreme in metropolitan areas owing to the rate of population growth following the end of World War II. In her article, Mayraj Fahim argues that, however, now is the time for inter-governmental cooperation and collaborative service delivery. More

Local government in India still carries
characteristics of its colonial heritage
Government: While India, like many other regions, has always had local councils of some sort, the mechanisms in existence today are rooted in the period during which it was a colony of the United Kingdom. A major foundation of the British roots of Indian local government was Lord Ripon’s resolution of May, 1882, on the subject of local self-government covering the structure and establishment of local bodies, their functions, finances and powers. This is the root of local self-government in post-Independence India. More

Mayors from Africa, Asia
The Americas and Europe
Mayors: While urban settlements have been around for millennia, increasingly cities are beginning to acquire their own narratives and political importance, not only as places to live but also as drivers of national social values and economies with their own global networks. Though the agglomerative effects of cities as part of globalisation is widely understood and universal, city leadership models remain as diverse as ever, but with common trends on each continent: Africa, Asia, The Americas and Europe.

A permanent feature of
Estonia’s political scene
Mayors: Twice mayor of the Estonian capital and recently boosted by a massive election win, Edgar Savisaar is a perennial feature of his country’s political scene, as a former prime minister and a minister during both the late Soviet era and the post-independence Republic. Leader of the country’s Centre Party, critics allege his autocratic manner and links to Russia do not befit the putative leader of a modern EU state, while others herald his support for and among the country’s worst off. More

The mayor who brought the
Olympics to Rio de Janeiro
Mayors: Like his predecessor as mayor, Eduardo Paes’ path to the Rio mayoralty was one of constant political shape shifting. All eyes will now be on the mayor after of the city’s successful Olympic bid for 2016. The city’s daily battle against gang violence, thanks to the juxtaposition of extreme poverty in the favelas and the beachfront high life, was most recently documented in the global hit film Elite Squad. More

Stuttgart’s new City Hall
A symbol of civic pride
City Halls: Stuttgart’s first City Hall was built in 1456. Situated on the market place (Marktplatz) in the middle of the city, the building served as Stuttgart’s administrative centre and accommodated a trading exchange on its ground floor. During the following centuries, Stuttgart City Hall underwent several structural changes, such as in 1582-83, when the timber-framed building received a new façade in the then popular Renaissance style, adding pictures and emblems. More

Damascus: A historic living city
must not become a theme park
Development: How can ancient cities benefit from the UNESCO world heritage badge and simultaneously avoid becoming a ‘Walt Disney’ for tourists? Syria’s capital, Damascus, is the oldest continuously lived in city in the world and is in danger of this phenomenon. With its five-star hotels and so-called ‘VIP pockets’, the locals are being driven out in droves. More

US car parks amount to
half the size of Belgium
Transport: Studies show that there are approximately three parking spaces for each vehicle in the United States. This amounts to a parking lot half the size of Belgium. New parking lots and garages take away from the ambiance and viability of downtowns and neighborhoods. They take up land that could be used for a new building or park. They force buildings to be designed to accommodate cars. 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.

Cities call on governments to act on climate change

Former justice minister to be Copenhagen’s new lord mayor

Mayor welcomes the expansion of Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem

Allies praise Kosovo over local elections

Buenos Aires Mayor accepts ruling on same-sex marriage

Former headmistress elected Sofia mayor

Ruling parties claim victory in Kosovo’s local elections

Washington DC suburbs to promote smart growth

English cities may set up urban economic regions

American cities divided over benefits of natural gas drilling

Environmentalist to be Seattle’s next mayor

Baltimore mayor accused of stealing gift vouchers

Suicide bomber kills anti-Taliban mayor

Viable public transport remains a pipe dream

Ford Foundation commits $100m to disadvantaged urban schools

Michael Bloomberg wins third term, but only just

Montreal mayor re-elected despite City Hall scandal

Louisville Mayor Abramson rated by Mayor Monitor

San Francisco Mayor abandons race to succeed Schwarzenegger

Birmingham Mayor took bribes to finance his spending habits

Obama invited to go to Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Trolley buses may run again in Leeds

Three ‘youngsters’ battle for Pittsburgh City Hall

Mayoral contests dominate next week’s USA elections

German and Nordic cities perform well in European economic report

US housing department to promote equal rights for gays and lesbians

New York City Mayor takes massive lead in the polls

Birmingham mayor accused of taking cash and gifts in bribes

US mayors push for clean truck program

14 Philippine mayors on illegal drug watch

Tallinn mayor wins absolute majority

Kosovo accuses Serbia of meddling in local elections

City Mayors events: Worldwide, 24 categories, free listings

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

Code of Ethics for mayors

The world's largest urban areas in 2006 and 2020

Nominations sought for World Mayor 2010

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

The most expensive and richest cities in the world

Federated local government offers advantages over more centralised or fragmented systems

Western Europe has the most egalitarian cities in the world

European and US mayors take lead in tackling global warming

Multi-tier local government systems adopted in many parts of the world

How good is your Mayor?

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

Local government

Mayors of the world

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

A review of the pros and cons of increased interlocal cooperation in local government

US cities in crisis but new solutions are taking hold

American cities divided over benefits of natural gas drilling

US car parks amount to half the size of Belgium

Do not handcuff the poor and homeless

Pittsburgh and Los Angeles the most polluted US cities

US education needs to prepare for 2042 demographic time bomb

Municipal bonds have been issued by US local government since 1812

Mexico City seeks green options for waste disposal

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

Mayors from Europe

City Halls in Europe

Local government in Europe

Swiss and German cities dominate top 10 of 'best' cities in the world

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

German and Nordic cities perform well in European economic report

European cities introduce new tram-train technology

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

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

European Cities of Culture 1985 to 2019

Mayors from Asia

Local government in Asia

Mayors from Asia and Australia

City Halls in Asia

Damascus: A historic living city must not become a theme park

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

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

Mayors from Australia

City Halls in Australia

Local government in Australia

Mayors from Asia and Australia

African mayors

Mayors from Africa

Local government in Africa

Durban looks beyond the 2010 World Cup

By 2030 Africa will change from rural to urban society

Helen Zille - My aim for South Africa: An open, opportunity-driven society

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

Mauritania’s urban slums offer no support to rural newcomers

African cities demand access to basic services