Final answer:
Global cities are ranked based on criteria such as urban population growth, economic development, and management of urban services. Factors like educational standards and agglomeration economies also contribute to their global status.
Step-by-step explanation:
Global cities are identified and ranked based on several criteria that reflect their importance and role in the global economy. While what constitutes urban areas can be complex and varies worldwide, certain characteristics are considered when ranking global cities. These include the growth of the urban population, economic development, innovations in urban planning, and the city's ability to handle problems like transportation, pollution, and urban services management.
During the Industrial Era, cities witnessed a significant increase in population as people flocked from rural to urban areas, driven by new technologies and the development of factories. This growth led to the emergence of postindustrial cities such as New York, London, and Tokyo, characterized by their shift from manufacturing-based economies to service- and information-based ones. In these cities, gentrification is a common trend.
Analysts have noted that top-ranking global cities often share features such as high educational standards, recruitment of top-tier teachers, and economic factors related to agglomeration economies, which refer to benefits derived from the growth in overall population size and market in an area. By understanding these factors, we can analyze why certain cities stand out globally and how they manage to achieve sustainable development amid rapid urbanization.