GLOBAL METRO MONITOR2018
GLOBAL
METRO
MONITOR
2018M
ore than half the world’s population now lives in urban areas and
the 300 largest metropolitan economies in the world account for
nearly half of all global output. The concentration of economic
growth and prosperity in large metro areas defnes the modern
global economy, creating both opportunities and challenges in an era in which
national political, economic, and societal trends are increasingly infuenced by sub-
national dynamics. This report, which analyzes employment and GDP per capita
growth of 300 large metro areas (with a special feature on cities in the Middle East
and North Africa), fnds the following:
Relative to the world, large metropolitan
economies concentrated and accelerated
economic growth between 2014 and 2016.
Between 2014 and 2016, the 300 largest
metro areas accounted for 36 percent of
global employment growth and 67 percent
of global GDP growth, rates that well
exceed their 2016 share of each indicator.
Emerging economy metro areas continued to
disproportionately drive growth, accounting
for 80 percent of the 60 best-performing
metropolitan areas.
Global trends mask notable variation in
the performance of large metropolitan
economies across world regions. Between
2014 and 2016, metro areas in China and
Emerging Asia-Pacific nations experienced
the fastest GDP per capita growth while
Middle Eastern and African metro areas
exhibited the fastest employment growth.
By contrast, Latin American metro areas
experienced the slowest GDP per capita and
employment growth. Relative to the rest
of their regions, large metro areas have
experienced faster employment growth since
2000 but slower GDP per capita growth.
Within world regions, a subset of
high-performing metro areas is
disproportionately accountable for
employment and GDP per capita growth.
Between 2014 and 2016, just over half of the
world’s 300 largest metropolitan economies
were “pockets of growth,” outpacing their
regions in both indicators. Reflecting its
historic urban economic growth, China led
this category with 73 percent of its largest
metro areas, followed by Emerging Asia-
Pacific (65 percent) and the Middle East and
Africa (56 percent).
This report reaffirms the economic power of
large cities in the global economy, but also
reveals significant variation in urban economic
growth across the world. While many large cities
are pulling away from their surrounding regions,
others are struggling. With so much economic
activity centered in these 300 metro areas, their
individual and collective progress will continue
to shape global economic, political, and societal
trends.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
BROOKINGS
METROPOLITAN
POLICY
PROGRAM
2。。。