How big cities pull in power

In the picture

1. 1Business district: company headquarters and banks gathered in skyscrapers
2. 2Central railway station: motorways and rail lines meet here
3. 3International airport: direct links to other world cities
4. 4Container port: goods arrive and leave by sea from around the world

Examples

• A global bank keeps its head office in a London or New York tower, even though it has branches in many countries.
• Flying between two continents often means changing planes at a hub such as Dubai, Paris or Singapore.

Quiz: How big cities pull in power (Age 16)

1. 1

   What does the word "metropolisation" describe?

   • People leaving big cities to settle in small towns and the countryside
   • Wealth spreading evenly across all the cities of a country
   • People, wealth and power concentrating in the largest cities
2. 2

   A world city such as London is often more closely connected to which places?

   • Other world cities such as New York or Tokyo
   • The small towns located nearby in the same region
   • The farms and villages of its own countryside
3. 3

   Why do the most important decisions and flows of money pass through cities like London, New York or Tokyo?

   • Because they gather company headquarters and banks and are linked to the world by airports, ports and stations
   • Because they are located at the geographic centre of their countries
   • Because they have more factories than any other cities

The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.