Changing connectivity patterns in the world city network, 2000–2008

This is an empirical paper that measures and interprets changes in intercity relations at the global scale in the period 2000-2008. We draw on the network model devised by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) research group to measure global connectivities for 132 cities across the world in 2000 and 2008. A range of statistical techniques is used to explore changing connectivities at the city level and the regional scale. The most notable changes are (i) the general rise of connectivity in the world city network, (ii) the loss of global connectivity of US and Sub-Saharan African cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami in particular), and (iii) the gain in global connectivity of South Asian, Chinese and Eastern European cities (Shanghai, Beijing and Moscow in particular).