Calling an entire country a major economic force just isn't accurate. At least, that's what Richard Florida contends. His article discusses the regional, not national, nature of areas that are making global impacts.
The most innovative and productive regions in the world have been mapped by Florida and his team, mostly based on population and economic data, as well as satellite images of regions' light emissions at night. The new "Megalopolis" -- a term coined in the '70s referring to the Boston-New York-Washington D.C. region -- is actually many regions, often overlapping national borders.
"The maps make it clear that the global economy takes shape around perhaps 20 great Megasâ€"half in the United States and the rest scattered throughout the world. These regions are home to just 10 percent of total world population, 660 million people, but produce half of all economic activity, two thirds of world-class scientific activity and three quarters of global innovations."
Read the full story: The New Megalopolis
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