Jointly compiled with the Chamber of Commerce, the report on Barcelona in the world covers various indicators for 2020 and 2021, underlining that the city is considered the safest city in the world, climbing fifteen positions compared to the last edition of the Safe Cities Index 2021, compiled by The Economist.

This is the biggest climb in the number of positions, followed by the volume of tech investments, where the city climbs nine spots. Another aspect reaffirming the city as a leading tech hub in Europe is that it ranks fifth in terms of direct foreign investment for tech projects, according to Tech Cities of the Future 2020-2021.

Good position in sustainability and city model too

According to the report, the city also stands out in the following:

• Economic activity: for the first time since 2016, the city ranks among the top twenty for global competitiveness, according to the report Global Power City Index 2021, coming in eighteenth place in the world and seventh in Europe. An action plan for the economic recovery has been in place since 2020, with measures implemented by the Economic Response Coordination Centre (CECORE).
• Confidence in the sphere of international investment: ninth place among the world’s main urban areas for attraction foreign investment projects in 2020 and second city in terms of research centres, according to the Global Cities Investment Monitor 2021.
• Attracting visitors and tourists: ninth most attractive city in the world, according to World’s Best Cities 2021.
• Preferred location for start-ups: Barcelona ranks as the third favourite city in Europe for the fourth year running and is among the top five for start-up ecosystems in the world, according to The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2021. 
• Business studies: the only city in Europe with two teaching institutions (IESE and ESADE) among the top ten business schools in Europe in 2021, according to Financial Times.
• Sustainability: fourteenth most sustainable city in Europe in 2021, according to Schroders European Sustainable Cities Index. This means recognition for adopting sustainability as a strategic cornerstone for development policies and in the context of the Barcelona Green Deal economic agenda.
• City model: ninth city in Europe for creative intensity, in line with The Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor 2020, according to the European Commission.

Click here for documents for previous years from the Barcelona Observatory.