Over the past 20 years, the ranking of cities has become an increasingly common practice for assessing the attractiveness of urban regions. The aspects considered for the city of Rome are historical-cultural dimenisone (Eternal City, World Center of Catholicism, International Agribusiness Hub for the United Nations), geographical (Hub of the Mediterranean), creative and innovative (home to Italian and foreign universities, culural institutes, museums, research centers, specialized poles in electronics, aerospace and audiovisual) and the functions of a capital city (home to permanent diplomatic representations and the institutional organs of the state.
In the various rankings analyzed, both academic and those made by private companies, a relatively homogeneous picture emerges of Rome’s position in the global urban hierarchy. Rome consistently appears to be in an intermediate position compared to other major capitals and global cities, but it is possible to note a positive trend in thelimultimate years: Rome has managed to improve its ranking in some rankings, for example in the Global Cities Index and Emerging Cities Outlook, and can boast an internationally recognized brand, as evidenced by the Anholt GMI City Brands Index.