Which are the smartest cities?

In relation to which are the smartest cities we must be clear that a smart city is one that uses advanced technology and real-time data to improve the quality of life of its citizens, optimize resource management and ensure more efficient urban services.

The smart city concept emerged with the rise of digital technologies applied to urban management in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, coinciding with the expansion of the Internet, mobile connectivity and large-scale data analysis.

These advances have made it possible to transform key areas of municipal life such as mobility, energy management and governance. They also make it possible to minimize the environmental impact of cities through optimized waste management, air quality control and real-time monitoring of the consumption of resources such as water and energy, in addition to encouraging citizen participation.

Although smart city is usually associated with large capitals, it is a model that is within the reach of any municipality, as demonstrated by solutions such as the platform AlphaDataManager platform, used by dozens of cities across the country to improve public safety, mobility and the environment using anonymized data obtained from urban traffic.

The smartest city in the world

The Swiss business school IMD annually prepares the Smart City Index, a list of the smartest cities, which includes the 100 smartest cities in the world according to economic, technological and human indicators (such as environment or social inclusion).

Zurich is the smartest city in the world

According to the most recent update, from the year 2024, Zurich (Switzerland) is the world’s smartest cityahead of Oslo (Norway) and Canberra (Australia). The IMD list leaves Europe in a good position, as seven of the top ten smart cities are from this continent.

The same is not true for Spain, which places four cities in the Top 100, but the best positioned is Bilbao and occupies 29th place. The other municipalities are Madrid (35.º), Zaragoza (57th) and Barcelona (81.º). The Catalan capital suffers from problems of access to housing, air pollution and traffic congestion.

What makes Zurich the top-ranked company? If we look at the different indicators evaluated, those in which the Swiss city stands out the most are health and safetyThe indicators in which the Swiss city stands out the most are health and safety, such as recycling services or medical service coverage, and educational and employment opportunities, thanks to ensuring access to good schools for the majority of children or the availability of job-seeking services.

The 20 smartest cities on the planet