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Disagree. There are cities that function as HQ's for particular things. London is the economic center of Europe, and it along with NY the apex global city for most things.
Cities are starting to become more important then states. I think global cities rather then countries will determine future economic patterns. London and NY are locked in an embrace closer then the UK-USA in general.
I'm going to say Joburg. If a city is going to be considered the capital of Africa it should attract sizable populations from non-South African, African countries. Addis Abba isn't a great destination and is overwhelmingly Ethiopian. Whereas Joburg has sizable populations of Somalis, Nigerians, Zimbabweans etc.
There are no de-facto accepted capitals anywhere in the world, and there is no need for such a thing.
As to London being the EU's capital, I doubt that you get a majority for this in any European country, let alone in the UK itself as a large part of Brits, if not most, would rather leave the EU than stay.
If you really have the need to name a EU capital, many would likely say Brussels.
By the way, Japan is not a city, so it cannot be a capital.
You're right on London,it's rather Brussels.
Johannesburg or Capetown cannot play the same role as New York,for the simple reason,that most africans do not identify with S.African because it's mainly european.
Few african people travel to S.Africa for business like people do for New York,convention,conferences,fashion,international organizations,music events
My choices would be Lagos,Cairo,Dakar,Casablance,Algiers,Addis Abeba (African Union headquarter)
I'm going to say Joburg. If a city is going to be considered the capital of Africa it should attract sizable populations from non-South African, African countries. Addis Abba isn't a great destination and is overwhelmingly Ethiopian. Whereas Joburg has sizable populations of Somalis, Nigerians, Zimbabweans etc.
Other cities have also a sizeable emigrant population like Dakar,Algiers,Lagos,Cairo,Addis Abeba and Casablanca.
I'd say Johannesburg. For NY style influence, nowhere is like it in Africa. It's where African movers and shakers gotta be.
I PREFER Cape Town, but Johannesburg is the answer to this question.
Btw, I'd say Paris for the EU rather than London. London is a weird 'UK semi-Europe free floating' entity (and also my least favourite city I've been to in the world). I think you mean Tokyo for East Asia, which is prob truth, but Shanghai is closing in...
This isn't a question of which city is nicer, more livable, safer or more beautiful. Most of us would chose Cape Town if that was the criteria. The question was what is the de facto capital of Africa(excluding Arab North Africa).
The is Johannesburg. It has the largest economy, perhaps not per capita, but overall. Its also the most diverse city in Africa, once again, not per capita, but overall. It has the largest stock exchange and has the largest market size in Africa.
Comparing Johannesburg to Cape Town is almost like comparing Los Angeles to San Francisco. Los Angeles being Johannesburg and Cape Town being San Francisco. Cape Town is arguably more beautiful, more laid back, has a better standard of living, is the beauty of South Africa. Cape Town, per capita, has the higher GDP. But the sheer size of Johannesburg pushes it to another level. One might be nicer than the other, but it doesn't make it more important.
Johannesburg is, from my point of view, the most important city.
I don't think facto cities need to represent all cultures of certain part of the world. New York doesn't represent Mexico. Sao Paulo doesn't represent the Spanish speaking countries around it. Tokyo doesn't represent eastern Russia and London can't really represent Spain, France, Italy, Germany, etc.
Jo'burg is the strongest city due to its access to information, businesses activity and human capital.
Nairobi is more centered to subsaharian Africa or black Africa, which you must know are 2 different but overlapping areas, but is not as important as Johannesburg.
Cape Town; although it has more history, culture diversity, beauty and political engagement; I still see it as one of the best places "to visit".
However, I have never been in these cities; just what I've read.
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