This factsheet shows how Cardiff compares to the five most similar European city by size and industrial structure. These are: Strasbourg (France), Århus (Denmark), Münster (Germany), Orléans (France) and Alicante (Spain)
Comparing cities in this way helps us to understand more about how well UK cities are competing on an international scale because it groups cities with similar industrial structures, rather than on their resulting economic performance. The factsheet also compares the relative strengths and weaknesses of Cardiff to its European counterparts on variables such as skills, employment and productivity.
City group characteristics
Cardiff and its similar cities are medium-sized with an even spread of public, private and business services sectors.
Population
Industrial structure
Key
- Manufacturing, mining and utilities 2011
- Business services 2011
- Public services 2011
- Other private services 2011
- Other sectors 2011
Overall economic performance
Cardiff is among the most highly skilled of its group, but also has one of the highest proportions of low skilled people. It has a high number of total jobs, ranking in the top 100 overall, but it is the lowest in its group for productivity (GVA per worker).