Page 16 - U4SSC Factsheet, Valencia, Spain, June 2020

City Profile: Valencia, Spain

City Profile

Inhabitants 795 736 City GDP 18 272.15 M €
Area 138.35 km 2 Household Income 29 986.64 €
Households 336 600 Inflation Rate 0.60 %

Founded in 138 B.C., the City of Valencia is the capital of the Province of Valencia. Located in the
centre of the Mediterranean Corridor, it is Spain’s third-largest city after Madrid and Barcelona, from
which the city is only a 95-minute, high-speed rail ride away. As one of the leading smart cities in
Spain, Valencia has introduced a few firsts in the country, including the integration of a smart city
management platform. The city has an annual budget of close to one billion euros to become a centre
of urban innovation along with some of the most successful smart and sustainable cities in Europe.

Valencia is topographically and ecologically rich, containing mountainous areas, flat coastal areas, the
largest lake in Spain (L’Albufera), several beaches, as well as one of the most important wetland areas
on the Iberian Peninsula. The city is also rich in heritage, with influences from its Roman origins to its
time under Visigoth, Moorish and later Christian rule still evident in some of its architecture, irrigation
systems, agriculture, food and arts. Its rich cultural life offers festivals, concerts, shows and exhibitions
all year round. Several impressive archaeological sites in and around the city show the remains of both
pre and post Roman times. 2

Its coastal location has positive effects for the city’s economy. Valencia ranks third-highest in the country,
with 170 000 companies and an economy that has grown 3.9 per cent in 2017–2018. Valencia's port
3
is the biggest on the Mediterranean western coast, handling 20 per cent of Spain's exports comprising
foodstuffs, beverages, oranges, furniture, ceramic tiles, fans, textiles and iron products. The city's
economy is mainly service-oriented; however, there is also an important industrial base.

Given these characteristics, and Valencia’s public commitment to its technological and smart sustainable
city (SSC) initiatives, the city is ideal for the implementation of the U4SSC KPIs on Smart Sustainable
Cities. The vital knowledge gained through Valencia’s experience will continue to be an important
part of ongoing efforts to make not only the KPIs, but also U4SSC’s upcoming Smart Sustainable Cities
Index, the most effective methods to measure progress and provide guidance to cities on their journey
towards becoming smarter and more sustainable.

The first year of Valencia's participation in the KPI project has concluded successfully with the active
support of ITU.

10 U4SSC Factsheet | Valencia, Spain | June 2020