Here is the introduction to an article written by Kimberly Weisul for BNET, The CBS Interactive Business Network. To check out an abundance of valuable resources and obtain a free subscription to one or more of the BNET newsletters, please click here.

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Which cities are the best for employers, professionals and innovators? Which offer a great quality of life and a business-friendly environment? In short, which cities are flourishing and will offer the most opportunities for you to thrive?

PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Cities of Opportunity study crunched the data, examining everything from the number of flights in and out of a city to green space per capita to average classroom size. The result is a list of the top cities in the world.

Would-be movers (and shakers, no doubt) will notice that the top-ranked cities fall into one of two very different categories: those that have leveraged their historic economic power and cultural heritage to become global juggernauts, and those that are using sustainability and quality of life to attract a new and highly mobile global elite.

Whether you’re looking to get a new job, start a company, get transferred, or just find the perfect location for your next act, these cities should be at the top of your list.

To figure out which city holds the most opportunity for you, start here.

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Kimberly Weisul is a freelance writer, editor and editorial consultant. She was most recently a senior editor at BusinessWeek and founding editor of BusinessWeek SmallBiz, an award-winning bi-monthly magazine for entrepreneurs. Follow her on @weisul.