5.5 million individuals currently reside in the Frankfurt Rhine-Main metropolitan region, and they have a purchasing power that is clearly over the average of the Federal Republic of Germany and Europe. For more than 25 years, as one centre, the state of Hesse, with the Rhine-Main metropolitan region and the Frankfurt financial centre, has earned the highest gross domestic product per inhabitant of all German states. Thereby, the region is one of the most productive in Europe. In the Frankfurt Rhine-Main metropolitan region, the gross domestic product per inhabitant is currently 69,000 euros per year; by comparison - measured against the EU member states, this would be in 2nd place (behind Luxembourg). Moreover, the share of highly qualified employees with a (specialised) university degree is around 30% over the federal average. However, Frankfurt am Main is far more than simply the most productive commercial location - it is quite difficult to find a location with such a high concentration of excellency, both in the degree of innovation and research and teaching. Moreover, regarding quality of life, Frankfurt can be measured against the large metropolitan centres of the world.