Austrian capital the best city in the world
Source: Agencies |
December 5, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AUSTRIA'S capital offers the best quality of life of any city in the world and Baghdad the worst, according to the survey by consultant group Mercer.
Vienna, a city of 1.7 million residents, came top of the survey for the fourth year in a row, boasting a vibrant cultural scene alongside comprehensive health care and moderate but rising housing costs. Its opulent architecture from the time of the Habsburg empire also makes it a magnet for tourists.
Its public transport system costs just 1 euro (US$1.30) a day for an annual pass.
"The city is so international ... I have been waiting for buses and heard over 10 languages being spoken at one stop," said American Dawn Gartlehner, 42, a law firm manager who has lived in Vienna for more than 15 years.
"The city caters to all kinds of people, all ages and all walks of life. You can have a wonderful day here spending all the money in your bank account but have an equally great time spending nothing at all."
Mercer conducts its annual survey using 39 factors such as political stability, health care, education, crime, recreation and transport.
Despite its sovereign debt crisis, Europe has 15 of the world's top 25 cities in the survey. Germany and Switzerland each have three in the top 10. The lowest-ranking city in western Europe is Athens (83), currently in the grip of deep economic woes.
"Overall, European cities continue to have high quality of living as a result of a combination of increased stability, rising living standards and advanced city infrastructures," said Slagin Parakatil, senior researcher at Mercer.
Singapore (25) remains the highest-ranking Asian city followed by Japanese cities Tokyo (44), Kobe (48), Yokohama (49) and Osaka (57). Hong Kong (70), Seoul (75), Kuala Lumpur (80), Taipei (85) and Shanghai (95) were the other Asian cities in the top 100.
Canadian cities dominated rankings in the Americas region, with Vancouver (5) retaining the top spot and Honolulu (28) the most pleasant US urban center.
New Zealand's Auckland (3) is still top of the Asia Pacific region's charts, while Dubai (73) gets best marks in the Middle East and Africa.
But the region also has 15 cities in the bottom 20, including Lagos, Bamako in Mali; Khartoum and N'Djamena in Chad. Iraq's capital Baghdad (221) was ranked lowest in the world.
Vienna, a city of 1.7 million residents, came top of the survey for the fourth year in a row, boasting a vibrant cultural scene alongside comprehensive health care and moderate but rising housing costs. Its opulent architecture from the time of the Habsburg empire also makes it a magnet for tourists.
Its public transport system costs just 1 euro (US$1.30) a day for an annual pass.
"The city is so international ... I have been waiting for buses and heard over 10 languages being spoken at one stop," said American Dawn Gartlehner, 42, a law firm manager who has lived in Vienna for more than 15 years.
"The city caters to all kinds of people, all ages and all walks of life. You can have a wonderful day here spending all the money in your bank account but have an equally great time spending nothing at all."
Mercer conducts its annual survey using 39 factors such as political stability, health care, education, crime, recreation and transport.
Despite its sovereign debt crisis, Europe has 15 of the world's top 25 cities in the survey. Germany and Switzerland each have three in the top 10. The lowest-ranking city in western Europe is Athens (83), currently in the grip of deep economic woes.
"Overall, European cities continue to have high quality of living as a result of a combination of increased stability, rising living standards and advanced city infrastructures," said Slagin Parakatil, senior researcher at Mercer.
Singapore (25) remains the highest-ranking Asian city followed by Japanese cities Tokyo (44), Kobe (48), Yokohama (49) and Osaka (57). Hong Kong (70), Seoul (75), Kuala Lumpur (80), Taipei (85) and Shanghai (95) were the other Asian cities in the top 100.
Canadian cities dominated rankings in the Americas region, with Vancouver (5) retaining the top spot and Honolulu (28) the most pleasant US urban center.
New Zealand's Auckland (3) is still top of the Asia Pacific region's charts, while Dubai (73) gets best marks in the Middle East and Africa.
But the region also has 15 cities in the bottom 20, including Lagos, Bamako in Mali; Khartoum and N'Djamena in Chad. Iraq's capital Baghdad (221) was ranked lowest in the world.
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