If the stunning natural beauty and mild climate wasn't enough, Vancouverites have another reason to be proud of their city. The Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index 2019 is out and Vancouver ranks sixth as the most livable city in the world.
The report assesses cities around the globe that provide the best or the worst living conditions, factoring in indicators such as environment, infrastructure, heathcare and culture. Other Canadian cities that made it to the top ten include Calgary (number 5) and Toronto (which shares the seventh spot with Tokyo).
Vienna, the capital of Austria, emerged as the most liveable of the 140 cities surveyed, followed by Melbourne, Australia. Other Australian cities that made the cut include Sydney (third) and Adelaide (tenth).
Copenhagen in Denmark (ninth) was the only European city to feature in the top ten.
The ten most liveable cities
1. Vienna, Austria
2. Melbourne, Australia
3. Sydney, Australia
4. Osaka, Japan
5. Calgary, Canada
6. Vancouver, Canada
7. Toronto, Canada
7. Tokyo, Japan
9. Copenhagen, Denmark
10. Adelaide, Australia
Medium-sized cities in rich countries dominate the 2019 Index. These cities boast of well-funded public healthcare systems, compulsory and high-quality education, and robust road and rail infrastructure. They also enjoy democratic electoral systems and low levels of corruption.
New Delhi and Mumbai ranked 118 and 119 in the Index. The report states that India's capital has slipped down the Index due to "downgrades not just to its culture and environment score, but also stability, owing to rising crime rates".
Caracas, Venezula, was ranked the least liveable city in the world. Karachi (136), Pakistan, and Dhaka (138), Bangladesh, also feature in the ten least liveable cities in the world.
Climate change emerged as a global menace in the report, affecting the living conditions in not just the developing world but also threatening the liveability of cities at the very top of the index as well.
The report says that a co-ordinated global effort is key to limiting the rising temperature of the planet and maintaining current levels of liveability across the world.
