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Because of the pandemic, Vienna lost its status as the most liveable city in the world. For three years, Vienna emerged as the winner of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranking of the British business magazine. In 2021 there is just enough for twelfth place.
09.06.2021 07.03
Online since today, 7:03 a.m.
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The New Zealand port city of Auckland climbed the podium instead, followed by Osaka in Japan and Adelaide in Australia. At the bottom of the list was Damascus in Syria again.
Every year the EIU, the research unit of the business magazine, compiles the “Global Liveability Index”, whereby cities are examined according to various criteria. The pandemic led to a global collapse in quality of life in the ranking – the average value for quality of life was almost seven points lower than before it broke out. The European metropolises were particularly affected, where the effects in the form of lockdowns and burdens on the health system were comparatively greater than elsewhere, including the lack of cultural offerings.
Zurich and Geneva in the top ten
In the case of the winner Auckland, however, the “successful approach in containing the Covid-19 pandemic” was highlighted, which enabled the way to the top, as it was called in a broadcast by the EIU.
Eight of the ten largest declines in the ranking concerned European cities, Hamburg recorded the largest decline, falling 34 places to 47th place. Nevertheless, two cities from Europe made it into the top ten at least: Zurich came in seventh and Geneva in eighth place.
Honolulu with the greatest leap forward
The largest index winner is Honolulu, the capital of the US state Hawaii made up 46 places and landed in 14th place. “The area in which unfortunately little has changed is at the bottom of our ranking. Damascus remains the least livable city in the world, as the effects of the civil war in Syria continue to take their toll, ”concluded study director Upasana Dutt – and so there were hardly any major changes in the negative top ten in 2021 either.
For the “Economist” study, a total of 140 cities are compared annually. Vienna was the first European metropolis to take the top spot in 2018. The health system, education, culture and infrastructure are assessed. Likewise social security, political stability and the crime rate.
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