Vienna returns as world’s ‘most liveable city’; Ukraine’s Kyiv not on list amid war
- Russia’s Moscow and St Petersburg both fell in The Economist’s rankings over censorship and the impact of Western sanctions
- Beijing came in 71st, and Damascus, the capital of war-torn Syria, retained its place as least liveable city on the planet
The Austrian capital Vienna has made a comeback as the world’s most liveable city, according to an annual report from The Economist published on Thursday.
The Ukrainian capital Kyiv was not included this year after Russia invaded the country in late February, while Russian cities Moscow and St Petersburg fell in the rankings over “censorship” and the impact of Western sanctions.
Vienna snatched the top spot from Auckland, which tumbled down to 34th place due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, according to the report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
“Vienna, which slipped to 12th place in our rankings in early 2021 as its museums and restaurants were closed, has since rebounded to first place, the position it held in 2018 and 2019,” it said.
“Stability and good infrastructure are the city’s main charms for its inhabitants, supported by good healthcare and plenty of opportunities for culture and entertainment.”
Europe boasted six out of the top 10 cities. The Austrian capital was followed by the Danish capital Copenhagen and Switzerland’s Zurich. Fellow Swiss city Geneva came sixth, Germany’s Frankfurt seventh, and the Netherlands’ Amsterdam ninth.
