Global Liveability Index 2024: Austria’s Vienna Tops the List, Syria’s Damascus Ranks Lowest

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s Global Liveability Index 2024, Vienna, the capital of Austria, has been ranked the most liveable city in the world for the third consecutive year. Denmark’s Copenhagen maintained its second position, while Switzerland’s Zurich moved up from 6th place in 2023 to 3rd on the 2024 list.

Key Highlights:

Top 5 Most Liveable Cities:

1. Vienna, Austria – Index value: 98.4
2. Copenhagen, Denmark – Index value: 98.0
3. Zurich, Switzerland – Index value: 97.1
4. Melbourne, Australia – Index value: 97.0
5. Calgary, Canada – Index value: 96.8

Bottom 5 Least Liveable Cities:

1. Damascus, Syria – Index value: 30.7
2. Tripoli, Lebanon – Index value: 40.1
3. Algiers, Algeria – Index value: 42.0
4. Lagos, Nigeria – Index value: 42.2
5. Karachi, Pakistan – Index value: 42.7

About EIU’s Global Liveability Index:

1. Purpose: The EIU Index ranks 173 cities worldwide, assessing how comfortable they are to live in.
2. Indicators: The ranking is based on 30 indicators divided into five categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.

Detailed Insights:

1. Vienna’s Scores:
   1. Perfect Scores: Vienna achieved perfect scores of 100 in stability, healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
   1. Culture and Environment: Scored 93.5 due to the lack of major sporting events.
2. Asia-Pacific Cities:
   1. Top Ten: Four Asia-Pacific cities are in the top ten: Melbourne and Sydney (Australia), Osaka (Japan), and Auckland (New Zealand).
   1. Australia: Continues to have cities ranked within the top 20.
3. Western Europe:
   1. Dominance: Retains its position as the most liveable region with Copenhagen (Denmark), Zurich, and Geneva (Switzerland) in the top ten.
   1. Average Score: The 30 Western European cities averaged a score of 92 out of 100 in the 2024 ranking.
4. North America:
   1. Top Cities: Calgary and Vancouver are the only North American cities in the top ten.
   1. Toronto’s Decline: Toronto dropped to 12th place from 9th in 2023, marking the biggest decline among Canadian cities.
   1. USA Cities: Los Angeles and New York ranked 58th and 70th respectively, with all 25 US cities scoring above 80 on the index.
5. Singapore and Hong Kong:
   1. Singapore: Ranked 26th with a score of 92.9, including a perfect score in healthcare.
   1. Hong Kong: Climbed 11 spots to 50th in the 2024 index.
6. Challenges in Other Regions:
   1. Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, and North Africa: These regions dominate the bottom of the liveability rankings due to geopolitical conflicts, civil unrest, and a housing crisis.

Conclusion:

The EIU’s Global Liveability Index 2024 highlights the ongoing challenges and achievements of cities worldwide in providing a high quality of life for their residents. While Vienna, Copenhagen, and Zurich lead the list, offering exceptional living standards, cities like Damascus, Tripoli, and Algiers face significant hurdles. The report underscores the importance of stability, healthcare, and infrastructure in enhancing urban liveability.

About the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU):

• Role: EIU is the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, the sister company to The Economist newspaper.
• Managing Director: Robin Bew
• Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
• Founded: 1946