There's a reason that four of Australia's five major cities (missing Brisbane) and three of Canada's four largest cities (missing Montreal) are on this list, and it's not so much the cities as it is the countries they are part of.
Sure, the index measures things like infrastructure, arts, etc: but the reason these five countries have their cities in the top 10 globally are because of the values of these societies. They are highly educated, free, economically successful countries. They contain people who are politically moderate and tolerant. They are industrious, yet they also value time spent on recreation. None of them is facing a debt and deficit crisis on the scale of that facing Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, or the United States. They are among the least religious nations on earth.
They all have a lot going for them, and deserve to be considered the best cites and countries on earth.
Canada and Australia Ranked Best Places to Live - as Usual.
seathanaich
2011/08/30 16:12:26
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The world's major cities are ranked annually in terms of which is the best to live in. After almost a decade of being ranked number 1, Vancouver has slipped this year. But only the details have changed: Canada and Australia, as always, dominate the rankings of the world's best cities to live in, and by extension the best countries and societies on earth.
Given that Helsinki, Vienna, and Auckland are the only major cities in their respective countries, Finland, Austria, and New Zealand also have a lot to be proud of.
Which of the world's top 10 cities have you visited, and what did you notice that made them so "liveable"?
* * * * * *
Given that Helsinki, Vienna, and Auckland are the only major cities in their respective countries, Finland, Austria, and New Zealand also have a lot to be proud of.
Which of the world's top 10 cities have you visited, and what did you notice that made them so "liveable"?
* * * * * *
Vancouver is no longer the best place in the world to live. After nearly a decade of topping livability studies, the city has slipped to number three behind Melbourne and Vienna, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's latest Global Livability Survey.
It was not the riots that did it. Instead it was an adjustment in Vancouver's score for transport infrastructure, "reflecting recent intermittent closures of the key Malahat highway that resulted in a 0.7 percentage point decline in the city's overall livability rating," said the report.
The June riot came too late in the year to affect livability, the report said, but could lead to further downward revisions of Vancouver's overall score in future surveys.
Overall, there was only a difference of 0.2 points between Melbourne (97.5) and Vancouver (97.2). The top three cities stacked up equivalent points for the indicators of stability, health care and education, with Vancouver scoring much higher than Melbourne and Vienna for culture and environment (100 as opposed to 95.1 and 94.4 respectively). The only place it stumbled was in terms of infrastructure — scoring 92.9 in the face of a perfect score of 100 by the other two cities.
Seven of the top ten cities are in Australia and Canada. Toronto ranked fourth and Calgary fifth.
The Economist Intelligence Unit's livability rating is an annual survey aimed to quantify "the challenges that might be presented to an individual's lifestyle in any given location, and allows for direct comparison between locations."
Here are the world's 10 most livable cities, according to the EIU:
1. Melbourne, Australia
2. Vienna, Austria
3. Vancouver, Canada
4. Toronto, Canada
5. Calgary, Canada
6. Sydney, Australia
7. Helsinki, Finland
8. Perth, Australia
9. Adelaide, Australia
10. Auckland, New Zealand
According to the Happy Planet Index Canada ranks 89th, Australia ranks 102nd and the U.S. ranks 114th.
I happen to think that where I live is the best place in the world. Costa Rica ranks #1 on the Happy Planet Index.
You can check out their findings at THE HAPPY PLANET INDEX 2.0
That's because this was about the five countries that made this list, not some other list.
As for Aus, Adelaide has a high serial murder rate and massive drug circuit, so have fun with that. Sydney is trashy, also full of drugs and violence. And depending where you go, if you're not white there's a good chance you'll get the crap beaten out of you.
Perth and Melbourne seem alright though.
That's a very important factor, because when you reduce religious literalism and fundamentalism and replace it with either religious moderation or no religion at all, you change for the better the mindset of the entire society on almost every political, economic, educational, and social topic. Cheers.
But when I was very young, I learnt about CanadaLOL ... When I finally went there at 18, I certainly wasn't disappointed!!! Beauty-wise, it is possibly 'the Best' of allLOL!!
My son who stars in the group Gypsy and the Cat, however, says Japan is easily the BestLOL!!
But I've never been there!!
Of the top 10 cities cited, I have visited Melbourne, Toronto, Calgary, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, & Auckland, New Zealand - so that is 7 of them!!
Near Vimy Ridge Park. Those are some pretty neighborhoods and houses around there.
It certainly did Not disappoint me!! ... although missing BC, theytell me I missed the best part!! :(
Yes, you did missed the best part BC...especially Vancouver, Victoria and the Rocky Mountarin. Maybe you can come back for another visit....and if you do, please also go to Quebec....Montreal and Quebec City is very beautiful as well.