The Austrian capital, Vienna, is back as the most livable city in the world, according to an annual report by economists released Thursday. Kieu, the capital of Ukraine, was not included this year after Russia invaded the country in late February, but the Russian cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg fell into the rankings due to “censorship” and the effects of western sanctions. I did. 

 The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) reports that Vienna has taken the top spot from Auckland, which had fallen to 34th place due to a pandemic limitation of the coronavirus. 

 “Vienna, which fell to 12th place in the rankings in early 2021 due to the closure of museums and restaurants, has since returned to its position in 2018 and 2019.” 

 

 Stability and good infrastructure are the main attractions of the city for its inhabitants, supported by good health care and many opportunities for culture and entertainment. 

 Europe boasted 6 of the top 10 cities. The Austrian capital was followed by the Danish capital, Copenhagen, and Zurich, Switzerland. Geneva, Switzerland, was sixth; Frankfurt, Germany, was seventh; and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was ninth. 

 Canada was also doing well. 

  Calgary drew in 3rd place, followed by Vancouver in 5th place, and Toronto in 8th place. 

 Osaka in Japan and Melbourne in Australia are tied in 10th place. Paris, the capital of France, has risen from 23rd place last year to 19th. 

 Brussels, the capital of Belgium, was 24th, after Montreal, Canada. 

 London, the capital of the United Kingdom, was the 3rd most livable city in the world, while the Spanish cities Barcelona and Madrid were 35th and 43rd. 

 New York, USA was 49th, New York, USA was 51st, and Beijing, China was 71st. 

 Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, which was hit by a port explosion in 2020 and faced a serious financial crisis, did not raise the ranking of business destinations. After the February 24 Russian invasion forced the EIU to abandon its investigation into the city, so did Kieu, the capital of Ukraine. 

 Moscow, the capital of Russia, fell to 15th in the quality of life ranking, while St. Petersburg fell to 13th. 

Increased censorship is accompanied by ongoing conflicts, the report said. 

As a result of Western economic sanctions, Russian cities also face cultural and environmental restrictions.

 

 Other cities in Eastern Europe were said to be unstable due to the “increasing diplomatic tensions” caused by the war in Ukraine. 

 Damascus, the war-torn capital of Syria, has maintained its position as the most inhabitable city in the world.