Auckland Named World's Most Liveable City Due to COVID-19 Response
Previous list-topper Vienna has dropped off the top 10 entirely.
The Economist‘s Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released its annual ranking of the world’s most liveable cities, with New Zealand’s Auckland topping the list. Overall, the top 10 reflects how various countries have handled the COVID-19 pandemic and the relative freedoms available in each country.
New Zealand has all-but eliminated the virus, with Auckland joined by Wellington (fourth) in the top 10. Elsewhere, Australia takes four places — Adelaide in third, Perth in sixth, and Melbourne and Brisbane in ninth and 10th respectively — while Japan has Osaka (second) and Tokyo (fifth) on the list.
The remaining two spots on the list are taken by the Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva, in seventh and eighth respectively. This year’s list also sees Vienna drop out of the top 10 entirely, after the Austrian capital had topped the list in both 2018 and 2019 (the 2020 edition was cancelled).
Announcing the ranking in a statement, the EIU explained New Zealand’s success: “New Zealand’s tough lockdown allowed their society to reopen and enabled citizens of cities like Auckland and Wellington to enjoy a lifestyle that looked similar to pre-pandemic life.” Adding that, “The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on global liveability,” the EIU also highlighted Europe’s decline on the list: “Cities across the world are now much less liveable than they were before the pandemic began, and we’ve seen that regions such as Europe have been hit particularly hard.”
While the EIU does not reveal the full 140-city ranking, it has also announced the 10 least liveable cities in the world, which can be viewed alongside the 10 most liveable cities below.
In other travel news, The Ritz-Carlton recently opened its first resort in the Maldives.
10 Most Liveable Cities
1. Auckland (New Zealand)
2. Osaka (Japan)
3. Adelaide (Australia)
4. Wellington (New Zealand)
5. Tokyo (Japan)
6. Perth (Australia)
7. Zurich (Switzerland)
8. Geneva (Switzerland)
9. Melbourne (Australia)
10. Brisbane (Australia)
10 Least Liveable Cities
131. Caracas (Venezuela)
132. Douala (Cameroon)
133. Harare (Zimbabwe)
134. Karachi (Pakistan)
135. Tripoli (Libya)
136. Algiers (Algeria)
137. Dhaka (Bangladesh)
138. Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea)
139. Lagos (Nigeria)
140. Damascus (Syria)
