DUBAI // Dubai has been ranked as one of the world’s most improved cities to live, according to a new report.
The Economist Intelligence Unit’s “Liveability Ranking and Overview August 2015” report put Dubai as the third most improved city over the past five years.
It is now ranked 75 out of 140 and showed more improvement than Beijing in China, Warsaw in Poland and Kuwait City.
Australian city Melbourne remains top of the list followed by Vienna in Austria while Vancouver in Canada came in third.
“Over the past six months, 38 cities of the 140 surveyed have experienced changes in scores,” said the report.
“Of these changes the majority have been negative – reflecting a deterioration in stability in many cities around the world.”
The survey highlights civil unrest, terrorism and violence as the main reasons for the decline in stability.
“Three cities in particular – Tripoli, Kiev and Damascus– have seen significant declines in the standards,” stated the report.
Cities that do well tend to be medium sized in wealthier countries with a relatively lower population density.
This can allow for a range of recreational activities without increasing crime or putting too much pressure on infrastructure.
“Seven of the top 10 scoring cities are in Australia and Canada, with population densities of 2.88 and 3.40 people per sq km respectively,” said the report. “Of the poorer-scoring cities, 14 continue to occupy the very bottom tier of liveability rating – where ratings fall below 50 per cent and most aspects of living are severely restricted.”
The quality of living is measured by more than 30 factors including health care, stability, education, culture and the environment.
Each factor is rated as acceptable, tolerable, uncomfortable, undesirable or intolerable.
nhanif@thenational.ae