Stockholm sixth 'most livable' city in the world
Published: 10 Jul 12 12:32 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/41940/20120710/
Stockholm has come in sixth place in a new ranking of the best cities in the world, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) global "livability" ranking.
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Maria Kylberg, a PR manager for the Stockholm Business Region, is buzzing with the news.
“We are always happy and proud when international rankings such as the Economist put Stockholm in high positions,” she told The Local.
“Our goal to be a world class city and to be Europe’s most sustainable growth region is starting to pay off and international confirmation is very valuable.”
In the ranking, Hong Kong took the first place and Amsterdam and Osaka trailed close behind. Meanwhile, Tehran, Nairobi and Lusaka took the bottom three spots.
Click here for a gallery of the top ten cities to live in on earth, according to The Economist.
Criteria for the ranking include population density, air quality, connectivity, green space and pollution concentration. Special mention went to Stockholm for its inner city green space – with over 40 percent of the Swedish capital being composed of parks, lakes and hiking trails.
This green space is “the very soul” of Stockholm, according to Kylberg.
“Closeness to nature is one of Stockholm’s strongest points since it makes it possible for people to get a real work/life balance. Something that I think will be more and more important for coming generations,” she said.
Cultural and natural assets are also included in the criteria, with the ranking taking note of UNESCO world heritage sites in the area Google Satellite imagery to map how much greenery featured in each city.
Kylberg admits that the quality of life in Stockholm is the overwhelming draw, and was quick to point out that the Financial Times had rated the Stockholm region as European Region of the Future 2012-13.
As no other Scandinavian cities made the top ten this year, the Stockhom Business Region may indeed take this as confirmation of their controversial slogan they launched in March.
“This is simply Stockholm,” she told The Local.
“The Capital of Scandinavia.”
Oliver Gee
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While I agree that Hong Kong is probably the most livable city in the world and I can agree with cities like Tokyo, Sydney, Toronto and Munich, the rest of the list is very odd. While Amsterdam has a very nice but very small central area, the rest of it is very ghetto, there is practically nothing positive about Paris other then the food and Berlin is only appealing to hipsters and hippies.
Amsterdam and Paris? Sure, maybe 20 years ago. I was in both cities in the late 90's and then I went again about two years ago and both cities have turned into dumps. Especially outside the tourist areas. Outside of the main areas there is a lot of urban decay and ghettoization going on.
Of the others in the top 10, Osaka and (especially) Tokyo are practically unliveable due to expense, Toronto? Sure, if you want to commute 4 hours a day through endless urban sprawl and suffocating smog in the summer time.
As for Stockholm, do something about the ridiculous process of renting and it'll put a smile on my face.
(OK, rant over)
Afro (all)
Middle Eastern
Some Latin American countries
I think if Drogba were to attempt to enter a night spot in Stockholm the door nazi's would ask if he is on the guest list.
Business growth is not sustainable if you cannot house the work force or the consumers.
I mean think about it, what sort of publicity would the EIU get if they had a Top 5 consisting of say, Ljubljana, Aarhus, Victoria, Adelaide and Florianópolis, people would be like, whaa? whirs tha? The publicity would be poor. But if you check off cosmopolitan, international cities like Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Toronto and Tokyo people are going to go: "ohhhhhh I know those cities!" Never mind that there are all expensive and not necessarily the best cities to live in their respective countries.
No, those people are not from Stockholm.
No, the might not be from Stockholm, but there sure seems to be a lot of them living there that are regulars on this website....
I'm with you on that one.
The Economist un-intelligence Units lost their cred long ago.
I lived in Stockholm for 4 years and i left few months ago . It is unlivable !
bureaucracy in everything , everything is almost impossible to get and everything takes an awfully long long time . nazi door men at all bars and clubs .
rude people and the list goes on and on and on . I live in Abu Dhabi now and it is much better :)
I guess the Economist Ignoramus Unit forgot to read this:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-10/billions-of-tons-of-sewage-dumped-into-china-s-pearl-river-delta.html
Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase: Eat Sh*t!
To which a Chinaman would respond with: I am!
Only 3 weeks of holidays left basking in 30c everyday surrounded by very personable italians and then its back to crap food, crap accomodation and crap weather surrounded by the blandest people Ive ever come across.
keep telling myself its only until the end of the year - you can make it.
And Osaka? Why Osaka. Osaka has the reputation as one of the lowest level cities in Japan, compairable dirty and low level, bad manners,.... - Tokyo, Sapporo, Fukuoka,... all are better! And all of them including Osaka are far better than Hongkong. Again: I have also been there.
A strange ranking!
And yes - I agree with Cogito (above) I noticed how dirty Stockholm now is - compared to when I first came to the city in the early 1990s. The rudeness of people there remains unchanged
"This is simply Stockholm," she [kylberg] told The Local.
"The Capital of Scandinavia.""
Typical one-upmanship you come to associate with Sweden. Pathetic!
If those are your problems, then you don't know what problems truly are. Try eastern Europe.
I'm new to this site. After reading some news, all I can say is "enjoy your easy swiss life, and stop complaining". I will definitely hang on some more on this site, it's interesting to sample a different culture. There isn't much I know about Sweden, but thus far, you people seem to enjoy an easy life there.