Dubai and Abu Dhabi named 'most liveable cities' in Middle East

Global index ranks 140 cities on their stability, culture and environment, education and infrastructure, and health care

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Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been named the most liveable cities in the Middle East and North Africa for the third year in a row.

The list, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s global survey, ranked 140 cities in 150 countries on their stability, culture and environment, education and infrastructure, and health care.

Vienna, the capital of Austria, topped the global list for the second consecutive year, after displacing Melbourne last year and disrupting the Australian city’s seven-year streak as number one.

Sydney became the second Australian city to make the most liveable cities list, ranking third above Osaka, Japan, in fourth and Calgary, in Canada, rounding out the top five.

Overall, Dubai ranked 70th while the report judged Damascus, in war-torn Syria, as the least liveable city in the world — finishing just below Lagos, Nigeria, and Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Venezuelan capital of Caracas, the city with the second highest murder rate in the world, was ranked the 10th least liveable city.

“Overall, scores have gone up since last year,” read the report.

It said that, in all, 27 cities have become more liveable by the reports reckoning; while scores for 15 cities fell.

“Over the past year we have observed that average scores for stability have risen, reflecting, in very general terms, a slight diminishing of the perceived threat of terrorism, after a period of acute concern.”

The report said high-quality education, well-funded public healthcare and functional transport systems were key factors in a city’s success.

“Overall, our index remains dominated by medium-sized cities in wealthy countries,” it said.

The world’s most liveable cities 2019

1. Vienna, Austria
2. Melbourne, Australia
3. Sydney, Australia
4. Osaka, Japan
5. Calgary, Canada
6. Vancouver, Canada
7. Toronto, Canada
7. Tokyo, Japan
9. Copenhagen, Denmark
10. Adelaide, Australia

The world’s least liveable cities 2019

1. Damascus, Syria
2. Lagos, Nigeria
3. Dhaka, Bangladesh
4. Tripoli, Libya
5. Karachi, Pakistan
6. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
7. Harare, Zimbabwe
8. Douala, Cameroon
9. Algiers, Algeria
10. Caracas, Venezuela