(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Auckland in New Zealand has been named the world’s most liveable city, in an annual ranking that has been shifted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) survey ranked 140 cities on factors including stability, infrastructure, education and access to healthcare.
But the pandemic proved to be the defining factor in this year’s list.
It meant European cities fell while those in Australia, Japan and New Zealand rose up the rankings.
Those island countries responded swiftly to the coronavirus outbreak and were able to minimise cases and loosen restrictions.
European Union countries, meanwhile, had a sluggish start to their vaccine rollout and many member states imposed tough lockdowns which hurt their performance in this year’s survey.
Auckland topped the list followed by Osaka in Japan, Adelaide in Australia, Wellington in New Zealand and the Japanese capital Tokyo. No UK cities made the top ten.
