Discover the Most and Least Livable Cities in the World

World’s Most and Least Livable Cities

Updated 9:59 AM EDT, Tue August 18, 2015

War-torn Syria's capital, Damascus, is not only the least livable city, it also recorded the biggest livability score decline in the last five years -- a whopping 27-point-decrease.
War-torn Syria’s capital, Damascus, is not only the least livable city, it also recorded the biggest livability score decline in the last five years — a whopping 27-point-decrease.
With great coffee, great food, lively music and arts scene and lots of open space, it's no surprise why Melbourne is rated the most livable city in the annual livability ranking by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
1. Melbourne, Australia — With great coffee, great food, lively music and arts scene and lots of open space, it’s no surprise why Melbourne is rated the most livable city in the annual livability ranking by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Vienna is only 0.1 point short comparing to Melbourne in the index. Scoring 97.4 out of 100 -- the musical city with glamorous palaces and architecture came second again this year.
2. Vienna — Scoring 97.4 out of 100, the musical city with glamorous palaces and architecture came second again this year.
Once the title-holder of the livability ranking until 2011, Vancouver remains the third most livable city in the world.
3. Vancouver — Once the title-holder of the livability ranking until 2011, Vancouver remains the third most livable city in the world.
With perhaps Canada's top skyline -- including the 553-meter-high CN Tower -- Toronto came fourth in the survey.
4. Toronto — With a stunning skyline featuring the 553-meter-high CN Tower, Toronto came fourth in the survey.
With a score of 96.6, Adelaide doesn't only have parks, beaches and vineyards but also, for ghost story lovers, Australia's most terrifying tourist trails.
5. Adelaide — Scoring 96.6, Adelaide offers parks, beaches, and vineyards, along with ghost story trails.
One of the most underrated cities in Canada, Calgary upped its ranking from sixth to fifth this year, rounding off the top five livable cities of 2015.
6. Calgary — This underrated city in Canada improved its ranking from sixth to fifth this year.
The beautiful alleyways in the Old City of Tripoli didn't help conflict-hit Libya's capital to have a better rating in the survey.
1. Tripoli, Libya — Despite beautiful alleyways, Tripoli fell to become the fifth least livable city in 2015.
Lagos is Nigeria's most populous city as well as its commercial capital. But overpopulation contributed to it being the fourth least livable city in 2015.
2. Lagos — Nigeria’s commercial capital suffered from overpopulation, ranking as the fourth least livable city in 2015.
The capital city of Papua New Guinea ranked 138 in the list, thanks largely to a high crime rate and an underdeveloped infrastructure.
3. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea — Ranked 138 due to high crime rates and poor infrastructure.
In a government report in 2011, traffic in Dhaka stood still for more than seven hours one day.
4. Dhaka, Bangladesh — This city’s traffic congestion remains a significant factor impacting livability.


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