Karachi ranked as least liveable city in global survey

KARACHI: The bustling port city, Karachi, once renowned for its state-of-the-art infrastructure and modern education, has been ranked as the least liveable city in a global survey for the second consecutive year.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister organisation to The Economist, evaluated 173 cities worldwide based on several crucial factors, including health care, culture and environment, stability, infrastructure, and education, according to a report by CNN.

Cities were scored on a scale from one to 100, with one indicating an intolerable living situation and 100 representing an ideal one.

Karachi was placed 169th, receiving an overall score of 42.7. The city particularly struggled in the stability indicator, scoring only 20. Its other scores included 54.2 for healthcare, 35.9 for culture and environment, 75 for education, and 51.8 for infrastructure.

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Other cities with similarly dire rankings included Lagos in Nigeria, Algiers in Algeria, Tripoli in Libya, and Damascus in Syria, all of which ranked just below Karachi.

The report comes at a time when Pakistan is grappling with a prolonged political and economic crisis.

In stark contrast, Vienna, Austria, retained its position as the most liveable city with an impressive overall score of 98.4. Copenhagen, Denmark, held onto second place, while Zurich, Switzerland, climbed from sixth to third place.

Western European cities performed well overall, with 30 cities averaging a score of 92 out of 100. However, the region experienced a decline in stability scores, attributed to “increasing instances of disruptive protests” and rising crime rates.

Top 10 ‘most liveable cities’ of 2024:

1.  Vienna, Austria
2. Copenhagen, Denmark
3. Zurich, Switzerland
4. Melbourne, Australia
5. Calgary, Canada
6. Geneva, Switzerland
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Vancouver, Canada
9. Osaka, Japan
10. Auckland, New Zealand