A new index rating the world’s best cities has named Hong Kong the most “liveable” city in the world.
The Best Cities Contest – run by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EUI) in partnership with BuzzData – invited individuals to rank the best cities in the world and provide the data to back it up.
The winning submission, by urban planning expert Filippo Lovato, ranked cities based on their infrastructure, education, spatial characteristics, culture and environment, stability, and healthcare.
Each category in his “Spatially Adjusted Living Index” was weighted differently, with the most emphasis placed on spatial characteristics, culture and environment. To select the winner, Lovato measured a varied list of attributes, among them green space, urban sprawl, natural and cultural assets, pollution, connectivity and isolation.
Hong Kong took the coveted top spot on the index, followed by Amsterdam, Osaka and Paris in second, third and fourth place respectively.
Also included in the top ten were Sydney, Stockholm, Munich, Toronto, Berlin and Tokyo.
The most recent index stands in contrast to the EUI’s bi-annual global livability index – Vancouver, Melbourne and Vienna currently hold the top three on that particular list, but failed to rank on Lovato’s new index.
“Hong Kong, the winner, is a very compact city that has managed to maintain its natural heritage, create a dense network of green spaces and enjoy extensive links to the rest of the world,” said Lovato.
“It responded very well to the addition of spatial characteristics to the liveability index.”
http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/hong-kong-named-worlds-best-city-in-new-index/story-e6frfq80-1226417473423
